F-5 on ebay

[jim_n_virginia]

Is there anything Gibson left on this mandolin? Is it even a Gibson? Whats weird is people are bidding on it!

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-F-5-Mandolin-The-Gibson_W0QQitemZ150131797537QQihZ005QQcategoryZ101 79QQrdZ1QQcmdZVi
ewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-....iewItem</a>

What an assault on my eyes first thing in the morning! WOW!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Markelberry]

I could not get there by the link you posted it looks alot like a 50s f5 I used to play a guy around here owned,it was orange and the top was thick thick thick,looks like some one redid the peghead,the one I had was ebony and it had the same logo as the tail;piece,I think its a Gibson someone refinished

[grandmainger]

Here it is... (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150131797537) And it ain't pretty. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Bernie Daniel]

grandmainger: I think its a Gibson someone refinished

That is possible but it could also be a 1960's to 1970's era Gibson copy that someone has "fixed up". #

Puting a piece of rosewood veneer on the headstock is easy -- but it looks like cutting out the curl on the topside was too much work -- but on the backside the curl looks OK. #

On the other hand binding an F-style headstock is NOT easy -- yet this one is bound. #Strange.

A number of the F12's had rosewood verneer on the headstock in the early 1970's but they had the slim "traditional" (1920's style) headstock. #

The Gibsons of the 50's and early to mid-60's had the unsightly "wide" headstock. #This mandolin has a wide style headstock and it has a dovetail neck joint too.

So if this IS a Gibson is most likely one form the early 1950's to early '60's when the neck joint was still dovetail and the headstock was wide. #

Early '60's had a dovetail with a wide headstock while early '70's had the slim headstock but the straight slot (mortise & tendon) neck joint.

I think there was a very brief period (1968 - 1969?) when Gibson returned to the slim headstock and the dovetail joint.

My sense is this is NOT a real Gibson but maybe it sounds GREAT! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

PS I like the rosewood veneer -- am I the only one? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[cooper4205]

that thing look like its been rode hard and put away wet. Bernie, what makes you think this one has a dovetail neck joint, as opposed to it not having one?

[jk245]

It is hard to believe that bidding is now (as of June 17th) up to US $1,275.00.
Perhaps someone thinks that I was previously owned by a famous person (Paris Hilton?).

[Bernie Daniel]

copper4205: Bernie, what makes you think this one has a dovetail neck joint, as opposed to it not having one?


I should have said I THINK it is a dovetail as I am not a luthier. #But notice the small line of binding material runing perpendicular to the neck at the joint (clearly seen on the 8th imagae showing the top of the scroll and neck joint)?

This tells me it is not a mortise and tendon join at the very least.

Someone with more knowledge than me might cast this theory out.

But it is amazing to see bidding on this. Looking again I am 100% convinced it is a copy -- the irregular f-hole just about assure it - IMHO.

[Timbofood]

I believe the joint you refer to is "Mortise and Tenon" not tendon. Tendon is what you can damage when you pick too hard,too long with out enough beer.

[pjlama]

I just ate and it's making me a little sick http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[cooper4205]

Bernie-

I asked Will Parsons if those risers signified a dovetail, he said they didn't and the risers, or ears, could be put on the mandolin regardless of the neck joint. Webers, and pre-Nashville Flatirons, had the risers with their particular version of the mortise and tenon neck joint.

[pickinpox]

Somehow I picture a baby dinosaur slapping his daddy and saying "not a Gibson, not a Gibson." http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[MikeEdgerton]

If it's not a Gibson somebody went to a lot of trouble to put 60-70's tuners and that 60-70's tailpiece cover on it. I think it is a Gibson from that era that someone changed the headstock vener and inlay on. If I recall those instruments just said Gibson and it was in the modern script just like the tailpiece cover. I could be wrong.

[Givson]

The tailpiece cover appears to be authentic. The scroll work on headstock and body does not look like any Gibson I have ever seen. The f-holes are also the wrong shape.

[JEStanek]

Well it could be "probably before the post war period"... great copy with that ad too!

Jamie

[dwc]

Is it an "F-5 Conversion?" I know that was a fairly common practice in the middle part of the 20th century.

[f5loar]

You guys got a long way to go to even remotely think in your wildest dreams that this thing ever graced a Gibson factory. Parts is parts as they say and the seller makes notes of those real "Gibson" parts but he also makes so much BS in his description he knows it's not a Gibson but he wants you to "think" it's a Gibson. Sorry no real,fake,redone,converted,overlay,refinish,retope d,
rebacked or baked Gibson here. It's an out and out Fake with a capital "F"!