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VaFrank
Feb-12-2004, 4:54pm
Hi folks:

I am a new member and this is my first post. I currently play guitar, flatpick(bluegrass and old country tunes)and am learning to fingerpick. I have a Martin HD-28 and D-18GE. I am seriously considering purchasing a mandolin and learning to play. I have done some lurking on this site and research on others in regard to mandolins. This is an excellent site! I really appreciate how well Mandooin Cafe is set up and managed. Thank you.

As a fledgling wanna be I have many questions but will limit this post to a few. The mandolin that catches my eye is the Gibson F-9. I love the plain look and brown color. Obviously, I have not heard one played and realize that looks ain't necessarily where it's at. Have any of you played one, and if so will you share your thoughts and/or comparisons to other mandolins of similar cost/quality.

I know my amateur status will shine with this comment! I just purchased the new Tony Rice cd, The Bluegrass Guitar Collection and love the sound of Doyle Lawson's mandolin. I had not heard of Doyle and while listening to the cd his mandolin really stood out. I immediately went to the cd case and looked on the cover to see who was playing that wonderful sounding mandolin. The highs ring and sing and the mids and bass are woody. Now that's my idea of how a mandolin should sound.

I know that I'm probably talking apples and oranges re: the F-9 and the mandolin that Doyle is playing however, hopefully this will give you an idea of what I think I like in a mandolin.

Price? Well, I not sure. $1,500 to $2,500. Any input will be very much appreciated.

Frank

VaFrank
Feb-12-2004, 4:59pm
Sorry about the double post. Just got excited and too quick on the mouse.

Frank:D

John Flynn
Feb-12-2004, 5:07pm
I am sure the Gibson purists will take issue with this over-simplification, but the F-9 is sort of a no-frills version of the F-5 Doyle Lawson plays. It should have some similar characteristics. There are two F-9s on the Cafe' classifieds right now, one for $2,000 and one for $2,100. I rented an F-9 for an out-of-town jam once and I liked it. People say great things about them.

mad dawg
Feb-12-2004, 5:08pm
I haven't played one either, but I too really like the finish and black binding on the F9, and on its sibling the A9.

jcs271
Feb-12-2004, 5:14pm
Run Frank, Run. Just put the whole thing out of your mind and run. Because you are headed for that slippery slope of "playing the mandolin". First you hear a tune on a cd, then maybe see one live or on tv. Hey that looks like fun, I think I'll buy one. You buy the Gibson F-9 (great mandolin) and pretty soon it doesn't have quite the sound you want and you'll start looking to trade up. Then you get better and you'll want a mando with a louder chop or woodier tone, pretty soon you spend all your time looking at new mandos, posting on the cafe and restlessly searching for the Holy Grail which always seems to be the next mandolin. Pretty soon the kids are grown, and the wife has moved out, but you didn't notice because you are still sitting there playing your mando wearing nothing but a smile. RUN FRANK, RUN!!!

Jack Roberts
Feb-12-2004, 5:21pm
Pretty soon the kids are grown, and the wife has moved out, but you didn't notice because you are still sitting there playing your mando wearing nothing but a smile. #

In the words of Maxwell Smart:

"And loving it!"

Jack

mandoJeremy
Feb-12-2004, 5:25pm
While my Bush model was back at Gibson I purchased an F-9 to play in the meantime and I can tell you that they very much sound like a Gibson. This one was very wood and I pulled similar tone out of it compared to my Bush but tone is all in your right hand. The playability wasn't quite the same as my Bush but it is a GREAT mandolin for the money. The thin finish on it means it sounds pretty dang good right out of the box and it was loud. I would suggest it and being that you have opened yourself up for a lot of opinions now that you have mentioned Gibson just stick with what caught YOUR eye and no one else's. If it is what you want then get it. I would suggest going somewhere to play one and not buying it from Musicians Friend or any other mail order catalog. I have played about ten of them and they were all good but I have found that the lighter colored ones always sound much better. I don't even know if they still make that very dark one but go with the lighter one.

Michael H Geimer
Feb-12-2004, 5:27pm
I played an F-9 that I really liked. It definately had that 'Gibson Tone', full dry, woody. Though, personally I prefer the tone of my Weber, as it is a little 'sweeter' sounding to my ears ... whatever that means.

