Question about f style mandos.

[Jim DeSalvio]

From a mando newbie, what do the numbers mean after, for example F9. I see various numbers after the F, and do not know what this is about.

Jim D

[Alex Orr]

As a not-quite-newbie-anymore player, I've wondered about this myself.

[AW Meyer]

The term F5 has pretty well become the generic term for the typical F-style mandolin with f-holes in it. The "F" was a term Gibson used to designate a "Florentine" model (one with a fancy scroll). The numbers after the F refer to different Gibson models: The F2 was was a fairly plain F-style with an oval soundhole, rather than the f-holes. An F4 was also an oval hole, with more binding, on the neck and around the peghead, for example. An F9 is Gibson's plainest and least expensive model.

[MikeEdgerton]

F does not necessarily stand for Florentine. The F9 is a newer Gibson model. Do not confuse the new F2 models from Epiphone with the Gibson models. They are F5 clones that Gibson felt the need to call an F2.

The true F2 and F4 mandolins had oval sound holes, the F style body and shorter necks than the later F5. The F5 has f shaped sound holes and a longer neck as well as the F shaped body. The F9 is simply a very plain, no frills F5 style mandolin.

[MikeEdgerton]

An F4.

[MikeEdgerton]

A Gibson F5:
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/images/76547_mandolin-in-case-3.jpg

[MikeEdgerton]

The Gibson F9 comes in two different finishes. The older plain brown:

[MikeEdgerton]

And the newer F9 sunburst finish

[sunburst]

It was something like this:

Gibson made a model A.
Then they added something; extra binding, peghead logo, something like that and called that an A1, etc.

Same with the model F. Whenever they added something to, or changed the design, they kept the F but added a number...usually, until modern times when they started adding other letters and stuff like that, so you end up with things like F5L, F5G, MM, DMM and on and on.

I know of model F, F1, F2, F4, F5, F7, F9, F12. I don't know if they skipped F3, F6, F8, F10 and F11, or if they were obscure so I've never heard of them, or if I've forgotten about them or what...
There are some Gibson experts who frequent this message board, perhaps some of them can give us the real story.

[allenhopkins]

I always thought "F" meant "Florentine," but actually I believe the only mandolin Gibson actually called "Florentine" was this one, (http://www.geocities.com/riqueritardo/mandolins/83-2474.html) a '60's electric. #They had an ornately decorated "Florentine" banjo, and did a one-of "Florentine" F-5 mandolin with the same white finish and painted decor that the banjo had; I think Gruhn still has it for sale -- you can check his website. #There are "Florentine" Les Paul guitars -- not with the scroll-and-points shape, of course...

Also: you'd think it would make sense that the higher the model number, F-2 through F-12 (I think that's the highest), the price/quality would uniformly increase -- but not so. #The F-7 was pretty much a shorter-necked F-5, the F-12 a scroll-and-points F-hole "no frills" model, and the F-10, a rare bird (here's a recent thread on F-10's), (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=27;t=48620) but still lesser than the longer-necked F-5. #The F-9's relatively recent, and I guess the "9" suffix was just an available number. #

The convention now is to designate "F" as short for "Florentine," #and that's what I always thought it was, but perhaps not in Gibson's corporate mind...

[MikeEdgerton]

I think the F is short for F. Just like A is short for A and U is short for harp guitar.... and all the rest of the letters Gibson started model names with. I'll see if I can find the list. This has been beat around a bit before.

[MikeEdgerton]

I just grabbed the information from a previous thread and compiled it together. Look at the letter designations below and explain why F stands for Floretine and the rest of the letters in the original run don't stand for anything? It appears that when Gibson entered the banjo era they started to use some letters that actually made sense (TB, GB, MB). Those were all descriptions of the type of instrument. This is why I don't buy the F = Floretine thing, even though it's listed in the Glossary of the cafe.

A = Mandolin
B = ?
C = Mandolin
D = Mandolin
E = ?
F = Mandolin
G = ?
H = Mandola
I = ?
J = Mandobass
K = Mandocello
L = Guitar
O = Guitar
R = Harp guitar
U = Harp guitar


And More...

B = Guitar in the 60's

B = Banjo
CB = Cello banjo
MB = mandolin banjo
GB = Guitar banjo
RB = Regular banjo (5 string)
PB = Plectrum Banjo
TB = Tenor banjo
UB = Ukulele banjo

TL = Tenor lute

ES = Electric Spanish
EH = Electric Hawaiian
ETG = Electric Tenor Guitar
EM = Electric mandolin
LG = Little guitar
J = Jumbo (as in J-45 guitar)
SJ = Southern(er) Jumbo
V = violin (short production run during WWII)