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Thread: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

  1. #1
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Who knows the story of this new monster mando? Looks like mandocello neck on a new L-5C body! Anyway these images were posted on the Mandocello Enthusiast forum and they inspired me to play mandocello for the whole day -- now my hand is a little sore!

    Anyway great pic of one of my favorite mandolin makers and pickers.

    OT: Mr Dave Harvey what happened to that Buddy Holly bluegrass CD we talked about at Miami University in Ohio a few years ago?
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    Bernie
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  2. #2

    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    WOW that's pretty. Not lovin' the tailpiece rig though.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Gorgeous.

    I know the old Gibson mandocellos were built with tailpieces like that, but I've always thought they looked kind of weird. Maybe it's just that I'm used to seeing L-5s, but I think that's a better look.
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    This one shows an original K5. I love the headstock on this one.



    I imagine that the OP's pictures of of a custom order. Very cool tho.
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    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    OK. Guess the cat is out the bag then.

    Here's a shot someone at Gibson sent me a few days ago but never responded to my inquiry if it was OK to post. Thought that the polite thing to do, to ask first before posting. Here's a hi-res at 600 dpi that's about 1.5MB if you want to view extreme details.


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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Whoa...that’s stunning! Are these actually available to the public, or was this a sort of special order?

  8. #7
    Registered User Cheryl Watson's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    I heard it played at the Gibson booth at IBMA, jammed with a young multi-instrumentalist on a few tunes with me on a fine Gibson mandolin with special wood that Dave Harvey built. This mandocello is PERFECTION in fit and finish! I've never seen an instrument quite as gorgeous as that one. Dave Harvey talked about it with us and it was great to finally meet him in person. It has a deep, strong, articulate voice. What a show-stopper that would be on stage!

  9. #8
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    I'd love to see the orchestra instruments come back. That and the oval hole mandolins.....
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    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    That Is very,super duper nasty,killer,,LOVE it,,the coolest one since the 20's.

  11. #10
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Tichenor View Post
    OK. Guess the cat is out the bag then.

    Here's a shot someone at Gibson sent me a few days ago but never responded to my inquiry if it was OK to post. Thought that the polite thing to do, to ask first before posting.
    It was not my intention to cause any concerns at Gibson or anywhere else. I saw those pics posted on another public internet forum and there was no statement saying that they were to be considered confidential. As noted in my post I have been pretty certain something like this was going on for a while....as I believe a batch of Gibson style adjustable mandocello bridges have been made "somewhere".
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  12. #11
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Marker at the 9th fret? What were they thinkin'?

    (K5 pictured above, #75255, has the same thing going on, but I understand that's because it had been converted to a guitar at some point. Weird. K1, K2 and K4 cellos all had the correct 10th fret marker, and so do some of the other K5's, such as 76981.)

    Looks nice, but I like having 24 frets on my cello.
    Last edited by mrmando; Oct-08-2011 at 5:05pm.
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    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Marker at the 9th fret? What were they thinkin'?

    (K5 has the same thing going on. Weird.)

    Looks nice, but I like having 24 frets on my cello.
    Dave Harvey obviously stayed very close the the original K-5 specs. I wondered about the 9th fret marker also.

    The 1950's Epiphone arch top guitar that I converted also had a fret marker at 9. So I removed it and re-inserted it at 10 so it would be the same as my 1936 K-1 which is marked at frets 5,7 10, 12 & 15.

    Also I'd like to hear the logic for having a shorter neck on a K-5 than a K-1?

    My K-1 is attached at the 15th fret this new K-5C attached at fret 14 like the 1924 Loar model?

    (related point of interest H-5 necks are attached at fret 13 unlike F-5's at 15).

    Now that I look more closely does that look like a 1.5" nut (like a K-5) or is it a normal 1.75" arch top guitar nut? That is to say was this built "ground up" as a mandocello or did they take an L-5C in the white and modify it as necessary? Thoughts?

    I'm think it would be so cool to be able to walk over to the bench and pick up a partly completed L-5 and say fix this up please.
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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    I believe a batch of Gibson style adjustable mandocello bridges have been made "somewhere".
    Why not just make them from archtop guitar bridge blanks? That's how I got a new bridge for my K1 way back when.
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    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Why not just make them from archtop guitar bridge blanks? That's how I got a new bridge for my K1 way back when.
    You can surely do that -- here is an arch top guitar bridge on my Epiphone K-5 style mandocello -- but the stock Gibson ones are way cool and also traditional I guess!
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    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    That is one awesome looking instrument.... amazing all round... way to go Gibson!

  17. #16
    Registered User Greg Stec's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    This one shows an original K5. I love the headstock on this one.



    I imagine that the OP's pictures of of a custom order. Very cool tho.
    It may be an original, but I would love to see a close up of the finish. From this distance (camera to object) it appears refinished. And if it is an original *AND* refinished, IMO that's a $3000 mistake.

  18. #17
    Registered User Greg Stec's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    Anyway these images were posted on the Mandocello Enthusiast forum and they inspired me to play mandocello for the whole day -- now my hand is a little sore.
    That sore-ness is a *GOOD* pain. Take it from someone who's been playing mandocello since 1990.

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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Stec View Post
    It may be an original, but I would love to see a close up of the finish. From this distance (camera to object) it appears refinished. And if it is an original *AND* refinished, IMO that's a $3000 mistake.
    Can you go into further detail on what you think looks so off with the finish?

    Phil

  20. #19
    Mandogenerator Mike Black's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    The funny thing that I think of when looking at this is...What's with the flowerpot? Surely Gibson can use the flower pot inlay, and not have to use this knock-off looking version. Maybe they think that they'd be sued if they used it.

  21. #20
    Highly Lonesome Marty Henrickson's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    All this is seriously making me want a mandocello.
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    Registered User John Gardinsky's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    A beauty!

  23. #22
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    If the measurements a person can make on a photograph are to be trusted -- I am convinced that this new K-5C was made by converting an L-5C. That is, this was not built from scratch as a mandocello.

    I'm pretty sure that is a standard guitar neck with mandolin tuners and the appropriate bridge and tail piece.

    Not meant in any way to disparage or diminish the new instrument -- just making an observation.

    I believe the original Loar inspired K-5's have a 1.5" nut. This K-5C has the usual 1.69" (1 11/16") guitar nut -- based on my assessment of the photos.

    Here is an L-5C pic including the block inlay a fret 9!
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    Last edited by Bernie Daniel; Oct-10-2011 at 10:00am.
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Just realized that the original K-5 was a 16" instrument and if these are based on the modern L-5 that would make them 17". Biggest K-5 ever. Hey why not go all the way and base it on a Super 400 (18"). Super K-5 Mega-cello.

    Phil

  25. #24
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by goaty76 View Post
    Just realized that the original K-5 was a 16" instrument and if these are based on the modern L-5 that would make them 17". Biggest K-5 ever. Hey why not go all the way and base it on a Super 400 (18"). Super K-5 Mega-cello.
    Phil
    Phil, I agree mostly! What a mandocello that would be!!!

    But have you ever had a chance to pick up one of those big 18" arch tops like a Gibson Super 300 or Super 400 or an an Epiphone Emperor? These require some adjustment to how you hold and pick on them -- they are just so noticeably bigger to hold and to wrap your arm around.

    The one "flaw" in your plan is have you ever priced an S400!
    Bernie
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  26. #25

    Default Re: New Gibson K-5C Mandocello

    Dennis has one coming to the Mandolin Store.

    I'm not really a fan of guitar bodied CBOM's but I will definitely have to give this one a go!

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