Gibson sound

**fiddler37** · Jun-06-2012, 6:00pm

What new or recent vintage non Gibson mandolin consistently has the so called "Gibson" sound?

**VAPicker** · Jun-06-2012, 7:55pm

If you could find a nice 2000-2003 Flatiron Festival F, you would have the "Gibson Sound" without spending the price of a Gibson. I have a 2001, and it is every bit the same as an F5G.

**dslaboone** · Jun-06-2012, 8:18pm

I also have a 2001 Flatiron Festival F, built in Nashville, and I'm very pleased with it.

**Willie** · Jun-06-2012, 8:38pm

I guess they have "The Gibson" sound because the Flatiron Festivals in that time frame were made by Gibson in Nashville....I also have a 2001 and it is a great mandolin....

**Mike Black** · Jun-06-2012, 9:24pm

Originally Posted by fiddler37

What new or recent vintage non Gibson mandolin consistently has the so called "Gibson" sound?

Depends on WHICH "Gibson Sound" are you referring to? Orville Gibson sound, Teens/twenty's oval hole sound, Lloyd Loar F5 sound, Depression era Gibson sound, 60/70's Gibson sound, Derrington era Gibson sound, Modern Gibson sound, etc...

**OldGus** · Jun-06-2012, 9:53pm

Paul Schneiders' "Summit" mandolins.

**dcoventry** · Jun-06-2012, 10:23pm

(please imagine me cracking my knuckles and taking a deep breath....)

So, Blueridgeborn and I have discussed "The Gibson Sound" quite a bit, and that guy knows a little something. Me? Not so much, but I'm very opinionated and that counts for a lot. We decided:

If you want the "Gibson Sound", buy a Gibson. There are many folks admirably trying to emulate: the Loar sound, the teens ovals etc. as mentioned above. But Gibson does Gibson, period specific, and Gilchrist does Gilchrist, period specific. Same with Dude, Hutto, Brentrup, Ellis, Kimble etc.

if you really want the Gibson Sound, buy as Gibson. The number of folks that come close is pretty fair sized. The number of folks who do mandos that produce a "sound" equally as interesting, or "better", is subjective, but also obviously large and growing.

My thought is to get a mando that allows me to express most closely and easily what I hear in my head....voices and screaming not withstanding.

Lots of great players play "other than Gibson" mandos. Lots of players play Gibson mandos. I'd think it's a function of how the "tool" they have allows them to more effortlessly express themselves. Thile said something to that effect, and I was stunned by the simplicity of the thought.

Since it was a Gibson F5, Loar Era, that helped to define the beginnings of BG for lots of folks, that's what we hear in our heads as the archtype for tone. But for myself, playing BG is WAAAAAAY in the back of all the styles I chose to play. Way back. I look at the mando as just a way to get the "inside sounds outside" as efficiently as possible. Plus, the mando offers a differnet pallet of sounds to work with in that spectrum.

I chose a Rigel as it was a combination of BG voicing, woodiness, a little jazzy and had uber cool alternative stylings.

Thanks for reading.

Dave

**Ben Milne** · Jun-06-2012, 10:33pm

Originally Posted by dcoventry

If you want the "Gibson Sound", buy a Gibson.

Yep. Anything else is, well, something else.

**trevor** · Jun-07-2012, 4:19am

So all Gibsons sound the same?

**samlyman** · Jun-07-2012, 8:11am

Something to consider is that Gibson failed to produce quality mandolins for many, many years. Many people took note of this and used it as an opportunity to start building mandolins... Bob Givens and Randy Wood being two early examples. Just because the headstock says Gibson does not mean it has good tone or is well constructed... Pick up almost any Gibson from the 1960s or 70s and you will see what I mean...

