Guitar
Maker
Gibson
Date1907
Place MadeKalamazoo, Michigan, United States, North America
ModelStyle O
Serial No.7154
SignedPrinted on oval paper label with double-line border, the inner line bold, the serial number written in pencil: Gibson Mandolin=Guitar Mfg. Co. / No. 7154 [lyre Mandolin with photograph of Orville Gibson over fingerboard] Patented / February first. / 1898. / Kalamazoo, Michigan, U. S. A.Silk screened in gold, cursive lettering on headstock: The / Gibson
MarkingsRubber stamped in purple ink on headblock: Order No. / 425
DescriptionMade just one year before a major re-design of the Style O guitar, this instrument features a broad body and wide, oval soundhole. The unwieldy size and shape of this instrument, which was very large for the period, combined with the introduction of instruments with the upper rib at the 14th fret, rather than the 12th, meant that instruments such as NMM 10075 were soon replaced by Gibson’s Style O Artist and the newly-developed dreadnaughts. Nevertheless, the sleek black finish, the carved, arched top, and oval soundhole are signature early Gibson features.
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: arched, two-piece spruce with wide grain
Back: arched, two-piece birch; no back stripe
Ribs: two-piece birch divided by padauk end graft strip (slightly wider toward top than bottom) surrounded by dark-light-dark hardwood purfling on each side
Head: mahogany veneered with black-lacquered dark hardwood
Neck: mahogany with dark hardwood ridge along center of back; integral with head
Heel cap: birch lacquered black over dark red
Binding: white celluloid
Fingerboard: black-stained hardwood bound in white celluloid; 20 nickel-silver frets; single mother-of-pearl dots behind 5th, 7th, 9th, and 15th frets; two mother-of-pearl dots behind 12th fret
Nut: bone
Bridge: ebony with chamfered, raised squares at each end; bone saddle; black-stained hardwood bridge pins with mother-of-pearl eyes; oval, birch bridgeplate
Pegs: two sets of nickel-plated brass worm-gear machine heads with white celluloid heads, the plates engraved with floral motif
Endpin: ebony with mother-of-pearl eye
Rosette: oval soundhole bound in white celluloid with rosette set in 1/4” from edge; rosette comprised of white celluloid band surrounded on each side by two strips of angled, alternating light and dark hardwood, which in turn are surrounded on each side strips of light and dark hardwood
Varnish: black lacquer on top and top of headstock; red, mahogany lacquer on back, ribs, and neck; craquelure; lacquer scraped from trim and rosette after application
Linings: kerfed birch
Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners
Top braces: single spruce braces above and below soundhole
Back braces: none
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 984 mm (38-3/4″)
Back length: 517 mm (20-3/8″)
Upper bout width: 297 mm (11-11/16″)
Waist width: 235 mm (9-1/4″)
Lower bout width: 413 mm (16-1/4″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 71 mm (2-25/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 71 mm (2-25/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Head length: 155 mm (6-1/8″)
Head width, top: 66 mm (2-19/32″)
Head width, bottom: 54 mm (2-1/8″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 314 mm (12-3/8″)
Neck width, nut: 43 mm (1-11/16″)
Neck width, heel: 56 mm (2-3/16″)
Soundhole height: 71 mm (2-25/32″)
Soundhole width: 120 mm (4-23/32″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 626 mm (24-19/32″); low E: 628 mm (24-11/16″)
ProvenancePurchased from Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, 2001.
Credit LineBoard of Trustees, 2001
Object number10075
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