An absolutely pristine '25 F2

**Scott Tichenor** · Jan-23-2010, 4:23pm

My guitar playing friend Bill Crahan and I did a mini-concert this a.m. at Mass Street Music and Jim Baggett showed me his newest acquisition, a pristine 1925 F2 that is just about frozen in time. A few minor marks here and there, but an absolutely astonishing piece, easily one of the cleanest of that vintage I've had the pleasure to hold. And it sounded fabulous. NFI - you have to marvel at an instrument in this condition that old.

**Charlieshafer** · Jan-23-2010, 4:31pm

Wowie! Is he selling or keeping?

**Denny Gies** · Jan-23-2010, 5:15pm

Beautiful and you don't see the word "pristine" used too much; right on.

**BradKlein** · Jan-23-2010, 5:55pm

Here's the store's site. $7150.

It IS shocking, in a pleasing way, when one comes across a true 'time capsule' instrument. There is also great pleasure in one that shows it's age.

It's all good.

Scott. Did you play that 1929 L-5 guitar they have listed on the site? That's a pretty thing, too.

**JeffD** · Jan-23-2010, 7:52pm

I think the F2 is one of the most beautiful designed objects in the world.

**Randy Smith** · Jan-23-2010, 7:56pm

Scott, BK: Thanks much for posting the original pic and the site. What a beautiful instrument.

**allenhopkins** · Jan-23-2010, 8:00pm

What a lovely instrument! Yet, it also makes me think of the F-2's I've owned. The first one, which I bought probably about 1973, cost me $450. The 3-point I own now, which I bought around 1987 or so, cost me $1,500. Now this beautiful example is on sale for more than $7K. I make no judgments about what any particular instrument is "worth"; that's determined by the marketplace. But the sharp increase in price, is a testimonial to the veneration in which vintage Gibsons are held, and the limited supply vs. constantly increasing demand.

No wonder so many more people are building and selling quality mandolins, than when I first started playing mandolin about 40 years ago. The price increases have, as classic economic theory tells us, drawn more and more suppliers into the market. One reason for the wonderful choices that mandolin players have now, as opposed to what was around in 1970.

**Charlieshafer** · Jan-23-2010, 8:33pm

I Agree with Allen completely. The price doesn't bother me at all. I think that just represents the cream rising to the top over the years. Another object of lust on the Mass Street Music site is the D'Angelico scroll top two point. I think between the F2, the D'Angelico, and maybe a Bigsby electric, those three would cure my MAS for a good, er.., week or two.

**Scott Tichenor** · Jan-23-2010, 8:42pm

It's safe to assume most retail stores build in wiggle room on the price. Why sell it cheap so someone else can resell at a profit? Regarding the question about the guitar, didn't even see it. That mandolin is scary. When it comes out of the case you think it's a modern knock off. Then you look at it a few seconds and it dawns that it isn't. It's really in that territory of time capsule. The case's inner green was spectacular as well.

**f5loar** · Jan-23-2010, 10:05pm

No doubt this is a true discovery of beauty to any mandolin picker, however I'm having a problem with this being called a 1925 F2 from an 84XXX number and the headstock having a straight "The Gibson" vs. the normal slant angle seen on all other '25-'27 models of anything.
I think it needs some further comments from others like Sir Wolfe or Sir Dan to hone in on that date. But I will be the first to say I'm no expert on Gibson mandolin dating so I guess anything is possible. I am assuming the dealer has postive proof of the 1925 date with some sort of dated receipt or dated photo of the original owner holding up a dated 1925 newspaper beside the mandolin.

**Gail Hester** · Jan-24-2010, 12:57am

Incredible mandolin but I agree with Tom, the earliest would be late 1927 and my guess from here would be 1928.

**danb** · Jan-24-2010, 6:04am

Indeed, I'd be interested to see the stamp number.. faded numbers can be deceptive, even the good ones are pretty hard to read!

The tuner bushings caught my eye, they're wider than I've recalled seeing. Beautiful condition no doubt, it's a very rare pleasure to see a super clean vintage piece, let alone a trus rod F mandolin with apparent curly maple under brown finish. Those can sound *monstrously* wonderful.

**Hans** · Jan-24-2010, 6:32am

Agree with Gail and Tom, that is one cockeyed logo. Doesn't look that pristine to me. Guess the price on my F4 just went up...

**MANDOLINMYSTER** · Jan-24-2010, 9:42am

The tuner bushings caught my eye, they're wider than I've recalled seeing. .[/QUOTE]

I noticed that also.

