Introducing Gibson’s New Jam Master Series Mandolins

 Jam Master Series Standard A-Style Mandolin
The new Jam Master Series Standard A-style mandolin offers legendary craftsmanship without sacrificing Gibson’s time-honored approach to achieving excellent tone and playability. What you get is simple: a roadworthy Gibson mandolin at an attractive price. This new offering from Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments puts all the focus on achieving unmatched performance with fewer trimmings. No matter what kind of music you play, the Jam Masters Standard A-style mandolin fits into your particular setting.

Larger Frets, Remarkable Tonewoods, Mind-blowing Resonance
This austere, teardrop-shaped A-style model is a fresh take on one of Gibson’s most popular mandolin lines, offering a simple yet elegant look, but with several performance-enhancing elements that players of this new line will certainly come to appreciate. For example, F-holes remain unbound, and there’s no neck or headstock binding. There are also no position markers on the fretboard (side dots only), and no inlay on the peghead, just the timeless Gibson logo decal. On the design side, each A-style mandolin features a carved solid spruce top trimmed with simple single-ply binding to contrast its Sheraton Brown satin lacquer finish. The back and sides are constructed from figured maple, and the figured maple necks are carved and hand shaped to the popular “rounded V” profile. Additionally, a 1 3/16" width at the nut provides enhanced comfort and finger room across the radiused ebony fingerboard. Thirteen of the instrument’s 20 frets are clear of the body, and the frets themselves are a little bigger than those typically found on vintage mandolins – a modification that improves fingering for many players and playing styles. Other advanced constructional features include Gibson’s time-tested tone bar bracing, a radiused dovetail neck joint, a genuine bone nut, an adjustable ebony bridge and nickel Grover tuners

The season of the summer jams is here, and Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments kicks off the pickin’ and grinnin’ around campfires and festival sites across the country with the introduction of the new Jam Master Series line of mandolins. Both models in the new series – an A-style and an F-style – focus on a no-compromises approach to tone and playability, while easing back on the trimmings to provide a roadworthy Gibson mandolin at an attractive price. The Jam Master A- and F-style mandolins descend straight out of hallowed Gibson tradition, but offer two accessible new options to the player who wants to get their jam on, in whatever setting, with whatever kind of music.

The Gibson Mandolin Legacy Lives On
Sure, the mandolin existed before Gibson. But company founder Orville Gibson single-handedly ushered the rather archaic, bowl-backed instrument of the 19th century headlong into the 20th century by giving it sleeker and more elegant lines, greater resonance and the power it would require to see it through as the most popular fretted stringed instrument going. Gibson’s designs were so successful that the mere presence of the headstock logo “The Gibson” guaranteed its bearer to be one of the finest playing and sounding mandolins throughout the peak years of the instrument’s popularity in the 1910s, ’20s and early ’30s.

From the workmanlike A Series to the elegant F Series, road-worn Gibsons from the golden era of the mandolin continue to crop up in country, bluegrass and folk jams as the prized centerpieces of stages across the country. Into this crucible Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments issues the new Jam Master Series line. The austere, teardrop-shaped A-style model and the scrolled F-style model deliver fresh new takes on Gibson’s two most popular mandolin lines. Each is crafted with all the artistry that the world’s most storied mandolin maker has accumulated over the years, along with a no-nonsense, hard-traveled, but much-loved look that lets these superb instruments sit in at any occasion.


Jam Master Series Standard F-style Mandolin
The new Jam Master Series Standard F-style mandolin descends straight out of Gibson tradition, delivering a fresh new take on one of Gibson’s most popular mandolin lines. Each F-style mandolin is crafted with all the artistry of a world-class mandolin maker, along with a no-nonsense, hard-traveled, but much-loved look that lets these superb instruments sit in at any occasion. Stripped-down appointments offer a simple yet elegant look, while making way for the performance-enhancing elements that players of the Jam Masters Series will certainly appreciate. F-holes remain unbound, there’s no neck or headstock binding, no position markers on the fretboard (side dots only), and no inlay on the peghead, just the timeless Gibson logo decal. All of the notable luthiery features you do find, however, are in the tone and playability departments.

Bigger Frets, New Satin Finish Equals Improved Performance
Each new F-style Jam Master Standard Mandolin features a top carved from solid spruce, trimmed with simple single-ply binding to contrast its classic Gibson Sheraton Brown color with satin lacquer finish. The back and sides are constructed from figured maple, and the figured maple necks are hand-shaped to Gibson’s popular “rounded V” profile, with a 1 3/16" width at the nut providing enhanced comfort and finger room across the radiused ebony fingerboard. Thirteen of the mandolin’s 20 frets clear the body, and are a little bigger than the traditional frets typically fitted on vintage mandolins – a modification that improves fingering for many players and playing styles, and one that many contemporary players are sure to appreciate. Advanced constructional features include Gibson’s time-tested tone bar bracing, a radiused dovetail neck joint, and a genuine bone nut all help to enhance the instrument’s resonance and projection. An adjustable ebony bridge and nickel Grover tuners round out the package.

Enhanced Features Equals Satisfied Players
Stripped-down appointments on each of these new, traditionally-styled mandolins offer a simple yet elegant look, while making way for the performance-enhancing elements that players of the Jam Masters will certainly appreciate. F-holes remain unbound, there’s no neck or headstock binding, no position markers on the fretboard (side dots only), and no inlay on the peghead, just the timeless Gibson logo decal. All the notable luthiery features you do find, however, are in the tone and playability departments.

Each model features a top carved from solid spruce, trimmed with simple single-ply black binding contrasting its Sheraton Brown satin lacquer finish, and married to figured maple back and sides. The figured maple necks are carved to the popular “rounded V” profile, with a 1 3/16" width at the nut providing enhanced comfort and finger room across the radiused ebony fingerboard. The 20-fret neck has 13 frets clear of the body, with frets that are a little bigger than the traditional frets on vintage mandolins, a modification that improves fingering for many playing styles, and one that many contemporary players really appreciate.

Advanced constructional features such as Gibson’s time-tested tone bar bracing, a radiused dovetail neck joint, and a genuine bone nut partner up to enhance resonance and projection on both models. An adjustable two-piece ebony bridge and nickel Grover tuners round out each package. The result is a pair of mandolins that offer a high-performance tonal palette, from crisp, punchy chords to sweet, articulate single-note riffs, all with a richness and resonance that rings true to the Jam Masters’ origins.

Celebrate By Playing a New Jam Master Mandolin
To celebrate the release of the Jam Masters Series, the first 100 mandolins will be signed by Gibson Original Master Luthier David Harvey. Every instrument in the series will come in a snug pouch-plentiful padded travel bag, making it ready for the road and easy to haul from site to site. Contact a Gibson Dealer near you, or visit one of the internet Dealers, and let the jamming begin.