My 1966 Gibson F-5

[jochemgr]

I've been on the Cafe on and off for years but haven't posted much until recently. I've played guitar since I was young but always loved the sound of the mandolin. About a week or so ago my long-time dream of owning a Gibson F-5 came true when this beauty arrived!

I've always loved the look of the 1950s-60s F-5s and had been stalking this one for months online. I've been playing it every day since it arrived and it's one of the coolest things I've ever bought. I'm so happy with it and it sounds amazing!!

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Selfie in the tailpiece!

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I didn't get a stand for it yet, but it is safe and guarded carefully every night.

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And here's a shot with some of it's favourite cousins.

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Thanks for Charles Johnson from Mandolin World Headquarters for the great service and selling it at a price I could afford. Also to f5loar for sending me some of the finer details on my mandolin!

[Denny Gies]

Good things come to those who wait.

[CWRoyds]

Cool collection of instruments.
Love the Martins.
I especially love the White Falcon.
I have wanted one of those since I was a teen and saw that photo of Neil Young playing one in the back of a Limousine.
Awesome model Gretsch

[darrylicshon]

Looks beautiful enjoy it, i want a 62'

[F-2 Dave]

Very cool mandolin. Great collection.

[DataNick]

Looks great! and it sounds good as well! Not bad...Did that one come from Charles Johnson?

[jochemgr]

Thank you all for the nice comments!!

CWRoyds: Thanks, I love that photo too! Mine is a 1958-styled Stephen Stills signature model.

Darrylicshon: Why 1962, is that your birth year? I would have gone birth year if I wasn't born in 1976 - pretty much known as Gibson's lousiest year!

DataNick: Yes, that's the one!

[jaycat]

Is that Liam Clancy's autograph?

RIP the Clancy Bros. And Tommy Makem. All gone each and every one . . . may God dress 'em and shave 'em.

[darrylicshon]

Yes it is my birth year, i haven't heard anything good about 62' either, but I still want one

[DataNick]

...DataNick: Yes, that's the one!

I wondered about that one as I believe he described it as not loud but not thin. Is the tone full enough for you and how's the bark to it when chopping chords?

Just curious, since it's a 60s Gibson.

[jochemgr]

Jaycat: yes, I met him briefly after a show in Dublin. One of my all time favourite artists, I don't think I'd let anyone else touch my D-45 with a sharpie! I've always loved that guitar to bits but since he signed it there's no way I'll ever let it go!

Darrylicshon: 62 is still in the good years; from what I understand things were hit and miss from '63 onwards and got pretty bad by '69, but it still depends on the instrument itself. Bill Monroe bought a '64 because he loved the sound and used it till 1981 when he recorded "My last days on earth" with it. Each model is different, if you find one try it out first if you have the chance. Good luck with your search!

DataNick: yes he did. I expected it to be pretty quiet but it's way louder than my Washburn F-5 copy. I play at home, pretty much exclusively except for the odd BBQ and that would be my D-45 as I'm nowhere near good enough to bring this one out yet. Aiming hard to get there though, haven't been as excited since I got my first guitar at 15 or so!! I wanted something not too loud with a good sound. My wife doesn't play a banjo, she tries to watch the news while I practice. Not too loud is a plus!! Having said that it's way louder than I expected. Not a complaint, just an observation!

Ps. DataNick - any chance you can send me a photo of the label of your F-5 for my label collection? ( see my photo album on my profile)

Thanks all once again for the really nice comments, I love seeing photos of your instruments and really enjoy that you like seeing my treasure!

[Bernie Daniel]

That is a beautiful F-5 -- lots of mojo too! Those Gibson F-5's and F-12's from about 1951 to 1969 all that the wide headstock and wide nut. Those '60's flowerpots are a great design too.

It is a look that is a little disconcerting at first but it grows on you -- at least it did for me. I'll always have a warm spot for the 1953 F-12 that Randy Wood re-voiced for me.

And as a former owner of a 1961 Hummingbird you can guess what I think of the cherry sunburst. It makes such a strikingly beautiful instrument I think. And of course the block inlays are just the final piece. In fact, now you need a Hummingbird or a Dove to compliment your collection! :)

If you ever really get into it and want more you can always have Randy remove some of the excess wood on the sound and back boards. He can really make those old Gibsons sing.

BTW how much does your F-5 weigh?