**wsugai** · Jan-24-2010, 10:42am

Originally Posted by BradKlein

Here's the store's site. $7150.

It IS shocking, in a pleasing way, when one comes across a true 'time capsule' instrument. There is also great pleasure in one that shows it's age.

It's all good.

Scott. Did you play that 1929 L-5 guitar they have listed on the site? That's a pretty thing, too.

Wow! $10,500 for a block inlay 16" L-5. Lawrence Wexer have a couple at $7,500 and $8,500, though it's hard to say whether these are comparable just from descriptions. That means that the earlier dot inlay versions would be really up there by now.

**f5loar** · Jan-24-2010, 8:20pm

I just looked at the '29 L5. A '29 without a "The" in the Gibson logo and block inlay starting at the first fret? You got to be kinding? How are they dating these vintage pieces of Gibson history? They don't give the serial no. of this L5 but if it dates it to '29 then it's been factory redone in the mid 30's. The L5 would have to be at least a '36 which really does change the price from a '29. Same as a '28 F2 vs. a '25 F2 price. I thought the guys up there were pros at selling vintage. Sounds like they need to hangout at the cafe for awhile to learn some things.

**barney 59** · Jan-24-2010, 9:05pm

$450 in 1973 is $7000 today. I bought 46 acres worth of W.Va. back then for $2500. Money doesn't buy much these days. I have been seeing good but not perfect F2's in the $3,000 range lately and being sold by people who do know the market. Old and pristine really does add quite a bit of value. That is hard to get.

**allenhopkins** · Jan-24-2010, 10:53pm

Originally Posted by barney 59

$450 in 1973 is $7000 today.

According to this inflation calculator, $450 in 1973 is $2,157.49 today, not $7,000. I think it's pretty clear that prices on vintage Gibson mandolins have increased well beyond inflation. Not the only area where that's true: my 1972 Dodge Dart cost less than $2,500, while my 2006 Honda Element was over $17K. But I digress...

And, of course, YMMV. I think the absolutely beautiful condition of the F-2 in question contributes to the premium price being asked. Still glad I did most of my "vintage" buying over 20 years ago.

**Gail Hester** · Jan-25-2010, 2:30am

I know I've got a 1928 F2 around here somewhere. I'm going to go find it and put it in a better case.

**grassrootphilosopher** · Jan-25-2010, 6:55am

Originally Posted by Scott Tichenor

My guitar playing friend Bill Crahan and I did a mini-concert this a.m. at Mass Street Music and Jim Baggett showed me his newest acquisition, a pristine 1925 F2... And it sounded fabulous.

What... and no soundclip/video....

**wsugai** · Jan-25-2010, 10:16am

Originally Posted by f5loar

I just looked at the '29 L5. A '29 without a "The" in the Gibson logo and block inlay starting at the first fret? You got to be kinding? How are they dating these vintage pieces of Gibson history? They don't give the serial no. of this L5 but if it dates it to '29 then it's been factory redone in the mid 30's. The L5 would have to be at least a '36 which really does change the price from a '29. Same as a '28 F2 vs. a '25 F2 price. I thought the guys up there were pros at selling vintage. Sounds like they need to hangout at the cafe for awhile to learn some things.

Did Gibson keep records that were this precise back in the 1920s timeframe? If so, are they publicly accessible?

**Darryl Wolfe** · Jan-25-2010, 10:47am

This whole deal fits into my theory that the post Loar mandolin serial number assumptions are skewed some. I believe the 84xxx numbers that we once called 1926 could easily be 1928 or 9 now

This instrument has wide tuner bushings, very splayed out tuners and several other later 20's queues

**f5loar** · Jan-25-2010, 1:23pm

That is IF it is an 84XXX number. They aren't sure. Looks like they would give the FON too. While the tuners are not right for '25 it's the straight across "The Gibson" that stands out to me first. From there you see other things don't fit for '25 either. Same for the '29 L5. With no "The" it stands out up front and center it's not a '29.

**Darryl Wolfe** · Jan-25-2010, 1:33pm

Let's not forget they silk screened The Gibson straight across starting in '24

**Scott Tichenor** · Jan-25-2010, 1:48pm

Received an email from this this a.m. saying they had the date wrong. It's 1927 they now say. I'm headed by to take a less distracted look at it today and to pass on some of that info to Dan. And remember, this isn't eBay, and no one is selling it under a hijacked account, so there's no need to--in Jethro's words--get all lathered up if you ain't gonna shave.