1912 Gibson F4 Mandolin

[Gibsonman]

Thought you guys would like to have a look at my 1912 Gibson F4. Everything is original except it is missing the pickguard clamp. Serial #12580, Stamp #1593.

Special thanks to ManoScotty for helping me with these pictures.

[Gibsonman]

Peghead

[Gibsonman]

Soundhole

[John Flynn]

Beautiful! So what was the "project?" What did you do to it? Do you have "before" pix also?

[Gibsonman]

Back

[Gibsonman]

Beautiful! So what was the "project?" What did you do to it? Do you have "before" pix also?
The project was finding out how to put these pictures on the screen. It gave us a lot of trouble, but we have it now.

[Ken Waltham]

Quite an interesting back.....

[krishna]

Has the back been refinished?...Kerry

[Gibsonman]

No Kerry, everthing is org.

[phiddlepicker]

Wow, that is a kewl one. Just something about those F-4 teens.

[Michael Gowell]

Beautiful instrument. I have a similar F-2, a 3-point from 1909. I'm considering having Darryl make a pickguard for mine, and I'm curious about your pickguard; it is smaller than ones I've seen from that period (which I like - it's nice to see the instrument's top all along the outside edge of the guard.) And I don't see any side clips on yours - I thought that early guards had two sideclips and a pin to the bridge, while later ones had one clip and two pins to the side of the neck. I was under the impression that the no-clip style was pretty recent. Are you positive your pickguard is original?

[Michael Gowell]

Ooops, stupid me - I'd missed your remark that the pickguard clamp is missing. #But at the risk of being anal, weren't there two clips originally, and isn't this a smaller (maybe an A-style) guard? #For a look at the raised early F style guards see the 1911 F-2 on the FRETS museum page or the 1911 F-2 in the Mandolin Archives, #10132. #Actually I believe they are the same instrument. #Two clips and the shape of the upper treble body point is followed by the pickguard & is much more pointed than today's style. #According to an old 'Mandolin Brothers' ad for a 1917 F-2 (Their #83-8546, Gibson #38515) by '17 Gibson had gone to one clip and dropped the point entirely. #But the guard was still larger than the A style to my eye.

I've seen other early F's with A-style guards - Pee Wee Lambert's 1924 F-4, for example (see Evan Reilly's post on the Cafe Aug. 15, 2002). #And maybe some of those A guards are now smaller than originally, having been trimmed. #Or maybe I'm just doing the mountain/molehill thing here, and the variations are explained by Gibson's famous "exceptions to the rule" examples and the vagaries of time, given that this is a part often replaced.

[Gibsonman]

Maine this is the org. pickguard, and it only has the one bracket, which is broken off. It,s still held on real good by the 2 pins and the bridge. Sorry for the delay, it,s been some time since I have been on the cafe. I have since sold this mandolin.

[Rich Michaud]

Just to close the thread, my MAS lead me to buy the little sucker-it has a great tone and I love it. Maine-I will bring to our local gatherings if you want to try it. Rich

[Gibsonman]

Thanks Rich . Glad you like it. Just to let you know it is in the archives. Go to the archives and type in the serial # Has some good pictures.