Until 1922, every Gibson mandolin had an oval sound hole. While this design eventually lost favor to the f-hole design, there's something sweet and unmistakable about the tone of a prewar oval-hole mandolin. They are warm and well-rounded, and their sound seems more connected to traditional and old-time styles of music.
This 1927 Gibson A-1 Snakehead mandolin is simply a joy to play, and it has been nicely preserved over the years. Starting in 1923, Gibson put the distinctive tapered "Snakehead" peghead on this model. Snakeheads are somewhat rare, and the silver paint "The Gibson" stenciling give it an incredible prewar aesthetic. Also, prior to 1926, this model would've had Mahogany back and sides. This one has Maple back and sides, which give it the right mandolin sound. As for repairs, it has a repaired crack on the treble side that involved some structural repair (100% stable), but that's pretty much all we can find.
This 1927 Gibson A-1 plays well and produces thick, refined tone that has been enriched by the last 92 years. There are plenty of songs left in this old mandolin!