Safe f5l years

[Cullowheekid]

Stoney,I would look for a Nashville built Gibson F-5 from 1999-2007.These mandolins are based on the Loar pattern from Gibsons golden era in the 1920's.Also the Montana built Gibsons can be very good.Flatiron built Gibson mandolins from 1988-98 or there abouts.Any mandolin from these two periods have the potential to be great' but I would want to play the mandolin before I bought it as they all have slightly different personalities.If I had to roll the dice,I would look for one built from 2002-2004.Good luck.E

[Danny Clark]

i think 80's and 90's can be good but you hit the nail on the head when you said 02-04 !!

[Bernie Daniel]

I would also agree on the 2002 - 2004 era F-5 Fern mandolins -- I have never seen a bad one from that period --Danny Roberts signed.

Likewise the F-5G's from that period.

[f5loar]

Those early F5L from about 1978 when first introduced to the 1986 or so were pretty good with Triggs doing most of those under CD direction. Not sure when Triggs first went to work there but I have a photo of him from around 1985 holding a '24 Loar Fern in one hand and a brand new F5L in the other and you can't tell them apart. So if the MT ones from '88(or was it '87?) on were good and the ones after MT made in Nashville from 2000 on sounds like all years since '78 were okay to have. I've had my hands on killers from all those years and I've played a few duds too.

[KenR]

I bought the second F-5L made from the Mandolin Brothers. I was offered the first but they wanted more money for it. It may have been 1979 but I'm not sure of the date. It was terrible! No volume, poor tone and and the neck soon pulled away from the body due to the bad dowel and epoxy joint. It was sent back to Gibson and the repaired joint parted again. The next time it came back the neck angle was so flat it had almost no sound at all. I took a big financial hit on this one just to get rid of it. I believe Dave McLaughlin had the same problem with one from that period. Stay away from any F5Ls from early eighties. - Ken

[J.Albert]

Could anyone comment - hopefully through personal experience - on the c.1987 F-5L's?

I've considered one, but it would have to be bought "sound unheard". It's certainly an eye-pleaser, though. But eye candy isn't worth anything more than a look, if the sound isn't there...

- John

[f5loar]

Randy Wood told me that Bill Monroe's June, 1978 F5L was the best one he's ever seen come out of Nashville at the time.
It was reported to be the first one of the new F5L model. Reportedly it still remains in the Monroe family.

[Mikey G]

I had a 2001 F-5L, signed by Danny Roberts. Nice mandolin for sure!

[phiddlepicker]

One of mine is an '81, sounds just fine. But somebody else could always disagree, though nobody that has heard it has had anything but compliments.

[Bigtuna]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but how does the neck joint (bolt on vs. dovetail) play into this equation? What years typically have the dovetail neck joint?

[sgarrity]

I's look for an '03-'05. The Montana Gibbys never did much for me. I believe in '03 the did some graduation changes and they all sound better, at least to my ear.

[D C Blood]

I had an '82 F-5L for a time...It sounded real good...only reason I let it go was I found something I liked better...Wish I still had it...:(

[Mike Snyder]

I've compared all the '03 thru '08 Gibsons I could lay my hands on, and the things I've noticed; no klinkers,& the neck profile varies from one to the next. A fellow here in Kansas and I have nearly identical F5Gs. His has a very sharp V and very deep, mine is much shallower and more rounded. His,I think, is a coupla years earlier than mine.
I like them, but am not very objective about it. The Ferns I have examined all had similar sound, were beautiful, came with better cases. The signitures are all real nice, haven't seen or played a Bush. Just a personal note: If I ever upgrade, it'll probably be a Benson. Just knock-down gorgeous. Of the Montana Fs I know very little.

[mandolirius]

I have a friend with a 1980 F5L, and it's a great-sounding mandolin. But it wasn't when he first got it. He played the hell out of it and it turned into something. I think a mandolin's sound has a lot to do with how much it's been played. I know people say there are Gibsons out there that are dogs, but having heard my friend's mandolin when he first got it and hearing it now really makes me wonder.

[Chip Booth]

I had a '99 CD F5L, it was... well.. not so good. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif I have yet to play an outstanding F5L, but I have played one or two varnished Ferns that were fantastic.

Chip

[lenf12]

I've had a blond '92 F-5L Carlson signed that was gorgeous to look at and sounded wonderful. Also had a '96 F-5G Weber signed that's probably the best sounding Gibson I've ever heard or played. Wish I still had 'em both. The Montana made Gibby's are very nice indeed!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Mandorlo]

I have an '87 Steve Carlson signed F5-L that I'm very happy with. It holds it's own in a crowd and then some. I've had 3 or 4 Loar owner friends play it and they all liked it and these guys don't blow smoke if you know what I mean. I don't plan on replacing it anytime soon. Dave

[Mandorev]

I have a 2003 F5L and it is awesome ( I just wish that my playing was). Danny Roberts signed it and he played it a couple of months ago and thought that it had opened well and was really good. Jessie McReynolds played it and wanted it buy it. These were well made and and I agree with the comment about 02-04.Good luck !

[Big Joe]

The Gibsons from late 87 through about early 2000 had the bolt necks. Most of those years were Montana made (at least through 97). After that they were made in Nashville. After 2000 the mandolins had the dovetail neck joint. Each of the eras were good mandolins. They were just different. I've had F5L's from both eras and they were each good mandolins....just different. The tone will be a bit different due to the difference in graduations, finish, and neck joints. Some of the F5L's from earlier times were decent, but it was a bit more hit and miss. The mortise and tenon neck joint used in those years was not very pretty.

