Three Gibson Ovals

[MikeEdgerton]

More from the folks at the Mandolin Store. Three ovals, a Jam Master A, a Jam Master F, and an F5G... Oval hole. That one I hadn't seen before.

[woodwizard]

Wow!

[Bill Van Liere]

Very Cool.

Mike have you played these? If so, how do they sound? anyone

[sgarrity]

I'd like to pick a few tunes on those. Good for Gibson!

[JEStanek]

Congratulations to Gibson for getting back into the Oval hole camp. Those look nice. Hybrid necks too. These ought to make some folks very happy.

Jamie

[squirrelabama]

If they ever decide to make a "Jam Master J" I'm sure it would be well suited to play over your favorite Run DMC tunes......

[Caleb]

If they ever decide to make a "Jam Master J" I'm sure it would be well suited to play over your favorite Run DMC tunes......

Had to have been a kid in the 80s to fully appreciate that one.

[MikeEdgerton]

I have not had my hands on one.... yet.

[jefflester]

An F5G oval hole? Wow that is really some news.

[woodwizard]

Went to their site and it seems they are not being advertised for sale or maybe I'm missing something?

[kirksdad]

Dennis states in his newsletter that Gibson wont let him avertise I believe, so you'll have to call the shop.

[Charley wild]

Any hints on prices?

[JEStanek]

I would imagine the same as the F holed Jam Master and F5G.

Jamie

[delsbrother]

Did the earlier JM's have black binding (like the x9s)? Or were they always bound in white?

[8stringdreamer]

Thanks for the photos they are great

I am looking around for my first nice mandolin and really love the look of the Gibson jam master F style with oval hole. It looks pretty perfect for me.

I live in a little town in Australia so I'll probably have to buy one without playing it first which is always a bit of a gamble, however it's one I'll probably take once I have the money

I love the F style with oval hole. They look awesome.
I'm so excited about getting a sweet mandolin, if I'm having a bad day I just think about it and feel better instantly. Have been loving reading all the posts on Mandolin Cafe.

[carleshicks]

I think the F-5G looks funny with out a rosette. The simple look fits well with the Jam masters but the F-5G looks wrong. Just my opinion.

[majorbanjo]

I agree.....that F5G would be one incredible looking mandolin if it had the rosette.......I mean it looks great now.....I was thinking to myself something isn't right....then the last post about the rosette made me have one of those "duh" moments........an old style pick guard would be nice too......

[Wolfbane Stevens]

Interesting fingerboard extension for an F5G... looks like a new style for Gibson altogether... It would be pretty cool if they went back to the style "z" extension. Anybody know why Gibson dropped that from the F2/F4 line around 1914-15? Maybe I'll re-post that question in the vintage section...

[modgar]

What does Jamie mean when he refers to them as hybrid necks?

Thanks,
Gary

[MikeEdgerton]

The original oval hole Gibson F style mandolins had shorter necks than their later F5 stlyle F hole model cousins. These have the longer F5 style neck.

[JEStanek]

These also have elevated fingerboards rather than the older Gibson oval holes where the board were right on the sound board, this changes their sound (in addition to the longer neck free of the body due to bridge placement) from the old teens ovals. Don't expect a same sound. It still may be a great sound, just different! By Hybrid I mean they have an F5/A5 neck on the oval hole body.

Jamie

[Space Pup]

I have an oval hole A model which I got from the Mandolin Store (BTW, great people to deal with.) and it is an amazing mandolin. I has become my go to mandolin for everything.

Like Jamie suspected it does not sound like a vintage oval hole Gibson but it also doesn't sound like a new F hole Gibson either. The tone is a little more rounded or in between them. If you like to play blues and classical as well as Bluegrass, I think you'll like it. Plus, it makes a great playing companion to my friends AJ.

[8stringdreamer]

Hey Jack,
When you were trying the jam master, did you happen to try an F-style oval hole? If so what was the difference?

Has anyone else out there tried the F and A style jam master ovals? What's the comparison tone wise?

I'm considering a jam master oval hole, I like the look of the F style better but if the A style's sound is superior by a big difference I would probably sacrifice looks.

I will try b4 i buy but it'll mean a big road trip so gathering as much info as possible

[8ch(pl)]

I think Gibson is smart to bring these out. i think they have ignored some of the market by not having at least the A available for so many years.

[kirksdad]

I've tried several Jam Masters at the Gibson Showcase in Nashville, and thought the A style was the best sounding, loud but smooth. These were not oval holes however. I thought the neck profiles were great too.....I like Weber's Oval holed F styles as well. You could order a custom built from them as an option. There was a killer Pomeroy recently for sale here in the Classifieds.