Question about 1979 gibson f5-l

[Bernie Daniel]

There is a very nice looking 1979 Gibson F5-L on eBay now (but only about a day left on the auction).

Gibson F5-L (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180152332386)


Was 1979 the year for the introduction of that model and was it made in Montana then? #I get those dates mixed up all the time!

It looks to be in wonderful shape!

Thanks for information.

[Big Joe]

I believe 1977 was the first year. #They were not made in Montana until 1987. #This was likely made in Kalamazoo Michigan. #These years had some issues. #They were good looking until the binding rot takes hold.

That is way more than I would want to put into that instrument.

[Bernie Daniel]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the information. Yeah I thought the seller was being pretty optimistic.#I like the color on it.

So that mandolin would have the straight slot neck joint with a bolt then also I assume? #(that is not a dovetail joint)

I have seen that binding issue you mention on some of the late '70's mandolins. #

Must have be a big variation in the quality of the batches of plastic stock used for binding because it is was not an issue on all of them just some of them.

On the ones I have seen with problems seemed to start with big chunks of binding breaking off on the points.

[Bernie Daniel]

Interesting -- you never know what will sell on eBay but someone shelled out $4K for that mandolin. #More than I would have paid for it. #It was not built in the the enlightened era.

[Timbofood]

Living in Kalamazoo when the "renaissance" was starting, I had the opportunity to meet(and work with) some of the people involved. Of course Roger Siminoff but also, Bill(AKA Billbows). Those were interesting times to be around the music scene in a little acoustic music shop here. Ahhh, the good old days!

[lovethemf5s]

Actually the seller might have gotten more for it if his positive feedback rating had been better than 94.4%.

[Big Joe]

In 1979 the necks were joined with a mortise and tenon joint and no bolt. These do have a fairly high failure rate. Time is not often kind to items built with the best intentions but poor structure. Some of these are pretty good mandolins, but many are just chunks of wood covered in lacquer (normally cracking).

[f5loar]

The 1978 F5L considered No. 1 given to Bill Monroe as a gift was one fine mandolin but after that one it was really hard to find a good up until around 1983 when Jim Triggs got involved along with Charlie D.

[Bill Halsey]

In 1979 the necks were joined with a mortise and tenon joint and no bolt. These do have a fairly high failure rate. Time is not often kind to items built with the best intentions but poor structure. Some of these are pretty good mandolins, but many are just chunks of wood covered in lacquer (normally cracking).

Thanks for the input, Joe...it's good to hear a little bit about the fate of the early production F-5Ls, as I had lost track altogether after 1978.

There were three prototypes built (and marked as such) for introduction at the summer 1978 NAMM show in Chigago. These instruments were roughed out in the mandolin dept., and as outside agents Roger S. did the acoustics and I generated the production drawings, carved the scrolls, etc. We were given our way on many details, but one thing we couldn't sell mgmt. on was the traditional dovetail neck joint with separate "half-moon" riser block and f'bd. support; due to budget and production restrictions it had to be a machined one-piece affair with a straight tenon joint.