What's the difference...

[Paul-K]

What's the difference between "A", "F" and "2 Point" mandolins?
I can see the difference in appearance but do they lend themselves to different styles of music? Are they designed to sound different?

Cheers,

Paul

[mandolirius]

The stereotypes are: F - bluegrass/newgrass
A - oldtime/celtic
2 - jazz/blues

In truth, I think the method of sound projection (f-hole vs oval hole) has more of an effect on sound than body shape.

[JEStanek]

If they have the same holes and are made of the same materials with the same graduations and bracing, there won't be great differences between an A, F, or two point body style. Soundholes, bracing, tonewoods, and most importantly good hands make the greatest difference between the sounds of those styles.

Jamie

[Payit Forward]

There are stereotypes, and there are exceptions to all of them.

The person holding the mandolin has the most effect on what kind of music comes out of it.

[MikeEdgerton]

...The person holding the mandolin has the most effect on what kind of music comes out of it.

All you have to do is hold it? That's where I'm going wrong, I've been trying to play it. ;)

[walt33]

To put a finer point on the original question, what do F2, F4, F5, etc., mean?

Walt

[allenhopkins]

To put a finer point on the original question, what do F2, F4, F5, etc., mean?

They were originally designations for Gibson mandolin models: the F-2 and the F-4 were oval-hole, carved-top mandolins of the "Florentine"* style (scroll, points, scrolled headstock). The F-4 was fancier than the F-2, with a bound headstock, more inlay, etc. The F-5, developed under the supervision of the legendary Gibson "acoustical engineer" Lloyd Loar, was a carved-top Florentine with f-holes, similar to a violin's. It also had a a longer neck and the fingerboard raised off the top of the instrument, again similar to violin construction.

Now the designations "F-2, F-4, F-5" have been generalized to apply to mandolins by other manufacturers that have the same characteristics. You may hear someone speak of a "Gilchrist F-5" or "F-4," e.g., though technically those model designations may or may not be used by the other builders.

Gibson "non-Florentine" models -- oval bodies, no scroll, points or scrolled headstock -- generally had the "A" prefix: A, A-1, A-3, A-4, A-Jr., etc. The single-digit suffixes generally applied to oval-hole models; the oval-bodied, f-hole instruments Gibson introduced in the '30's were called A-40, A-50. (Note: there are exceptions, but this is a general overview.)

Aren't you glad you asked?

* Some discussions on this forum as to whether Gibson intended the "F" prefix to stand for "Florentine," or whether this is a later attribution. I haven't seen that Gibson called its early "F" models "Florentine," though they made a Florentine model tenor banjo, and a Florentine electric mandolin in the '50's. It's become a convention, though, to refer to Gibson "F" mandolins as "Florentine."

[walt33]

Aren't you glad you asked?

Yeah!

I thought there might have been a Gibson connection, but being relatively new to mando and mostly ignorant of its history, I appreciate your explanation.

Walt