[spufman]

Cool! You mentioned a stand... the 'mandolin' stands I've tried are rather sketchy. I recommend starting with an Ultimate GS100 (you may have extras, being a guitar player), take it apart, remove 4.5" from the inner and outer tubes, then put it back together. Really solid and will probably still extend enough for guitar use.

[MiG-19]

Beautiful burst on a great looking mandolin. Congratulations on a good transaction and a great find.

[Skip Kelley]

Nice collection!

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Nice looking mando, Jochemgr; I love those '50s/'60s, too. Also, I enjoyed the way you talk about it.
My dear brother and I, both bluegrass players (and lovers), will be in Melbourne (Monash) from mid January to mid February. Any music going on during that time?

[DataNick]

Jochemgr,

Nice to hear that the tone & volume is good; that is a sweet looking mando in what apparently is in great shape as well!

I'll work on those label pics for ya when the sun's out. Acoustic Engineer label is a bit faded due to the previous owner having played this mando in the rain, but the signature is Larry Barnwell. I'll post ASAP.

Congrats again on a good purchase!

[jochemgr]

Bernie Daniel: I'll see if I can find out. I know it sounds like a dead simple task, but I don't have a scale at home which make it a little trickier. For now I'm more than happy the way it sounds. I'm not against potentially having some improvements done in the future, although I'd be pretty scared to send it off! I'd love to get a Hummingbird one day but doubt I will. I'm pretty happy with the acoustic guitars I have collected over the years and certainly don't need more. If anything I need to scale down and sell some of the stuff I don't get to play! I haven't bought an acoustic for about seven years now. I just calculated that number and had to recount twice, I surprised myself!!

Henry Eagle: No idea to be honest. I've seen Chris Hillman once in Melbourne, but that's as close to bluegrass as I've seen live! I'd say it's pretty hard to find over here. It'll be well into summer so there is bound to be folk festivals on here and there. If I happen to come across something good, I'll drop you a line.

DataNick: Thanks for that! I thought I read in another thread yours was signed by Dennis Balin - I must have mixed it up! I have a pic of the Barnwell signature.

[Darren Bailey]

There aren't enough cherry sunbursts on the planet in my mind - whether guitar or mandolin I always think they look beautiful. That is a particulalry stunning example. Hope it sounds as good as it looks.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Henry Eagle: No idea to be honest. I've seen Chris Hillman once in Melbourne, but that's as close to bluegrass as I've seen live! I'd say it's pretty hard to find over here. It'll be well into summer so there is bound to be folk festivals on here and there. If I happen to come across something good, I'll drop you a line.

Please do, thanks a lot. BTW, what kind of music do you play?

[Darryl Wolfe]

My first "F" model was a 1966 F5....in 1967

[DataNick]

...DataNick: Thanks for that! I thought I read in another thread yours was signed by Dennis Balin - I must have mixed it up! I have a pic of the Barnwell signature.

jochemgr,

Just saw this post: yeah when I got it I thought it might be Dennis Balian, but upon further review in large measure due to your thread on Gibson label signers, I've figured out it's Larry Barnwell, who was the plant mgr up in Bozeman in 1994. Glad that you've got a pic of his signature already!

Enjoy your mando Bro!

[Bernie Daniel]

jochemgr,

Just saw this post: yeah when I got it I thought it might be Dennis Balian, but upon further review in large measure due to your thread on Gibson label signers, I've figured out it's Larry Barnwell, who was the plant mgr up in Bozeman in 1994. Glad that you've got a pic of his signature already!

Enjoy your mando Bro!

I've lost track of the Gibson signature thread can anyone provide a link to that one? Thank!

[DataNick]

I've lost track of the Gibson signature thread can anyone provide a link to that one? Thank!

Here ya go Bernie!

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?110412-Gibson-head-luthiers

[jochemgr]

BTW how much does your F-5 weigh?

Hi Bernie,
I finally managed to weigh my F5. It's just over a kilogram, 1070 grams to be exact. Google tells me that's 2lb 5.7431oz. That's with strings but no strap or pickguard (don't have one)

I've got no idea if that's a good weight or not, but I'm sure you or someone will tell me! It feels pretty light to me, but I'm used to guitars. It's a little top heavy which can be annoying, but I should probably get a proper mandolin strap. I'm using a guitar strap tied to the scroll with a shoelace at the moment. Does the job though!

[tassiespirit]

Looks like this one is up for sale in OZ - https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port-melbourne/guitars-amps/1966-gibson-f-5-mandolin/1285564957