Gibson F-5 copy with "birdseye" maple
Just thought I'd post this to see if anyone has an idea of who might have made this mandolin? I bought it a few weeks ago for a very reasonable amount of money.
If it is not obvious from the photos this is a very well built mandolin - -whoever made it was an experience and talented instrument builder. The carving is sophisticated (beautiful re-curve and arching), the inlay and binding are nice and neat, and the finish is a quality job (it might be varnish). Of course the quality of the wood is excellent. The only "flaw" I can see is the scroll is probably not quite a tight as it "should be"?
The mandolin sounds pretty good too -- not the equal of my Harvey-signed Sam Bush but nice. A little thinner and more shifted to the treble side than most of my authentic Gibsons but still very respectable.
A few details. I bought it from a gentleman in central Ohio -- he in turn had purchased it from a guitar and banjo maker (Ray Sparks) who had lived and worked in Columbus before he passed on a few years ago.
Maybe some have heard of Mr. Sparks? I did not know him. Further, according to the late Mr. Sparks the mandolin was made by someone in "northern Kentucky"? Well I know a bit about northern Kentucky and that does not ring a bell. I've also talked to some of the builders around here and that information does not jog any memories with them either. So I have my doubts about a "northern Kentucky" builder.
All this leads me to speculate that perhaps Mr. Sparks himself might have made it? Having been a skilled instrument builder he probably had the requisite carving and finishing skills?
Anyway it has a label inside stating it was made in 2006 (pretty recent times!) and that it was intended to be a tribute to "the great Gibson master models of the 1920s"
No name of course on the label.
I'll probably keep if for a while and then move it along but I would like to try to figure out who made it first. If anyone has any clues I'd be interested in following up on them.
Bernie
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Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
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