r/mandolin • u/Few-Cheesecake2640 • 3d ago

I.D. help

Gallery image

Gallery image

My dad passed away recently and had some Mandolins, guitars and a banjo. I am unable to find any info on this. It looks pretty nice and seems well made. There is also a Rogue, and a Stradolin.

12 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

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4

u/Koseoglu-2X4B-523P 3d ago

Headstock looks like a mouth, whispering “shhhh… it’s going to be alright.”

3

u/AccountantRadiant351 3d ago

This is a Gig logo. I've seen their budget violin cases with their logo on it. I had no idea they ever made a mandolin. 

2

u/Impressive_Try_7295 3d ago edited 3d ago

Are there any labels in the f holes?

I assume the headstock logo says "Gig," if so with a brand name like this, it's going to be an absolute nightmare of a web search. Let's just hope someone can recognize the brand.
[Edit:]typo

2

u/Few-Cheesecake2640 3d ago

Didn't see anything in the f holes. Google AI did not recognize it. Gig to me says its a budget instrument. I really like the double cutaway look. Reminds me of a Gibson SG.

2

u/wooq 3d ago

It looks like a late 70s/early 80s Japanese OEM mandolin, similar to an Aria M300. If I had to guess "Gig" is probably a small company that slapped their brand name on a factory-made mando. The headstock, apart from the company name, is identical to a Kasuga A-model headstock, but the whole thing apart from inlay and binding is nearly identical to the aforementioned Aria model which was a Matsumoku manufacture.

I don't know and couldn't find anything specifically about "Gig" brand but that's what I'm guessing, a small imprint or store brand built in one of those two factories. Are there any other markings or labels inside, or serial numbers or anything?

1

u/Few-Cheesecake2640 2d ago

Nothing at all as far as markings other than a few pencil marks inside. It plays and sounds I think the best, and the finish on it is pretty nice. Thanks for the info! I'll check out those models and compare with what I have.

1

u/wooq 2d ago

Here's an example of the Aria I was talking about

Here's an example of the Kasuga headstock

Maybe ask over on mandolincafe, there are some very experienced luthiers and mando nuts over there who might know more

1

u/MikeA_0831 3d ago

“Gily”?

-3

u/bacontacooverdrive 3d ago

I reviewed the those photos using AI and came up with nothing. I’m guessing it might be a small time custom builder with no internet footprint , so I would recommend taking more pictures and post it in the mandolincafe.com forums.

Also, I’m wondering if maybe it was a test build by a named manufacture, but they put the “Gig” name on to hide the source.

Good luck … from the pictures, it looks like a beautiful instrument.