Oddball Old Gibson F5 Copy

[fretbored]

Nothing under the truss rod cover (except the truss rod of course...).

I have not removed the end pin yet to look for any sigs... is it easy and safe to do? This one seems to be in pretty tight...

[Brutus1999]

Well, it's OBVIOUSLY not an original. So will you take fifty bucks for it? I'll even throw in a couple a picks.....

(very nice looking axe....)

[f5loar]

I don't see what an end pin view will give you over going through the F holes with a mirror. As far as it possibly being a name under the fake MM label you could always replace that with another fake label using same fake serial number if you must. If it were mine I would want a better looking fake MM label AND a really good fake signed Loar label added to it.

[fretbored]

f5loar - maybe we'll work on that when I come visit you! Hehe... i'll buy the barbecue.

Brutus1999 - i'm lucky I touched this good of a mando for the price I got... it's a hoss. Maybe even a wheel hoss...



I tuned it down to GDGD the other night and was fooling around with 'The Dead March' on it... wicked sounding.

[fretbored]

Bumping the topic in hopes of attracting new eyes that see some clues!

[fretbored]

Kicking this one up out of the dust again... for some new eyes!

[f5loar]

There are several used mandolin dealers that check the cafe from time to time. We are pretty sure Danny Clark sold it once before some time back but even he may not have known who the builder was at the time. Anybody believe it might have been made by a one off picker that used the StewMac F5 kit and Sminoff's book as a guide? I'm seeing 80's parts on it which might indicate it was made in the 80's or possible early 90's. I've run into lots of fake Gibsons and ask the owner who made it and they say they did from a kit (usually the StewMac Kit). Sometimes they look as good as this one and other times not so good. Usually a picker building a mandolin for his own use would not be concerned about it having the Gibson logo and a fake Loar label since he had no intention of selling it. I remember Wendy Miller made his fake Fern back then while he was with JD Crowe in the 80's.

[fretbored]

I was lucky enough to spend some time with f5loar a few Fridays ago and sample some of his mandolins... what a great evening! I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised to see and hear how well my mystery mando compared with some of his beautiful old instruments. Some of the details were way closer than I would have imagined, and some were off in surprising ways.

I am hoping he'll chime in with some commentary that might help boost the mystery along...!

[fretbored]

Here are a few pics from my visit with f5loar...



f5loar with my mystery mandolin... playing some Monroe licks I believe



My mandolin on the couch with some good company... from left to right: 4/25/1923 Loar F5, 7/9/23 Loar F5, mine, 3/31/24 Loar Fern w/Virzi, non-loar Fern (forget the date on this one)



The above mandolins plus a Kentucky KM-1500 on the right... it wasn't bad!

[FLATROCK HILL]

Looks like it was fun visit.

Bring the video camera next time and post some footage of each of those beautiful instruments being played!

[lenf12]

So that's what f5loar looks like. I was afraid he really does look like a wax museum version of Ol' Bill. Y'all got some really nice mandolins on that couch. Thanks for sharing the pics!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Santiago]

Most people's fantasy couch might have something (someone) else reclining, but I think we share the same affliction (MAS) here. Beautiful line-up. Thanks Fretboard and F5Loar for sharing.

[jim simpson]

You mean that's not him in the avatar?!?

So that's what f5loar looks like. I was afraid he really does look like a wax museum version of Ol' Bill. Y'all got some really nice mandolins on that couch. Thanks for sharing the pics!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[fretbored]

Jim, i'll bring the camera to the next jam!