GIBSON F4

[GASMANONE]

Hi,
I am looking for some information on a Gibson F4. This belongs to a friend of mine who Mother has just past away and was in her estate. The mandolin in fantastic condition with the only problem being a broken pick guard and comes with no case. He is looking for a realistic (fair) price. And it will be for sale.
Thanks for any help you can give me and what a great site you have put together!!!!!

Thanks again Don

[Michael Lewis]

The ethical thing to do would be for the owner to contact a reputable vintage instrument dealer and have the mandolin appraised. The dealer can see any needed reapir or damage that untrained eyes might not see. To get a fairly good idea of it's value check out various dealer web sites for comperable instruments to see what they are going for.

[John Flynn]

Elderly has one listed for $4,000 right now. They had another one up until last week. I think it was $4,300.

[peterleyenaar]

It would depend on the condition of the instrument and the year it was built, this one sold for $7500.00
http://www.carmelmusic.com/stockli...._FB.jpg (http://www.carmelmusic.com/stocklist/scanned%20photos/Gib_F4_1924_FB.jpg)

[gibby24]

Gruhn's just had an F4, maybe a 15' but I don't remember for sure that was literally unplayed with only finish checking. It was on their web site for 48 hours and sold. I don't know the final price but I'd bet it was close to that.

[Bob DeVellis]

I just recently saw a couple on a website, don't remember which, for $4500. Although Iactually prefer the earlier ones, it seems that those with trussrods bring higher prices. A damaged pickguard and missing case will definitely lower the value by a few hundred dollars. Also, keep in mind that what we've been discussing are retail prices. A private seller typically would get less than a dealer if selling directly to a player, because the private seller doesn't have the same resources (e.g., guarantee of soundness, etc.) as a dealer. Selling to a dealer would also bring less, because the dealer needs to turn it around for a profit. Selling on consignment through a dealer will usually put something like 20% to 30% of the gross selling figure in the dealer's pocket. So, if the instrument is comparable to one that would bring $5000 with case and intact pickguard, the lack of those might bring it down to $4500; and the difference between retail and "wholesale" might bring it down a bit more to maybe $3700 or so. This is all ballpark, of course, and my assumptions may not all aply in this case.

[Bob A]

I was visiting a dealer friend the other week; he noted that Gruhn had raised the ante for F4, and planned to follow suit.
I'm not the first person to think that these instruments are undervalued (with the F2 being even more of a good deal).

My preference is for the early 20s non-trussrodded examples, but bobd is correct in noting that the market carries a premium for Loar-era examples. Much therefore depends on the year of construction, and whether, for example, the tuners are original. (Try to find a set of inlaid Handel tuners - they go for about 4-500 a set on ebay, where they don't turn up very often).

Do you have any photos you can post? Even serial numbers can help, illegible though they usually are.

[evanreilly]

Also check on the neck block to see if there is a stamped or burned number, the Factory Order Number. My F-4 has a very legible number stamped there.

[AlanN]

I owned that F-4 that just went for 7500, had it for 10 years before selling to a guy who sold it to Grisman. I guess Dawg let it go.