Gibson f9 's

[zeppobird]

I have seen Gibson F9 mandolins for sale on several sites. Can someone tell me the skinny on these? What are they compared to the Gibson F5's? #Price ranges, sound quality, etc.
Are they comparable to another mando?

Would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Rich

[mandroid]

No frills single binding around the top, strap hanger, gets the job of making music done .
Abundant prior discussion to read thru.

[raybomando]

i have one, planed and refretted the fretboard, added a bone nut, nice woody tone, hangs in there with everyone i jam with, i love it. picked it up on the cafe used.

[Rick Schmidlin]

Some love em' some do not. They are really hit and miss you gotta play one to know if it's a good one. On the other hand a Collings MT is a sure fire hit ( I have heard), in my humble opinion. They are around the same price point, maybe a little better resale price used. As compared to a Gibson F5 they are completely different barks http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[lespaul_79]

Just got my MT today!!!!! Played it for the last hour. IT RINGS LIKE A BELL!!!!!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Seriously. It's got the "bell tones". I decided to put it away for a little while, and my head is ringing from the tones...

It's not an F... but for a year or 2 it will do until I get an F. But I'll have to really "a/b" it to a F to see if it sounds better than the MT.

Dying to get to a jam.... #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[lespaul_79]

Oh, dont know about F9's, but there are soooo many good reviews about the MT (from good guys like Rick, the Tone Master), that I went for the MT. Thanks Rick....:)

[Rick Schmidlin]

Oh, dont know about F9's, but there are soooo many good reviews about the MT (from good guys like Rick, the Tone Master), that I went for the MT. Thanks Rick....:)
They really are special mandolin's, it's hold it's value and sounds better with time too! . But my guess is that you will never trade or sell it, but you might someday buy an F http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[birdman98]

Yep...those MT's sure are nice.

BUT since you asked about the f-9....... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

The Japanese postal service just delivered a 2005 f-9 to my doorstep yesterday. As you can imagine, it was a long night of getting to know each other.

There are a thousand posters on this board who have played many more instruments than myself (which is why I keep logging on). But I have played a handful of f-5's (G's and L's), a couple of Collings and a handful of other top notch instruments from smaller builders.

All things considered, the f-9 is a perfect fit for me. I payed about $1900 for it, and it came with a great set-up. In the mandolin world, $1900 is on the low end of things but in MY HOUSE that represents a substantial chunk of $$$.

Each one will be different, of course, but I am 110% satisfied with this f-9. No bells or whistles, but it's got great tone all over the fretboard and it practically plays itself.

The tone is much different than the Collings (do a search on that there topic). The f-9 sounds like...a GIBSON. And if you like that sound, you can get it for a few thousand less than the more expensive models...in the form of an f-9 (Or an a-9...basically the same mando without the curls) It sounds just as good as the f-5's I played way back when. But of course, I'm going to be biased now that it's in my hands.

Summary:
Great mando for the $$$$








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

[chip]

How many MT's does Colling crank out a day? Must be a slew as I see them for sale everywhere.

[Ken Olmstead]

lespaul_79 - Tone Monster (the lovable Rick) will ALWAYS say Collings is best no matter what! But you knew you had to have one from the very first post you made and I think you ABSOLUTELY made the right move!! Happy Days!!

birdman98 - same story man! He knew what he wanted, did the research and confirmed his destiny! The F9 sounds like a Gibson. The Collings is another animal and both are superb machines.

Congradulations to both of you guys! You both got great mandolins and the ones you wanted to boot. Life is good!I wish there was enough bandwidth out there to have virtual jam rooms, then I could show you why Weber rules!!! (hahahah that was for Rick http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) That is twice I have picked on my co-cafe-teer today, I better shut my hole or he is going to get me good! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

Congradulations to both of you guys! You both got great mandolins and the ones you wanted to boot. Life is good!I wish there was enough bandwidth out there to have virtual jam rooms, then I could show you why Weber rules!!! (hahahah that was for Rick http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) That is twice I have picked on my co-cafe-teer today, I better shut my hole or he is going to get me good! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I also love Webers and think when getting in the F Mas there is a lot to choose from there. I had a Cedar Yellowstone but the neck was to my likeing, it did have killer tone. It was Tone Monster approved http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[bahed]

Looks to be an F9 on eBay right now....

[Ken Olmstead]

Dang, reverse psychology! Got me with my own brand! Brilliant!!

Was the Yellowstone neck to thick?? I do know that turns some folks away from Webers. My Fern and the Yellowstone I had have reasonable necks but I have played my share of baseball bats! The F9 and the Daley's have the smallest necks that I have ever played.

Rick always encourages you to play first if you can. That is sound advice. I advocate getting the one your gut tells you is the right one.

