So called gibson f5 copy

[Dave Hanson]

Item number 200223712980 on eBay is described as a Gibson F5 copy Heimer, it's like no other mandolin I've ever seen, certainly nothing like an F5 or a Gibson, anyone know anything about it ?

Dave H

[Joel Spaulding]

Link Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=200223712980&Category=10179&_trksid=p3907.m29)

Interesting. Is the body a 2 piece-sorta-kinda-a little bit like a Rigel? (No disrepect intended to Rigel - I would LOVE to have one of almost every model)

I almost want this just for conversation - but I don't wish to invite the LACK of conversation from my wife that would likely result from said purchase and subsequent wall hanging. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[man dough nollij]

Bizarre-- dowels? I can't imagine the tuners work well mounted like that.

[mrmando]

It does look a little Rigel-ish. Or a little like a Rigat Rubus violin. It does appear to follow Orville's original idea of carving the back and neck out of one piece of wood. But I'd classify it as more folk art than a real instrument.

With a hardwood top it won't put out much volume, but you could throw a pickup on it. And yeah, I don't know what the builder was thinking with that tuner placement.

[Gutbucket]

Think 4th period high school shop class. Wow is that thing butt ugly!

[BlueMountain]

Yes, I think this must have been made in shop class. I remember building an electric guitar in shop class. Never worked, but it kept me busy. Or it could have been some guy in his home shop.

[BlueMountain]

Look at the thickness of the wood, top and back! I doubt that this is an early Rigel, carved out inside. The way it is, it would sound like what it is, a block of wood. But it's not without a significant coolness factor--like a salad bowl carved out of monkey pod wood.

[buddyellis]

Probably only be useful as an electric with a P/up. That top is like 3/4" thick or something.

[BlueMountain]

The back of the headstock looks pretty cool, too. Someone loved mandolin a lot to build that, and he must've been pretty disappointed when he played it. This may well have been the only mandolin in his town.

[BlueMountain]

I suspect that the frets may need work, and the neck angle may not be right. Apart from that, this could be turned into a fun electric mandolin by adding a humbucker from a guitar. Sort of like a Fender Thinline, or whatever they called them.

[sgarrity]

I think that is best described as folk art....

[MikeEdgerton]

This is my nomination for the auction that won't get a single bid for this week.

The tuners probably work fine. I'm wondering if he screwed the top and back to the sides and plugged the holes. I don't see why he'd use dowels.

[F5GRun]

Well thats just soemthing else...im not sure what, but something for sure. #I wish he had sound clips. And the seller says no screws anywhere...looks like the pick guard is screwed right into the top.

[tnpathfinder]

Whew. the only thing more creative than the instrument is the copy used to describe it. Here's my favorite:

"The inline Klusons are a nice touch!" What??!!!

[Jim Broyles]

Well, to be fair, he did call them "dual line" Klusons and not "inline" Klusons. I wonder if they work backwards though. They look upside down to me. Maybe they were intended to be mounted the other way, but the inner D string tuner got drilled too close to the edge and he had to use an upside down treble side tuner to get it to fit.

[woodwizard]

Very strange indeed http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Ken Olmstead]

Definately its best use would be a 4 or 5 string electric. I bet if it was set up as such it would not look quite so much a something only a mother could love. Might make a nice end table as well! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[TomTyrrell]

I'm sure glad the opening bid is higher than my "oh what the heck" price. That might make an interesting electric.

[Gutbucket]

Stick a big old honkin dog ear P-90 on it and wail away! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[squirrelabama]

Wasn't Heimer a high school woodshop teacher in VT? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Bob Wiegers]

I'd love to find this at a yard sale for $20 or so.

"not a screw anywhere"...as if this is something to brag about...except he forgot about the screws attaching the pickguard directly to the body...

[Gutbucket]

Oh, I think there are a few loose screws.

[Dave Hanson]

The point is that the seller describes it as a Gibson F5 copy, if so, it must rank as one of the worst copies ever.

Dave H

[Gutbucket]

Do you think Gibson has their lawyers ready to pounce?

[mrmando]

It's hard for lawyers to pounce when they can't stop laughing.