My New Backup: 2000 Gibson F5-G

[DataNick]

Just picked this up as a backup from a Cafe member. It has that solid Derrington era tone and playability feel. This one was not hardly played at all and the Cafe member who sold it to me had a re-fret and pro-setup done recently. I'm quite pleased!

Next up: get my Flatiron Performer A out of pawn!

[Marty Jacobson]

Hmm, interesting, are those waterslide decals?

[York]

I like the finish. How does it sound?

[DataNick]

Hmm, interesting, are those waterslide decals?

Whether decal or inaly, I'm not sure, but they're underneath the finish. It was given by Gibson to The Nashville Library system as a promotional gift; but I assure you it's a full fledged F5-G not only in serial number, but in fit, finish, tone, volume, & playability!

[DataNick]

I like the finish. How does it sound?

Sounds great! Typical of a Derrington era Gibson...

[lflngpicker]

Hey Nick! Congratulations on your new mandolin. Wow, what a back up!! Beautiful.

[DataNick]

Hey Nick! Congratulations on your new mandolin. Wow, what a back up!! Beautiful.

Thanks Dan!

When I saw it at the price it was advertised at, I had to jump!

[Josh Levine]

Nice Nick. Someone has Gibson fever... Love the solid tone of what Gibson was making in those years.

[FLATROCK HILL]

It is a beauty!
Does this take the 'Duff or Harvey' purchase off the table? (What am I saying...nothing's ever really off the table is it?)

[DataNick]

Nice Nick. Someone has Gibson fever... Love the solid tone of what Gibson was making in those years.

Thanks Josh!

Well I do have a plan; and that is ultimately a Harvey Gibson F5-G Custom. Once that plan is realized in hopefully 5-6 months, then this one will go bye-bye...but until then; it serves my purposes well for a good back-up especially with the festivals and other gigs we've got coming up...

I also must point out that though both of the man'lins are Gibsons, they really are different in carving graduations, neck profiles & angle, neck joints, playability feel, and tone.

If I had to choose "better" I would lean towards the F5L, probably because it's well played-in versus the F5-G. But the F5-G has the goods: a real solid professional grade Gibson F5 man'lin!

[Josh Levine]

My "backup" is currently a 2000 Flat A5 Artist... pretty similar to your mando I would imagine. I sold the 2001 Flat Festival F and got this one to put some cash in my pocket and to have a cheaper mandolin that I wouldn't mind knocking around if it came to it, but louder and better tone than the Flat I got from you. Turns out I am playing it more than my Stiver at the moment. And the MT2 is getting refinished care of Collings... so won't see that for a while.

[DataNick]

My "backup" is currently a 2000 Flat A5 Artist... pretty similar to your mando I would imagine. I sold the 2001 Flat Festival F and got this one to put some cash in my pocket and to have a cheaper mandolin that I wouldn't mind knocking around if it came to it, but louder and better tone than the Flat I got from you. Turns out I am playing it more than my Stiver at the moment. And the MT2 is getting refinished care of Collings... so won't see that for a while.

Josh,

You're playing the Flatiron A5 Artist more than your Stiver? Wow! Hey are the Artist models made under Derrington's watch (1999-2001) x-braced like they were in Bozeman or parallel braced? If it's parallel braced then yours would be real similar to my 99' Flatiron Performer A that's in pawn...

[Timbofood]

Nick, you got it bad!

[DataNick]

Nick, you got it bad!

It's not the destination Brotha, it's the journey...LOL!

[Charles E.]

Sweet!
Has it inspired you to crack open a new book or two?

[DataNick]

Sweet!
Has it inspired you to crack open a new book or two?

Ha, ha!...took me a minute to get it...it's a SoCal thing...LOL!

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Congrats Nick. Glad you finally picked it up? So it must have been epic picking at Temecula I gather?

[pheffernan]

It's nice to see your signature line back growing, Nick!

[DataNick]

Congrats Nick. Glad you finally picked it up? So it must have been epic picking at Temecula I gather?

Yup!

Shaun, Nina, Lou, & myself pickin "Southern Flavor" together during a Monroe jam; lots of good jams and fellowship all over!

[Josh Levine]

Josh,

You're playing the Flatiron A5 Artist more than your Stiver? Wow! Hey are the Artist models made under Derrington's watch (1999-2001) x-braced like they were in Bozeman or parallel braced? If it's parallel braced then yours would be real similar to my 99' Flatiron Performer A that's in pawn...

i reckon it is parallel braced, but haven't ever looked. Not that I like it better than the Stiver, just a newer additional so trying to show it a think or two about a thing or two. I do enjoy playing it though and keep coming back to it.

[jochemgr]

Congratulations! I love the look of that one, I've been tempted all three times it's been for sale on the classifieds over the last few years!
Happy to see it's found a good home!!

[Jackgaryk]

cool B.K. the flame on the back is very nice. the decals on the front...interesting. a hellava backup mandolin.

[Marty Jacobson]

Whether decal or inaly, I'm not sure, but they're underneath the finish. It was given by Gibson to The Nashville Library system as a promotional gift; but I assure you it's a full fledged F5-G not only in serial number, but in fit, finish, tone, volume, & playability!

Oh, no skepticism as to the quality of the instrument was implied. I was just wondering how they got the graphics on there so cleanly.. it looks like it's been Photoshopped, it's so clean. Hmm, Photoshop in real life. I could make money on that idea.

[Charles E.]

So Marty, are you thinking about going Art Deco on the next Nautilus? Art Nouveau perhaps?

[Marty Jacobson]

I did buy some waterslide decal material recently... :-)
(I'm not even kidding, but it was for a Strat, so it can be excused, I hope.)
But if Nick will pardon the thread hijack, I've always thought these Bourbon Street Dobros were awesome: