Call it a "Snakehead" if you want
1925 Gibson A-4
© Frank Ford, 2000; Photos by FF

We credit Lloyd Loar with improving the quality of the Gibson mandolins made in the early 1920s. Here's yet another of his influences. This A-4 sports the narrow converging peghead that allows all strings the straightest path from nut to tuning post. In addition, it has the narrower neck and adjustable truss rod improve playability. Notice the tuners. They're the first edition of the "non-reverse" gears with the worms and cogs in the same relationship as modern tuners.

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