View Full Version : Need help finding out the year of Master Model F-12
Chezze1
May-26-2017, 3:35pm
Hi all, im trying to help out our Pastor a church. He needs to sell a Mandolin that was left to him. We cant figure out the Year and What it might be worth.. From a 1 to 10 its a 9+...
Its a (The Gibson) Master Model F-12 Mandolin.. Serial #968-786 Labeled and Stamped on neck. In case nice, purple(Violet ) inside.... Any clue what year this might be?? was told by Don Ruffatto who we met at the NAMM Show that it might be from the 1960s or 1970s.. Any help would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks157554
Jeff Mando
May-26-2017, 8:58pm
That serial # with those features would place it 1970-72, according to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, 2nd Edition, pages 133 & 270. Looks like a 1974 sold on Reverb last October for $2500. I'm not sure if that is representative of the value or not.
Chezze1
May-29-2017, 3:59pm
That serial # with those features would place it 1970-72, according to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, 2nd Edition, pages 133 & 270. Looks like a 1974 sold on Reverb last October for $2500. I'm not sure if that is representative of the value or not.
Great Info,, This site Reverb Is it avalible to anyone wanting to sell?? Thanks
Jeff Mando
May-29-2017, 5:03pm
Anyone can sell on Reverb, they seem to be well-established and have rates lower than eBay. The Classifieds here are good also and attract mandolin players specifically, and the seller's donation is only 2 percent. I'm not sure how fast an F-12 will sell as it is somewhat of an oddball Gibson, but it sure looks to be in nice condition. Give it a try!
lenf12
May-30-2017, 6:23pm
I'm not sure how fast an F-12 will sell as it is somewhat of an oddball Gibson, but it sure looks to be in nice condition. Give it a try!
It all depends on how good it sounds. If it sounds good, you can sell it as a vintage Gibson mandolin. If it's thin and quiet, you can either get that fixed by Randy Wood or Jonathan McClanahan and it will be great or sell it cheap and take your lumps. The early 70's were not great times for Gibson, Inc.
Len B.
Clearwater, FL
MikeEdgerton
May-30-2017, 7:50pm
Well, that is interesting. Worm over F style tuners on a 70's Gibson F style. Now I know where they were using them.
Does the label look like a poor photocopy?
I'm no expert on 70's Gibsons but I think there were quite a few Ibanez or similar 70's mandolins with added Gibson inlay on the market... These Japanese mandolins were very similar in workmanship and details to Gibsons of the day that they fooled few folks...
MikeEdgerton
May-31-2017, 7:47am
If you go through Google images you'll find a few F12's from this era that look similar. The Japanese seemed to favor the curly cue inlay on the fretboard.
Chezze1
May-31-2017, 9:59pm
No its legit.. Had it looked at by a restoration guy from Gibson.. Labels good//
carleshicks
Jun-09-2017, 3:35am
Does the label look like a poor photocopy?
I'm no expert on 70's Gibsons but I think there were quite a few Ibanez or similar 70's mandolins with added Gibson inlay on the market... These Japanese mandolins were very similar in workmanship and details to Gibsons of the day that they fooled few folks...
It looks legit. That is the exact label that I had in my 1977 Gibson F5 that I boiight from Tony Williamson when I was 15.