THIS IS A VERY CLEAN EXAMPLE OF A GIBSON A-JR SNAKEHEAD MANDOLIN.  IT IS SERIAL NUMBER 80651 AND THE BATCH STAMP IS 8508.  IT IS AN ESTATE PIECE THAT IS VERY CLEAN AND TOTALLY ORIGINAL.  IT ALSO IS SOMEWHAT SCARCE IN THAT IT HAS THE ORIGINAL PICKGUARD WHICH MOST A-JRs DID NOT EVEN HAVE.  THE TUNING MACHINES ARE ORIGINAL AS WELL AS THE 1-PIECE BRIDGE AND TAILPIECE.  THE MOST UNIQUE THING ABOUT THIS MANDOLIN IS THE ORIGINAL HARDSHELL CASE WITH BLUE LINING.  BLUE LINED LOAR ERA CASES ARE EXTREMELY RARE.  AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE ACTUALLY ONLY SEEN A COUPLE THAT WERE RECTANGLE FOR F-5s.  I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN ORIGINAL BLUE LINED A MODEL CASE OTHER THAN THIS ONE.  IT HAS NO CRACKS OR ISSUES.  THE MANDOLIN IS SET UP TO PLAY AND IT SOUNDS GREAT.