Thank you all!

[J. Mark Lane]

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the tremendous help I received in my hunt for a new mandolin. I am really happy with what I ended up getting. This is a great resource we have here. Thanks, Scott!

Mark

[Eric F.]

Ummm, so what did you get? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[J. Mark Lane]

Jeez, I thought you'd never ask. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Eric F.]

You're so coy. Hey, congratulations. It's a beauty! I think I'm actually feeling incipient scroll envy. Enjoy it. I definitely enjoyed your search.

[jasona]

Congrats Mark! Now, I want sound clips!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[jjboone101]

What model Gibson is that? Kinda hard to make out from the picture...

[Mando4Life]

Bibey?

[jasona]

F5-G is my opinion.

[J. Mark Lane]

Bibey?
Yup.

[jasona]

Goes to show you what my opinion is worth http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Mando4Life]

Nice.....proof I spend way too much time pouring over webpages and dealers checking out instruments...it was the binding on body and fingerboard that gave it away to me.....

WBL

[lindensensei]

Very nice. Was it one you mentioned in your tour comments? And can we assume it was under $4000.00?

[bdisp]

JML...........sweet!!!! How 'bout a pic of the back....

[J. Mark Lane]

Here's the back (sorry about the well-worn Tone-Gard...first thing I did was put that one it).

[J. Mark Lane]

Dan, no this is not the one from my tour. I picked this one up used, actually. And no, it was not less than $4,000. (Ouch.)

I managed to find this mandolin through the help of a very kind Cafe member, who knew of my hunt and put me in touch with Steve Smith of Cumberland Acoustics. Steve is a great guy. He makes bridges, armrests and other accessories. See his website at:

http://cumberlandacoustics.com/

That's one of his armrests on the instrument. Very nice, gold hardware and all. Thanks to Steve, and Dorothy!

[mpeknox]

That's beautiful Mark...congratulations.

[bdisp]

JML, the bottom point seem to have a violin touch. I like it.

[J. Mark Lane]

Thanks, guys. Here's the headstock. I definitely need a new camera. (Only now I can't afford one.)

[J. Mark Lane]

I kinda like this shot (and Elmo really liked the Bibey).

[mikeyes]

Mark,

Congratulations! It looks like a great mandolin. Are you going to get a varnish finish put on now? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Just Kidding.

I think that the more you play it, the better it will sound especially after you find out what strings and picks are best for your style of playing.

[Flowerpot]

Wow, at long last. Congrats!

Looks like you ended up with more than you bargained for, in a good way. Play it pretty now.

[Michael H Geimer]

Mark,
What was it that sold you on that mandolin vs. another Gibson model, or another maker?

- Benig

[Lee]

Very pretty indeed.
Did you buy it in person, or have it shipped with a trial period?

[J. Mark Lane]

Benig,

That's a great question. I have to say, it was a really hard choice to have to make. For example, I absolutely loved the Phoenix, and it's less money. I also liked the Collings, although it was different. But basically, I set out on this journey to get myself a nice F5 style mandolin. Of the F5's that I played, of any make, I thought the better Gibsons were the closest to what I was looking for. I also just loved the finish of the Bibey. So when this one came along, at a price a little below what a new one sells for (and it is like new), I figured it was good timing. It won't be the last mandolin I buy, I'm sure. But it sure is sweet.

Mark

[Lane Pryce]

JML---Sweet!!!That is a clean mandolin.That peghead shot really shows off the binding work.Is it that clean around the scroll too?What is the measurement at the nut?Congrats shes a sweetie!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif Lp

[J. Mark Lane]

Lee, I had Steve ship it up from Nashville. He gave me a three day approval period. The mandolin arrived this morning. I didn't need the three days. I put strings on it, warmed it up, and played it for two hours. That was enough.

[J. Mark Lane]

Lane, it's that clean all over. <g>

The measurement across the strings at the nut is 1 1/4. The neck is a little bigger than I'm used to, but that's fine. It will make moving back and forth from guitar a tad easier.

[Don Grieser]

The Bibey model--does it have those fast triplets built in? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

Congrats, Mark! Enjoy!

[J. Mark Lane]

The Bibey model--does it have those fast triplets built in? #
Sadly, no.

[addcourt]

Mark--congratulations! Excellent choice. Nice looking tuners--are they the new grovers? Mike

[J. Mark Lane]

Mark--congratulations! Excellent choice. #Nice looking tuners--are they the new grovers? #Mike
Beats me. They are nice, though. The instrument is dated October 2004 (signed by Danny Roberts). Were they using the Grovers then?

[Lane Pryce]

1.25" wow.My fingers would be overcome with joy to have a playground that large!! Lp

[WireBoy]

Mark,
#1 1/4 at the nut? #I thought the Sam Bush was Gibson's only wide fingerboard model? (and that i've measured at 1 3/16) #Could it be you have a 'custom' Bibey or is wide standard here? #I sure wish Gibson would update thier www site to include specs like this.
#congrats on the new toy and thanks for the Mando Bros tour. #we all lived thru you on that thread.