Rich- the F9 is a great instrument. I have never played a bad one but others here have so play if you can. They have flat fretboards as all Gibsons do and really thin frets like what they used in the before time neither of which is comfortable for me. They have good volume and high end and they "woof" when you chop. They don't have the complexity in sound or fit and finish level that you would find in a Collings or a Weber. But if you want to try and sound like Monroe (good luck, I will never get there) the F9 is hard to beat IMO. birdman98 gave the best description of the sound I have heard "dry, nasty, loud." (i think I got that right) It is a great instrument if that is what you are after. Most agree that the F9 gives you everything the the more expensive Gibsons do with out the glitz and I tend to agree. Good Luck!!

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

[MikeEdgerton]

Check out these (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=Search&CODE=02&SID=47eafca9572835ea) threads for past discussions.

[allenhopkins]

Glad someone didn't start a thread about a ham sandwich, so a bunch of other people could tell him he should be eating roast beef...

[Greg H.]

Definately try one out, and for that matter try out the Collings, the Weber, and anything else you can get your hands on. A friend of mine has an A9 that sounds great. I've never really been a big fan of Collings. . . this is not anything about quality it's just the Collings tone isn't what I'm looking for. However, it might be exactly what you want. Or it may be that the tone you want is neither Gibson or Collings. (which is why so many threads like this seem to end with: try out as many as you can and buy the one the speaks to you). http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

Was the Yellowstone neck to thick?? #
To wide, even the Dawg thought so after playing it. If it had not been that wide it would have been a keeper.

I am a Weber/Collings/Red Diamond fan.....among others (MM anybody)

[pjlama]

Glad someone didn't start a thread about a ham sandwich, so a bunch of other people could tell him he should be eating roast beef...
I think turkey on wheat with mustard really has it over ham and roast beef.

[Greg H.]

Come on guys, Pastrami on rye with dijon mustard is clearly superior! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rick Schmidlin]

I would rather have a Reuban at Cantors on Fairfax please.

[Geoff B]

For what it's worth, I would have gotten an F-9 if I hadn't started building... I always thought well of the sound of the few I played

[MikeEdgerton]

Glad someone didn't start a thread about a ham sandwich, so a bunch of other people could tell him he should be eating roast beef...
I was hoping that the thread would be populated by those that actually own or have owned one and could thus justifiably give an opinion. That's why I held off putting a link to the old files.

[Ken Olmstead]

Sorry, for any part I may have played in steering the thread astray. If we all just stuck to the facts, the search engine holds just about anything you want to know about mandolins, artists and accessories. I enjoy the sense of community that is sparked by a fresh thread. I guess I think of it as more of a cafe and not so much a library (which or course it is.) Deli never crossed my mind. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I will do my part to stay on topic, others here could do a better job as well.

[allenhopkins]

And I didn't mean to steer the thread in a gastronomic direction, other than satirically. #But I have noticed that often, when someone initiates an inquiry about Brand X, there are a lot of responses along the lines of "you should really try Brand Y, and here's why I like Brand Y so much."

If the initial inquiry was, "what do people think of Brand X vs. Brand Y," that would be more to the point. #And Rich did ask, "Are they (F-9's) comparable to other mando(s)?" #But it seemed to me the purpose of his question was to get F-9 owners' and players' evaluations of that particular model, as a guide to a possible purchase. #Webers and Collingses are wonderful instruments, or so I'm told (limited personal experience), but a lot of Cafe members own and/or play F-9 Gibsons, and I think Rich would appreciate their input.

[MikeEdgerton]

That is right on. If someone asks "What mandolin should I buy" they'll get their three dozen answers and that's good. If someone inquires about a specific model we should at least let those that have that model answer.

[Ken Olmstead]

Rich - You can see pictures of my F9 in the 'Post a Picture" section." It has a description of all the modifications I did to make the F9 a better mandolin for me. As I have previously mentioned they are an excellent mandolin and there are loads of other mandolins that could be comparable.

[stoney]

I've owned an F-9 for a few years and imho they can't be beat for the price. I also own a Stiver F model and recently a Collings MF-5V Deluxe. The F-9 holds its own with both. Not as easy to play as the other two, and the workmanship isn't close to the Collings, but for the price, it's the best deal out there. Simple, loud, woody.

[gibsonf9]

Rich,I play an F9,hence the name.Duh! For the money you can't go wrong. I still need or want to have larger frets,a bone nut and some more set up done but what I could afford this is a good all round choice and I don't think you would go wrong with the F9 either! Buddy

[pjlama]

Well, I still prefer turkey but I owned an A9 that I loved and am a huge fan of the 9's, I need to get another one.

