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Roy Lee could "out-Carter" Carter.

Hard to believe that Ricky is the only one on that stage who's still alive.

Bluegrass is played on a 5-string banjo, usually with a resonator.
Irish/Celtic is generally played on a 4-string tenor banjo.

Two completely different types of music.
Two completely different...

allenhopkins asks:
"does Gibson even make banjos any more, or put their name on instruments made for them by others?"

No banjos since 2009. Production was essentially ended and banjo-area...

Standard nut width on the F-5g is 1 1/16".

There was a special run of them made in the pre-flood days with a wide fingerboard like the Sam Bush model (these are easily recognizable with the block...

That sounds both mature and well balanced for being only 2 years old.
Very "traditional" tone.
Playin's not bad, either...! ;)

If you want a James tailpiece, then be ready to accept the matte finish "for what it is".

I sense that trying to "polish it up" might make a mess out of things...

"The serial number is 80107029"

January 7, 1998, 2nd instrument completed that day.

How about some pics:
- Front/back full
- Peghead front/back
- Body front/back
- Case

OP:

You sound like you have money.
Take a trip to Nashville, visit both Carter's and Gruhn's.
If you can't find something you like between them, you ain't findin' it.

OP:

BEFORE you buy, have you had the opportunity to TRY both models?

Have you played many (any?) Gibson F models previously?

Will you be comfortable with the narrow neck (1 1/16" at the...

I wouldn't pay $200 for a fret "dress".
Plex machine, or no Plex machine.
And I can afford it.

I'm going to -guess- that's a Nashville Flatiron, produced near the end of the "Flatiron era" of Montana-made and Nashville-made Flatirons.

It appears to have the Gibson/Grover tuners on it.
I...

Just took this pic a few minutes ago.
This IS NOT "a reproduction", but an original from 50 years ago, when I was there.
Still in pretty good shape.

179055

(right click to open in a new...

Did you get permission from Joe Campanella Cleary before you made that...????

(jes' kiddin' !!) ;)

Looks great.

It's a Gibson F-5 from the 70's.

The ebay ad says it's refinished.

Looks like it had a bad case of "binding deterioration" (i.e., crumbling), so all the binding was replaced (the replacement...

Mr. Jacobson, your prototype both looks and sounds great.

By "sounding" great, it's very reminiscent of a "wooden" instrument, not quite exactly the same, but very, very close.

"If you could have any mandolin in the world which one would it be?"

C'mon.

Jes' about everyone here would choose that one...! ;)

Dr. Starling changed the way many singers in bluegrass approach vocals, as surely as Tony Rice changed the way the guitar is used in the music.

I didn't know he had be undergoing hospice care --...

Seems to me that "bolt-on" necks work just fine in the guitar world -- perhaps better than traditional dovetail neck construction, because of the "adjustability" that is inherent in the bolt-on...

For that kind of money you could have Tom Ellis build you a custom oval version of his deluxe A model.

Will probably sound as good (maybe better), plus it's brand-new construction.

Be this mandolin "creepy" or not, whatever.
The back looks a little "too distressed" for me. Same with the "elbow corner".

Having said that, I guess that Mr. Monroe had left Gibson with a few...

Sumpin' tells me that that is not an original Gibson F-5...

OP...

You didn't tell us where you are but it's within range of Missoula MT, right?

If that's the case, get yourself to Greg Boyd's at the earliest opportunity.

They can check your mandolin...

After you buy the replacement, DON'T leave it sitting on a stand.

Keep it in the case, where it belongs.

Size aside, does this guitar have any rosewood in it?