Dennis Ladd
Jan-26-2013, 3:12pm
After trying (and failing) to save up enough money to upgrade from my much used Kentucky, I sold off half the stamp collection to get me in the neighborhood of my $5,000 budget. I looked around L.A. and finally showed up at good old Westwood music. They pulled off the F-5, I played it and that was it.
As part of the price, they refretted it and replaced a small bit of binding that looked like someone with bad teeth bit down hard on it. ;) Two months later it was in my hands and I test drove it with the bluegrass band. We played "Cherokee Shuffle" with me on the Kentucky and then with the F-5. The b***o player said he could finally hear what I was playing. This thing has Authority! Since this is the last instrument I can get before I retire and move to Portland, OR, I am a cappy hamper.
Reading the article about the history of the F-5 by Roger Siminoff (archived here at www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001217.shtml) I see that this was the era that had neck problems. Hoping to get comments from y'all, here is what's on the label: The Gibson Master Model / serial no. 82630065 / Kalamazoo, MI. According to the article, the serial number sez the mando was finished around September 30, 1980 (September 29 if that was a Leap Year).
(I did play an Eastman at McCabes that had the sweetest tone at half the price. Would have bought that, too, if I had an extra $2000.) :crying:
Now let's see if I can get some photos up:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97487&d=1359229535
The new mando in its fancy Gibson case (colored penicillin mold green).
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97490&d=1359229592
The back (no grain to speak of).
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97489&d=1359229581
The tuners.
As part of the price, they refretted it and replaced a small bit of binding that looked like someone with bad teeth bit down hard on it. ;) Two months later it was in my hands and I test drove it with the bluegrass band. We played "Cherokee Shuffle" with me on the Kentucky and then with the F-5. The b***o player said he could finally hear what I was playing. This thing has Authority! Since this is the last instrument I can get before I retire and move to Portland, OR, I am a cappy hamper.
Reading the article about the history of the F-5 by Roger Siminoff (archived here at www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001217.shtml) I see that this was the era that had neck problems. Hoping to get comments from y'all, here is what's on the label: The Gibson Master Model / serial no. 82630065 / Kalamazoo, MI. According to the article, the serial number sez the mando was finished around September 30, 1980 (September 29 if that was a Leap Year).
(I did play an Eastman at McCabes that had the sweetest tone at half the price. Would have bought that, too, if I had an extra $2000.) :crying:
Now let's see if I can get some photos up:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97487&d=1359229535
The new mando in its fancy Gibson case (colored penicillin mold green).
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97490&d=1359229592
The back (no grain to speak of).
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=97489&d=1359229581
The tuners.