Sam

**Willie** · Jun-07-2012, 12:05pm

I have heard some Stivers played side by side with a Loar and they sounded the same but I have also heard Stivers that just didn`t nave it....No, All Gibsons do not sound the same as most of us know...I imagine that all makers of mandolins have some that sound better or worse than others that they made, thats why I always say try a mandolin before you buy it, don`t go by name alone....Also most of them sound different after being played for a long time....Trying to duplicate a Loar sound when making a new mandolin might not be a good thing because it will sound different after being played for years to come...I have a custom made F-5 that to me and a lot of others did have the Loar sound when it was new but surely doesn`t have it now, it was made in 1981...

I wonder what the newer Master Models will sound like ten years from now?

Willie

**trevor** · Jun-07-2012, 12:12pm

Agreed "thats why I always say try a mandolin before you buy it".

**jim simpson** · Jun-07-2012, 8:47pm

Originally Posted by fiddler37

What new or recent vintage non Gibson mandolin consistently has the so called "Gibson" sound?

I've told this story before and it applies here. When I went to try out a friend's Daley, I took my Gibson F5G with me for comparison. I wanted a good 2nd mandolin and I figured if it sounded close to the Gibson, I would buy it. I can only describe it as having sounded like the Gibson F5G and more! I believe Sim's time spent working at Gibson may have something to do with the Daley sound. I guess working for someone else might give you the insight on how to build on a known sound quality.

**mnosretep** · Jun-07-2012, 9:00pm

Originally Posted by trevor

So all Gibsons sound the same?

No... I would say all mine possess very similar tonal characteristics, but each vary to a small degree. Attributed to the wood grain, density, etc.

**woodwizard** · Jun-07-2012, 9:07pm

Originally Posted by Ben Milne

Yep. Anything else is, well, something else.

Dito

**Ben Milne** · Jun-08-2012, 3:32am

Originally Posted by trevor

So all Gibsons sound the same?

No, but they all sound like Gibsons.

**G7MOF** · Jun-08-2012, 4:34am

Only a Gibson can sound like a Gibson, IMHO. Why replicate what you can already get!

**trevor** · Jun-08-2012, 4:38am

So your oval hole teens mandolins sound like a Loar or 70's F?

**almeriastrings** · Jun-08-2012, 4:49am

I'm sure they don't. But... they do sound "like a Gibson"... because they are a Gibson!

**trevor** · Jun-08-2012, 5:01am

I believe that is called a tautology?

**almeriastrings** · Jun-08-2012, 5:23am

Certainly is...

Obviously quite right though, that there are numerous Gibson models, from various eras, that are very different from each other. More different in many cases (by far) than say, two 'alternate' takes on the F5....

**G7MOF** · Jun-08-2012, 1:18pm

Originally Posted by trevor

So your oval hole teens mandolins sound like a Loar or 70's F?

The thread was about the Gibson sound, and not the Gibson F sound. Either way I stand by what I originally said!!!

**Mike Black** · Jun-08-2012, 1:40pm

You're correct the orignial post just asks about new mandolins, that is not a Gibson, with the "Gibson Sound". That's also the reason I asked for more clarification from the original poster. But it doesn't seem as if they really want a real answer.

Unless the original thread starter chims in, this thread is dead to me.

**danb** · Jun-08-2012, 3:02pm

Originally Posted by trevor

I believe that is called a tautology?

Trevor wins the thread.

There are an awful lot of Gibson tones, as many have said.

Most people think of Bill's Loar (which is actually pretty unusual-sounding, as Loars go), or ferns that sound fab on microphones and a lot like *insert favorite band.

My favorite Gibson sound is a '24 with a virzi..

That said, Trevor nailed it. You can hear your "Archetype" tone on stuff made by lots of builders. I hear some nice old gibson tones on stuff made by Steve Gilchrist and Jamie Wiens.. I don't always hear it on Loars, for that matter.

Pretty much you gotta try 'em all, and assume that some of the hype comes from reality. It also takes a little longer than you might think to hear it yourself on even a really good mando- I tried & failed to pull good tone out of more than one amazing Loar.. it takes time and understanding to learn to try them too!