There are a lot of great choices in the price range you're talking. My recommendation would be to try out some Webers if you can. Other will likely offer you more suggestions. Try them all if you can.

- Benignus

VaFrank
Feb-12-2004, 5:39pm
Thanks folks! After reading some of the somewhat, ummm, heated discussions, I hope that I have not opened a can of worms. Although, I did find some of them rather humorous.

-jcs271: Yes, I know what you're saying. I've had a similar experience with my guitar jones. I'm now looking at a Merrill and wondering what I've got to sell to help finance it. His shop is about 7 miles from my house! It's called GAS. I assume with a mando it's called MAS?

-mandojeremy: how would you describe the playability of the F-9?

VaFrank
Feb-12-2004, 5:43pm
I meant heated discussions on previous posts.

Frank

mandoJeremy
Feb-12-2004, 5:43pm
Don't get me wrong, the playability was fine but it just wasn't my Bush. That's what I was used to and the wider neck makes it hard for me to even play a normal F-5! I also have Weber mandos in stock at the store I work at. I have a Fern model and it is a great mando but it is not as deep as the F-9 was. It is "sweeter" sounding but I prefer a dark and woody tone myself! I still don't think you can go wrong with one of the F-9's.

mandoJeremy
Feb-12-2004, 5:46pm
And NO I am not a Gibson loyalist, I play what sounds good to my ears but I am convinced that they are making some of the best mandos out there today and when I do purchase another mando it will be a Wayne Benson sig. model Gibson! Actually, my Bush is the very first Gibson I have owned in my 12 years of playing. I always played handbuilt mandos but my Bush gave me what I have been searching for in the last 12 years and it is that simple.

mad dawg
Feb-12-2004, 6:16pm
Pretty soon the kids are grown, and the wife has moved out, but you didn't notice because you are still sitting there playing your mando wearing nothing but a smile.
Reminds me of the tool-obsessed guy featured in some TV commercial (Sears or Home Depot maybe?) where the he opens the garage door, only to find a volunteer from "Kids without Dads" playing basketball with his son. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

Coy Wylie
Feb-12-2004, 10:19pm
Frank, there's an F9 on ebay for $1500... sounds like a good deal if that's what you are after.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....y=10179 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3702980521&category=10179)

Dioptase
Feb-13-2004, 3:45am
Frank,

I recently purchased an A9 and I haven't looked back. Like you, I love the finish.. though the finish on my particular instrument was unlike any others I'd seen online. The black binding blends into the black finish and fades to a worn leather color inside. It has a smoky, woody, campfire color that I liken very much to it's sound.

I'm in love with this instrument, and I've played many that cost 4x the cost. My previous instrument was a Michael Kelly Firefly-- one of the better imports, and one step down in price. The difference in tone and playability was immense. I can feel the A9 hit in my guy as I draw the sound out. It's a good feeling. I can only imagine the F9 is of equal quality-- If I were not working for 6$ an hour (how'd I ever afford the A9?) I would have bought an F9.

And honestly, they're the only mandos on the market that have exactly the look I would custom order. Really a beautiful instrument.
Micah

VaFrank
Feb-13-2004, 8:36am
My thanks to everyone for your replies.

-Dioptase: Yes, the F-9,s brown matte finish and black binding just reminds me of the mando's of my childhood. I was reared in the Blue Ridge mountains of Va.(I am 59), and experienced lots of bluegrass and "old time" country music first hand. So, I am hopeful that the F-9 will sound as good as it looks to me.

Unusual username. Care to share the origins?

-Willard: Thanks for the e-bay heads-up. That one is a little darker in color than the one I have in mind. I would prefer on the same color as the model shown on the Gibson website. Again, thanks.

Have any of you seen a light chocolate color F-9 listed for sale? If you have please let me know.

Thanks, Frank

mandobsessed
Feb-13-2004, 1:08pm
The F9 is a great mandolin. Keep in mind that every mandolin will sound different.

THe F9 that was in the store when I bought my A9 sounded very nice but didn't have the depth or wood of the A9 that I bought. They are all a bit different in tone. Yopu can't go wrong eith one though IMO