F4/F5 Hybrid

**Antlurz** · Dec-14-2005, 11:57pm

Would putting a maple F5 neck on an F4 make a marked difference in the tone, assuming one stuck close to the other traditional aspects of the F4?

Ron

**Greenmando** · Dec-15-2005, 2:07am

Not uncommon, Even the new oval hole Flatiron is made that way. I guess the new name is F6 or F7, I forget. The question here is, should one elevate the fretboard? The bracing may have to move when the bridge moves closer to the nut.
This is what Randy Wood and others have done years ago, they would take a old F4, extend the neck and replace the top.

**danb** · Dec-15-2005, 5:54am

If you're talking about a vintage Gibson F4, I'll dispatch some of my goons to come around and slap you for thinking about changing the neck

Yeah, that kind of stuff was done for a short while when some builders were learning their chops, but cost-wise you'd be ruining a $5000 F4 to make a $3000 F4. My advice would be to trade around until you get one you like the sound of, there's quite a bit of variety out there!

**barricwiley** · Dec-15-2005, 5:55am

Richard

**Jim Garber** · Dec-15-2005, 6:37am

I played a Woodley F2 that was set up that way. Amazing sound. I think you would have to modify the bracing of the F4 body to accommodate for the bridge being set further away from the tailpiece end of the mandolin.

I think it makes more sense to build or design this from scratch rather than take an existing instrument.

There are quite a few builders who do make these. Pomeroy is one that comes to mind.

Jim

**Rob Grant** · Dec-15-2005, 8:35am

I actually prefer using an f5 style neck (raised fingerboard extension) on an f4 or oval hole body. I laminate an internal piece of timber between the inside top of the sound hole and the head block to strengthen the weak zone between the hole and block. In the usual "Orville" oval hole, the thickening is carved externally from the top wood and carries the fretboard. Here's a photo showing the inside laminate (it doesn't seem to affect projection or tone)...

**Antlurz** · Dec-15-2005, 1:42pm

Ooops. Someone took a wrong turn.

*Starting with a pile of wood and a bare table*

Would putting a maple F5 neck on an F4 make a marked difference in the tone, assuming one stuck close to the other traditional aspects of the F4?

IE: Maple neck instead of mahogony, and F5 neck instead of F4 neck pattern..
Natcherly the X bracing would need to be shifted.

One hears all this talk about the different sounds of different wood, and I was just wondering what I might expect by doing this. My only real reason would be for appearance, but I'd want to try to achieve an F4ish sound.

Ron

**Jim Garber** · Dec-15-2005, 2:15pm

I still am not sure what you are asking, Ron. It has been done by some builders. As I said that Woodley was probably one of the best sounding oval hole instrument I have even played. I think it was sold to someone thru Cotten Music. It had an F5 neck positioned on an oval-holed scroll body.

Jim

**f5loar** · Dec-15-2005, 2:20pm

Gibson made their first long neck F4 (serial number 89979) in 1930. They just stuck the F5 neck on it so would assume it was maple at the time. Don't know how it sounded but it sure looked good.

**Antlurz** · Dec-15-2005, 6:47pm

That is one beautiful mandolin, Jim.

I personally would guess the majority of the F4 "sound" is more a product of the oval hole, than of the other differences from an F5, but folks talk about the different sounds of the different woods. As I understand it, mahogony is usually described in the same general tone terms as is an F4.

I'd guess that since it didn't raise any flags, one could expect not much differences by making the change I mentioned.

Ron