[Nolan]

I think those are the Grovers based on the screws coming out of the buttons.... but I'm no expert.
Cool Mando by the way.
I'm was like you too, I really liked the Collings but something about the Gibsons really spoke to me. I still have my Collings but it sits in the case sadly.

[J. Mark Lane]

Whoa, sorry. I just measured it again, this time with the light on. It's 1 1/8 at the nut. Too much drugs and alcohol in my younger days. Sorry.

[Michael H Geimer]

Thanks for all the insight into your purchase process. Since I didn't say so earlier, allow me now to add ...

What a looker!

[futrconslr]

Mark it looks great. It should make you a good one!

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

JML- Very nice choice, thanks for sharing your quest with us all, I feel like I'm some sort of Uncle to that mandolin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Loren Bailey]

Mark,

That is one sweet lookin' axe. Thanks for sharing and thanks for adding more fuel to my already out of control MAS.

Loren

[Professor PT]

That's nice looking, but according to someone on another recent thread, Gibsons "suck"( note the use of sarcasm from a happy F-9 owner ). Hey, is that tortoise binding? That's pretty cool.

[J. Mark Lane]

Yeah, Prof, it's tortoise binding. All those sucky Alan Bibey Sig models came with it. Works nicely with the sucky dark burst.

[Links]

Heck, I've got 4 Gibson F models (if I can count a 70's F-12) and I'm jealous!

I've just added a Bibey to my "gotta" have list!

[emilys]

The "brand name"

Well, J Mark at least you can tell the fellars you got yerself a Gibson ;)

I'm partial to Weber's mandos myself:

http://emilysviolins.com/images/products/flatiron%20001.jpg

and

http://emilysviolins.com/images/products/flatiron%20002.jpg

[J. Mark Lane]

That's purdy, emilys. What is it?

[nupicker]

Can we have some better shots of that front?

[nupicker]

J. Mark that's there 4500 Flatiron that they are adverstising on thier website. I love Flatirons but 4500.00 http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
You can't see the name on the headstock for all the strings.

[ronlane3]

Mark, congrats, I'm sure you'll be happy for a long time with that one. She's a beaut. How does the tone and volume of the used one compare to the one at the store? Also, how did the TG effect the sound.

Makes me want to get a Steffey now, to go with my F-9.

[jim_n_virginia]

Hey that is a one nice mandolin you got there! BrianT off here who goes to one of the jams I go too just got a Bibey Model recently too and let me play it and boy does it ring out!

I love the dark tortoise binding and blank fretboard, it gives it a dark and ominous look to it! Bad to the bone! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

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

[luckylarue]

Congrats Mark, Looks like a keeper fer sure. What a feeling to be opening the box and case for the first time! How's she sound? What was the first tune you played? Give us a progress report after awhile. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[J. Mark Lane]

Well, somebody oughta cut the ends offa those strings.

Ron, hard to say, from here. It certainly sounds nice to me, but I would love to take it back down to MandoBros and A-B it with the one in the store. Anybody up for a trip to MandoBros? We could test drive all those "bang for the buck" imports, and compare them to all those overpriced American instruments...and then complain about labor and so forth. What a fun day it would be!

Uh, where was I? Oh, yeah, the Tone Gard. It helps, Ron. IMO, a Tone Gard will help with volume and projection and stuff like that on any mandolin that started out being half-decent. On some mandolins, it won't make a bit of difference...because there ain't nuthin there to project. But I like 'em.

Now, I think I'll play it a while.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[J. Mark Lane]

Lucky, I'll put together a sound clip this weekend, and maybe post it on the projects website. It sounds sweet. Very clear, clean highs. Nice chop. It has a ringing bass response. .... I think the first tune I played on it was St. Anne's Reel... for some reason, I always play that whenever I first pick up an instrument. Then I think I ran through a version of Soldier's Joy that I have been working on....then tried Kelsterne Gardens, for a different approach. I'm no great player; these are the things I play.

[J. Mark Lane]

Some more pics of the front, as requested:

[J. Mark Lane]

another

[luckylarue]

Awesome. I usually start w/ a medley of Angeline/Baker into St. Anne's. Enjoy!

[Christopher Howard-Williams]

I'd better be careful. I feel a distant case of MAS coming on...

[J. Mark Lane]

You guys who are getting MAS from looking at this purty little thing may want to consider having a peak at Keith Newell's work. His finishes are beautiful, and he does some with the dark glossy look, like the Bibey. And the prices are very reasonable.

[flairbzzt]

Bruce-check your pm's.

[nupicker]

Very Nice !

[Scotti Adams]

..those are indeed the new Gibson Grovers...congrats JMark....play her fine.