Interesting 1950 F-5

[Darryl Wolfe]

This instrument has some interesting lines and features. I can't help but think this might be a floor sweep deal from some older stuff. The peghead lines are beautiful. The body lines are nice. Note that it is not triple bound.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/gibson-F-5-m...7#ht_63wt_1083

[Spruce]

I got lucky and guessed what the back wood was gonna look like...
Gibson loved this Silver (?) maple during this period...
Cool looking mando...

[Andrew B. Carlson]

It's painful looking at those string ends.

[William Smith]

I agree Darryl. Looks pretty nice and could be a left over parte mando! The peghead is triple bound? but the body is single like the F-7's? That's strange because the neck looks single bound also. I need to check the ebay pix out to see what other pix they have. Neat.

[Ken Waltham]

Not triple bound....now, that's weird.

[Eddie Sheehy]

It's painful looking at those string ends.

Thomastik Starks... interesting choice. BTW, is that an expected price range for a 50's F5?

[Bernie Daniel]

Thomastik Starks... interesting choice. BTW, is that an expected price range for a 50's F5?

Yeah those are some expensive strings! I think the price of a 1950's F-5 would be in the $4 - 5K range tops but this one does not seem typical. If that mandolin looks like is sounds it is a monster.

The earlier conversation went to the possibility that this headstock was left over from an earlier era. That would be plausible actually wouldn't it because didn't F-5 production start up again after WWII in 1950?

So if there were parts left around to use that might be when they got used up?

But how did it get the block "Gibson" lettering inlay instead of the Old English script?

[f5loar]

Single bound body on the early postwar F5s is typical. The 3 pc. neck is not. They usually had the mahagony necks. The very early ones had the smaller pegheads. But what I see wrong is the finish color. Never saw this color on any 50's. The darker tobacco sunburst was typical for the f5 and F12. I suspect a factory refinish in mid to late 60's. Tailpiece not right either nor is the bridge. They only made 4 in 1950 so pretty rare to see one.

[RCarrier73988]

This instrument has some interesting lines and features. I can't help but think this might be a floor sweep deal from some older stuff. The peghead lines are beautiful. The body lines are nice. Note that it is not triple bound.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/gibson-F-5-m...7#ht_63wt_1083

I Like this Mandolin! It's the same year model as ME!

[Bernie Daniel]

Single bound body on the early postwar F5s is typical. The 3 pc. neck is not. They usually had the mahagony necks. The very early ones had the smaller pegheads. But what I see wrong is the finish color. Never saw this color on any 50's. The darker tobacco sunburst was typical for the f5 and F12. I suspect a factory refinish in mid to late 60's. Tailpiece not right either nor is the bridge. They only made 4 in 1950 so pretty rare to see one.

Also the 1950's F-5's all had the fret board extension laying on the top board like an F-4? This one is clearly elevated?

Was 1949 the start up year after WWII or 1950? But the fact that there might be a pre-war headstock & heck around in 1950 seems pretty reasonable?

[f5loar]

That would be the F12 that had the fretboard glued to the top. The F5 was raised. Maybe not as much as a Loar era but it was raised enough. Talked to the seller today and he has no clue if it was refinished or not. He did find the extra screw hole at the TP end indicating it did come with the typical 50's cloud TP and was replaced later with this nickel TP. Also admits the bridge might not be right either. FON indicates it was the 2nd one in the batch of 4 made in 1950. I am having my doubts about the truss rod cover being original to 1950 also.

[9lbShellhamer]

What years did Gibson use that logo on the headstocks? I was looking at that 50's f-12 on ebay and it had the same one. Does the script have a name?

In my ignorance I thought the script in the pic was reserved for guitars...

[Bernie Daniel]

What years did Gibson use that logo on the headstocks? I was looking at that 50's f-12 on ebay and it had the same one. Does the script have a name?

In my ignorance I thought the script in the pic was reserved for guitars...

I call it the "block" Gibson script and it was on almost everything they made, including mandolins, from about 1946 or '47 until the late 1960's -- the early 1970's mandolins went back to the Old English cursive script of the early 1900's -- many of the guitars are still block script I guess.