There's a '26 Fern in the classifieds

**Andrew B. Carlson** · Dec-07-2011, 7:49pm

It reminds me an awful lot of that pawn shop beauty we mulled over a couple months back. The seller even mentions that thread. Looks like a good stocking stuffer.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Dec-07-2011, 8:11pm

But neither the guy running the ad nor the guy who can get it is the owner? So they are both doing us a favor? Am I missing something?

**mrmando** · Dec-07-2011, 8:41pm

Seller is being kept anonymous. He or she has consigned the Fern to another party to sell.

**Don Grieser** · Dec-07-2011, 8:49pm

Eddie,

I believe your missing about $60K.

Me too.

**Gary Hedrick** · Dec-07-2011, 8:53pm

As the risk of being in violation of the rules, I believe it is an issue of Steve Huber selling it for the owner.....my brothers listing it as a favor for Steve.
and I only get involved in that I read and contributed to the earlier thread on the Ebay Fern.....It's interesting in that they are of the same FON and have met the same fate of being redone at some time in their histories...

I have NO FINANCIAL Interest in this........just facinated with the history of this pair...

**Eddie Sheehy** · Dec-07-2011, 10:32pm

Don, you hit the nail on the head. I'm still tempted to go play the one at the pawnshop but I don't need that kind of trouble...

Gary, sorry, didn't realize it was you. You've turned me onto more than a few bargains on EBAY. And, yes, it is a fascinating subject but it has its dangers... MAS rears its ugly head...

**pjlama** · Dec-07-2011, 10:53pm

Wow, that's very sweet looking. I like the not so subtle hint of being amenable to offers, it lulls me into hope but that's not someplace I can go right now. Eddie you really need to go play the one by you and give us a report, you wontbe tempted if it's just for reporting purposes.

**Christian** · Dec-08-2011, 2:11am

I'm wondering why the top part of the Fern is not present. Everything else looks right on that peghead, but the fern is similar to the later ones when they moved to the horizontal logo. The Gibson logo looks correct for the period ('26), though, right angle, right shape. Any hint? Nice instrument though, and nice price.

**Gary Hedrick** · Dec-08-2011, 5:26pm

Eddie, I was just wanting to make sure that folks on the Cafe understand that this isn't a bunch of fly by night folks selling this. In fact if a person was from Nashville and has seen Steve Huber's band play then they know the instrument and the ower.

Christian, the photo has cut the fern off....

The interesting thing for me is why these two went back in for a "rework". My thoughts are:
1. We know that one of them was played by a first chair player....more than likely the other was also since they were the top dollar instrument and if you were a third chair or below you wouldn't want to show up the maestro.
2. The playing style wouldn't have been too dymanic a flailing away at it. Hence not much damage.
3. The frets being worn out and having to go back to the factory is a function of who else would do it at this time in history. Who would even have access to the fretwire?
4. A top player wouldn't tolerate worn frets...he would want this tool to be top notch.
5. Gibson thought that the fretboard was worn also and thus the full replacement.
6. The overspray.....well got to keep the instrument's wood in top shape and looking as bright as it came from the factory.
I don't know if I'm right on any of this but seems like a reasonable set of guesses. Ah the history of these little "guitars"...sure makes for some interesting speculation....

**Christian** · Dec-09-2011, 1:17am

Gary, I'm referring to the set of pictures you can view by pasting the link in the ad, not the picture featured in the add, where the peghead is cut. If you look at the picture of the Fern, the top part of the inlay is not present. If it's original, that would be a first on a mandolin of that period. Any explanation? Darryl? Tom? Ken?

**Ken Waltham** · Dec-09-2011, 7:52am

Hi Christian. I noticed the same thing. I too, have wondered why Gibson sometimes used what I call a "short Fern" on some F5's. It's very curious, since these two we are talking about are so close together. I owned one with the top leaf missing, but, like the Pee Wee Loar, it had " The Gibson" straight across the peghead, rather than on a slant like this one.
I wondered if the top leaf was under the finish, ( it happens) but, could not tell from the photos. Still, most pieces of inlay that for whatever reason are left under the finish are not as large as that top leaf.
I still think it looks cool, but, why it's like that.. who knows. Could be something as simple as the top leaf broke, and therefore was not available at the time of construction. ps... I really like it.

**Gary Hedrick** · Dec-09-2011, 7:58am

Yeah Christian it would be nice if I was looking at the set of pictures that was posted as opposed to the first few I had seen......so chaulk me up as an idiot. Your question is indeed correct. As Ken notes there are these truncated ferns around.

Gibson never did anything in a consistant manner why should I be any different? Ugh

**Gary Hedrick** · Dec-09-2011, 8:05am

Another thought came to me (in my advanced age they happen that way).....I remember a thread some time ago that discussed a fern that the top branch had been inked over for some odd reason as Ken has discussed. I know I've seen a photo of it but dont remember if the thread was the source.

I'll try to find the thread....