[Ctone]

Stoney you mentioned the Collings and Stiver played easier. Was it that they were both radiused (presuming the Stiver is radiused), or was it other factors. Like neck size and shape, fret size,nut width etc. The reason I ask is I am looking for my step up and the f-9, Mt, and (used)Stiver A are all instruments I am considering. I am also asking because it is not uncommon to see F-9s that have been radiusd, and if that was the bulk of the reason the others played better I would seek out one of those.Hope I'm not hijacking.

[pjlama]

any well made mandolin can be set-up well radius or not that's just personal preference. A flat board with a good set-up is just as easy to play.

[Perry]

They really are special mandolin's, it's hold it's value and sounds better with time too!

I'm not so sure they (Collings MT) hold their value monetarily. Their such a slew of them made and subsequently sold that it's a buyers market.

That's why buying a used MT is a great value.

I've only played (2) F9's but here's what I thought FWIW. You get the scroll and a facimile of the Gibson tone though I think the F9's are a bit one dimensional tonally. Meaning its sounds warm initially and that's alluring but it lacks sophistication.

A similarly priced Colling's A model is a lot more mando in my uninformed opinion http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Or maybe a new A style Gibson.

[bgjunkie]

Hey Mike, I actually own an F9 (2007 model) and owned a 2004 model (old finish without sunburst) F9 as well, and I love both of them. I would agree with some here about the complexity of tone not being that of the Collings, but the F9 is not lacking in bluegrass tone for sure. Both of mine have incredible chop and serious volume. I did realize, after a professional played my mandolin while I listened, that it sounds way better than I ever thought. I play with a guy who owns an F5, an A4, an F4 and a Collings MT2, and he always comments on how nice my mandolin sounds.

The only negative I could say is about the fret size being too narrow. When the time comes I will have it refretted with fatter frets (not necessarily taller, but wider)like those found on the Sam Bush models.

Anyway there is my 2 cents as an owner and player of the F9.

[mandobsessed]

Beyond a certain point tonal complexity resides in the player. All of these instruments are extremely capable in any style. I've used my A9 in many forms of music and it always delivers a beautiful tone. If you can't get an F9 or a Collings to sound good for a certain style of music the problem is probably not with the instrument. I was listening to some old recordings I did with a Washburn M3 versus recent recordings done with my A9 and they both still sounded like me.

[zeppobird]

Hey all;
Thanks for all the replies. #
I feel like I have a better picture of the F9 now.
The situation is, that I have a Collings MF5 which I really enjoy. #I’m kinda looking for a second Mando to have at a different location so I don’t lug my Collings around and leave it #in my car all the time in various temperatures and etc. in Oregon. #So I saw an F9 for sale on the net, hence the question.
I think I’m spoiled by the radiused fretboard so I may pass on the F9. #But if anyone has an idea for me I’m all ears. #Note: #I can’t afford another MF5.

Cheers,
Rich
"...are those notes he's playing, on my mandolin too?"

[woodwizard]

I use to own a 04 browny F9 w/dot fretboard inlays from the factory. It was sweet. I liked it very much ... even better than the F5G I had at the time. But both had to go when I was struck with a Goldrush MAS attack. # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[bgjunkie]

Hey Rich,

I couldn't afford the MF5, so I ended up with an F9.

[Greenmando]

I own a F9 and a A9, they both sound wonderful.
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/ferretkona/Mandolins/Gibson004.jpg

[Shelby Eicher]

My son has an F9 that sounds great. It is the mandolin he played when he won Winfield in 2006. I used it on a track on my last project when I had my mando in a weird tuning and it recorded well. I've got a student that just picked up a new one a few months ago. It was tight at first but has opened up nicely in just a few months. To me they are the best bang for the buck if you want an F model. I never heard or played a bad on. It seems that they are rather consistent. Good luck. I haven't had any experience with "brand Y". They're probably good too.
Shelby

[Bernie Daniel]

Opinion:

You can hardly go wrong on the Gibson A9 or F9 series of mandolins. #

In sound and performance they are essentially identical to the much higher priced Gibson F-5G, F-5 Fern, or the Gibson artist signature series mandolins (but not the Master models or the Distressed Master Models).

I have an F-5 Fern and an A-9 (for travel). #They are nearly identical in sound and playing characteristics.

[Capt. E]

Weber's have thick necks? My Bighorn certainly doesn't... 1-1/8" radiused fretboard: and the tone on this wonderful instrument!! If the Gibson F9 is as good, then it is very good indeed.

[mandoforme]

I love my 2006 Gibson F-9 mandolin. I sold a Collings MT to purchase the F-9, as I find I like the Gibson bluegrass tone better than the Collings tone. The original owner buffed the matte finish to a gloss finish, which looks very nice. The sunburst finish looks better than the previous brown finish F-9 I owned. This 2006 F-9 sounds better too!