I believe Jim Triggs went to Gibson in the mid 80's. Charlie was there in the early 80's and Jim went on board after that. Roger Siminoff had more to do with the reintroduction of the F5L than proabably anyone else. If he had not helped Gibson during those formative years we may not have the Gibson mandolins of the last two decades to enjoy.

[GTison]

I'd say if you want one take a trip to somewhere and play some if you are going to lay out that kind of money. I did and I don't regret it a bit.

[hiredgun]

My F5-L is 8/2000, signed by Sim Daley. It's the first Gibson I ever wanted to own (that was within reasonable price, of course) after playing since '77. I'm very satisfied with it, no regrets. You could say, however, that it was picked from a litter that spanned 30 years.

Roscoe Morgan

[dmamlep]

I have had my 96F5L for some time and have been to Gibson in Nashville last two years and maybe only one or two I would trade it for. and that counts the ones that sell for close to 20k. and the guy I got it from sold me this one and kept his 2001 fern, said maybe he sold me the wrong one. But I have played it lots. In a band.

[stoney]

Thank you all for the great insights.

Stoney

[jim_n_virginia]

I just sold my 1990 Steve Carlson signed Fern and it had a bolt on neck although you'd never know it if someone didn't tell you. I think it had a great sound and it was one well played mandolin. It was fully open when I got it and I played the heck out of it for 4 or 5 years and have been told by friends that it's sound got better over the years.

Last month I let Danny Roberts play and check it out at the Roanoke Fiddle Fest and he said I had an excellent sounding mandolin and that if I sold it to buy a newer Fern I would basically just be getting a shinier mandolin.

Well I sold it and bought a 2002 Danny Roberts signed Fern and I like it as well. It is much lighter than my 1990 Fern and Danny said it was due to different graduation they do now. It wasn't much louder but had a slightly different chop. Not better but different. Maybe more deeper or resonant.

Also my 2002 Fern has a slimmer neck that took me probably a week to get used to.

I have always heard the 70's Gibsons were clunkers but I have never heard one so I reserve my judgement until the day I play one.

I wouldn't worry too much about buying a Gibson Fern sight unseen. As long as the description was accurate and you got a decent going price for it you would have no problem selling it if you don't like it.

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

[f5loar]

You can't really put the 1978 and 1979 F5L in that "clunker" catagory with the regular F5 made those years. The new F5L which first came out in '78 was totally redesigned from those other 70's F5s.
I too have a '92 Carlson signed F5L and it's a great F5.

[DannyB]

I played a friends 96 Weber signed F5L and it was one of the best mandolins I had heard so I searched one out for myself and I have never regretted it for one second. I have played alot of high dollar and well known and respected mandolins and my 95 f5l will compete with them all. I had reservations about the bolt on neck but if I didn't tell you you wouldn't know by looking at it. This is my opinion, but anyone who has heard mine loves it. Deep woody tone and loud as can be.

[tin ben dur]

would a 87 fern labeled nashville and signed buy carlson be a dovetail or bolt on? i am also on the search for a f5l. i need a little more money.

[GTison]

do a search on this site of "tenon" as in mortise & tenon and you'll get alot of threads discussing the neck joint in question.

When ever production went to Nashville is about when the dovetail joints started. I had a fine sounding 96 model. I played an early 80s F5L lately that looked poor, but sounded as good as my '02. So I don't know. And there is an early 90's F5L I'd drop my Fern for this instant. It is a MONSTER and always has been.

[MassMando]

This is some good F5-L info. I've got a question for you Gibson people:

I'm seriously thinking about a mid 90s F5-L, that's had a bunch of work done to it. The work was done by the owner. He did a great job structurally, but the mando definately has some finish issues. The fretboard has been replaced, neck joint rebuilt, new bridge and tail piece. It sounds pretty great, plays well, and is quite loud. In reality, I could see myself easily being happy with it for the next 10 years or so, especially if the price was right. As a "musical tool", it would do just fine.

My only concern is that, if I ever wanted to sell it, it might be really difficult. There are a ton of F5-Ls out there, so it's not like its a rare mandolin. Now, hopefully 10 years from now I'll be in a financial position to buy something else (if desired) without having to sell the F5-L. But resale has to be a consideration. So.......what do ya think? Pull the trigger (there is something that feels right to me about playing a gibson F5 for a while), or keep looking, as my choices in the 3500 - 4500 range are numerous?

thanks,

Steve

[DannyB]

I saw that mandolin floating around for sale somewhere before. The work done on it looked like it was done well but without actually knowing the person I couldn't make an educated decision on that. As for the sound, I'm not sure all the 90's F5Ls' are the same but I'd personally look for a Weber signed mando. Earlier than that I'd find a Carlson signed. But the final say would be how does this mandolin sound to me!

[Darryl Wolfe]

Big Joes post clarifies a number of things that I have hesitated to correct a few people on. Triggs and Rich had nothing to do with the early F5L's of 1979or so. They were the effort of Siminoff and our member "Billbows" and they were developed under the somewhat archaic original Kalamazoo management of the company. Roger and Bill did a great job on making a significant improvement on the Gibson F5. It was received as that by the entire mando community. These mandolins were however a compromise. The Carlson mandolins and Derrington mandolins are all a completely different animal with somewhat reduced compromises and the Rich/Triggs mandolins were all extremely low volume special "Nashville" mandolins made from components produced elsewhere