I played a 1929 Gibson F5....
Fun story ....
So, I'm in Newberg OR visiting my in-laws and I stopped by the local music store (Newberg Music Center) an hour ago to see if they could rent me a mandolin for the few days I'm in town ... there was a 'gent in the store looking at tuners and having a general tuner discussion with the staff, and seeing as my wife was waiting in the car, I thought I'd cut to the chase and butted in to ask if they could rent me a mando for a couple of days (unfortunately, no), but the 'gent says "I just got a new mandolin" and he had it with him in a case. I asked what he bought, and he says a 1929 (I think 1929?) Gibson F5.
I may have the date wrong, but I've hung around the Mandolin Cafe long enough to know that if true, this was not the average mandolin. I asked to see it and he opened an old-looking rectangular case and sure enough, it is a mighty fine looking old Gibson F5. (This is where my resistance to get a smart phone is unfortunate, as I'd have liked to take a picture) The staff guy asked how much he paid and he said he got it from the Mandolin Bros and it was ... a LOT of money. The 'gent said it's was not Loar signed but is in the registry. I asked him to play it, which he did, and of course, I asked if I could play it, and he said sure.
So, I played it a minute of so and it was ... well.. pretty nice! Sorry, I don't have enough experience to say much more about how it played. My wife was still waiting so I had to end the fun sooner than I wanted, and dang, I should have gotten the 'gents name, but I wasn't thinking. And no, he wouldn't lend it to me for the few days I'm in Newberg (I jokingly asked) !!!!
So, I'm sitting at the in-laws this very moment, wondering how I can artfully find my way back down to the store. All I can think of is playing anything at this point ....
Happy Wednesday....
- 2013 Eastman MD 505
- 2013 Fender MandoStrat
- 2021 Eastman MD815
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