Gibson 2005 Varnish Fern

....curious if I heard a good one or if this is the general feel from others.

At a local jam last Saturday night there was a Gibson Fern varnished, I believe the fellow said it was a 2005 -so fairly new.

The tone / volume / projection was incerdiable --of course it did not hurt that the picker was just awesome!

I was looking on Gisbons WEB site and do not see a Fern in varnish....maybe is was custom.

Anyone know or have some feedback?

~x

[Links]

I played a new one recently (still at the store) and next to the Distressed MM, it was the best sounding mandolin in the shop. Much better than the regular MM, and a lot cheaper. I thought it was terrific!

[Frank Russell]

Buffalo Bros. Guitars in Carlsbad, CA used to have one or more varnished ferns. Try their website. Frank

frussell,

Not looking to buy on -too rich for my blood, just curious if this is to be expected from Gibson now.

~x

[sgarrity]

I haven't had the pleasure of playing a varnished Gibson and I've been very critical of Gibson mandolins in the past. But I just sold an '02 Fern that was a mighty fine mandolin. I'd still have it if it wasn't for the narrow v-shaped neck. I just couldn't get used to it. I think when you find a good Gibson, they are just as good or better than anything else out there.

Shaun,

I was curious about yours... I saw it for sale in the classified (I believe). Between my mandos and helping my brother-in-law they all run together.

I have to assume this particular mandolin was a Fern and went through the custom shop for varnish / setup. It sure sounded like it was done right.

...I can't but help wonder what something like that costs (the owner just said 2-MUCH!) you could not have knocked the smile off his face if we all tried!

~x

[sgarrity]

I think varnished Ferns are around $12-14k new. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. I probably shouldn't have sold mine. The last two jams I took it to, it got lots of compliments. And it definitely changed my opinion of Gibson. Maybe one of these days I'll get a custom one made with a neck like I want. So many mandolins, so little time and money...............

[ronlane3]

Shaun, you should have just traded me and then you could have played it lot more ;)

[Chip Booth]

I have played 3 of them, two I wasn't overyly impressed with, I thought they were nice, but not worth the money. The other (which was one of the two at Wintergrass last year) was possibly the best sounding mandolin I have ever heard.

Chip

[woodysny]

Varnish Ferns are listed on the Janet Davis website - a mere $11,190.

woodysny,

Man! ! ! I missed that. I was looking all over her site trying to come up with something.

I did find F5-Fern for $8500.00 - $11,190.00 = <$2690.00> for varnish -----holy cow!

Thanks much for the info.

~x

[mikeyes]

I have a 2004 Fern V which is a terrific mandolin. Basically it is a standard Fern with a different finish. #I talked to Joe Vest about them and they are made on an irregular basis. I am not sure what the incentive is but I figure that they make them when the MM sales are slow. #The varnish job is very time consuming and once you get it, the finish is very sensitive to dings. #But I still love mine even though it has a fair amount of evidence of use in the shop (it should, it is much better than the signature instruments that the shop, Fuller's Vintage Instruments in Houston, had.)

As usual, you need to play the instrument first, but I was hooked when it said "hello."

[wallflower]

The varnish Ferns I've played have been terrific. #My theory is that Gibson takes the cream of the crop of the Ferns, when they're in the white, and pull them off the line to finish them in varnish. #Varnish is great, but I think the V-Ferns have something more going on than just the finish.

I suspect they do the same thing with the Distressed Master Models over the regular Master Models.

[Professor PT]

When I saw Compton/Long last year, they pulled one out for a song or two, and I thought it sounded better than either of their Gilchrists.

[Links]

I think Wallflower hit the nail on the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mandoJeremy]

Wayne Benson has a killer Distressed Varnish Fern! I played it out in the parking lot the day he picked up from OAI and it was excellent then but I played it again at SPBGMA and man it has just opened up a ton! Best sounding Fern I think I have played. Of course, about a year ago OAI had a varnished Fern in there that was also a monster.

[Kevin K]

Yes, Benson's Fern is great. Looks nice and plays well and is the best sounding Fern I've played or heard.

...wow.....

It sounds overall like the brunt of the mandos are really good! Like I said the one last Saturday was awesome. Being the curious natured person I am I looked around and did not find much in the "used" department for this type of mando --guess folks hang onto them.

~x

[Big Joe]

Let me try to clear the mud a bit. The Varnished Fern is not a standard production product. They only build them occasionally. They do have a different tone from the MM or DMM because of the different top woods. The V Fern is just a regular fern with varnish/ french polish finish. All the ones...and I've played them all...have been excellent.

Now the other issue. They are just regular ferns that get varnish rather than lacquer. We do not select them in the white. They are selected by random when we need one to finish. The same with the DMM. They are completed MM's that get distressed. They are not special ones or the pick of the litter. It is amazing that so many great manodlins can be so consistently made. The varnish is part of the reason they sound so great. The DMM sounds better because of the process of the distressing. While it may be romantic to think we pick the cream of the crop for these instruments, that really does not happen. There is not enough time for such. We have to take what we have amd make what we must. We use great woods for all of them and they are all built to the same great standards. That way it does not matter which one we grab to varnish or distress. Oh well, I guess reality is not as exciting as the myth.

[Links]

Big Joe:

I like the myth better. All I know is that the DMM's and Varnished Fern's that I have played are head and shoulders above the rest (and I think the rest are pretty darn good). The one thing I particularly like about the DMM (actually more than one thing) is how easy it plays - not the least bit stiff. I have played other fine mandolins but they just feel stiff. If distressing and varnish make that much difference, I'm not sure I would let the cat out of the bag. I think I would claim some sort of secret mojo.