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Thread: F-Style Mandola progress

  1. #1
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default F-Style Mandola progress

    A few years ago I snagged an F style mandola from the guy in Houston that sold on eBay as Houston Brass and on Reverb (still does) as GL-Music Store. Gary is an interesting seller in that he gets some really weird stuff. He had fiberglass mandolin cases for F, A, and bowlback mandolins for a white that were pretty funky. he had some $100.00 mandocellos if I recall for a while. He gets different quality mandolins in from time to time. He sells a lot of crap as well. He has a lot of strange guitars.

    I was looking for the cheapest carved top mandola I could find when I bumped into these. Others here already knew about them. I bought this one because of the flame and it looked good. It's surprisingly well made. Gary says it was made by his cousin in Korea. I have no idea if the maker was his cousin.

    Bernie Daniels bought one of the others. The finish on both is different. I suspect that these were made as some sort of a sample for a manufacturer or importer. No labels but well made. All carved, all appears to be solid. The tuners were not a known maker although All Parts seems to sell them now and the tailpiece was a simple well made nickle plated tailpiece.

    I suspect they may have made these from something like Siminoff's kit but I don't know. I made sure to get it with the case. It cost me around $600.00. I had it set up and I've enjoyed messing with it but I wanted to change the tuners (they were worm over). I went through a few years of looking at and accumulating every brand of worm over tuner I could until I finally found a set Waverly worm over (Stewmac made them years ago and doesn't admit to it).

    Last weekend I switched out the tuners and the tailpiece to a James. For a while I considered putting Not Gibson in script on the headstock but I've decided not to. I may just inlay something that looks like blue tape on the headstock.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  3. #2
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Cool! You could also inlay: "the best" or "excellent" or bluegrass cannon" or any of a number of funny descriptions
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  5. #3
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    That's cool Mike! Have you ever played an Eastman 815 'dola and if so how does it compare?
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  7. #4
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Nice, Mike, especially with the upgrades you have done. How does it sound? What is the scale length?
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  9. #5
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    I have never played the Eastman but I think Bernie sold his Eastman after he bought the sister mandola of this one. I'll check the scale length tonight when I get home. I should note that truss rod cover was an add on as well.

    It's the only mandola I've ever played so I really can't comment on the others. It's been a bit of a learning experience playing it. More sustain than I'm used to and forget four finger chords at least for me.

    I do wish the Waverly's had about an eight to a quarter inch longer stems on the top tuners buttons but they do clear.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  10. #6
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    You could inlay "Gibsen" on the head. So far as I know, that spelling is not trademarked. Then, see if you can get a photo posted in one of the trade magazines. It'll drive the leather jackets and t-shirt execs at Gibson nuts.

    Never mind. The Gibson execs probably don't read the trade magazines.

    If they did, they would know that the instrument market has changed; and they would be tooling up for ukes, modestly expanding their mandolin department, and bulldozing a lot of other things along with the mis-begotten Firebird X.

    I kind of like the blue tape idea, though.
    Last edited by rcc56; Aug-01-2019 at 4:16pm.

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  12. #7
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    I have a friend that plays the banjo and his last name is Gilsen. I jammed with that guy three years before I realized the headstock of that banjo said Gilsen and not Gibson. Great concept.

    I'm thinking the tape inlay would be fun.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  13. #8
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Scale length appears to be 15.5 inches. Does anyone know what the H5's were?
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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  15. #9
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    WoW Mike, that's a nice one man and an even big time nice price for the quality it shows! I like her. I'd buy one of them and I think the scale is the same as the Loar H-5's! GREAT score!

    Are there anymore of these to be bought? I'd buy one for sure even if I had to take the back off and re graduate!

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  17. #10
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    I think there were three of them. I know where two went, the other I have no clue.

    I just bumped into this. I know that guy.


    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  18. #11
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Scale length appears to be 15.5 inches. Does anyone know what the H5's were?
    As far as I know, all prewar Gibson mandolas had a 15 3/4" scale. There may have been a few made during the Henry J. era with a longer scale.

  19. #12
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    I saw a post where it was 15.78 or the like. 15 3/4 is easier to handle

    This one is definitely 15 1/2.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  20. #13
    Henry Lawton hank's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Mike do you like this scale length. Is the C set tight enough for good string action?
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  21. #14
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Hank, to be honest, it's the only one I've ever played. I like it but I have nothing to compare it to. It seems fine.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  22. #15
    Henry Lawton hank's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Thanks Mike. I had an H4/H5=back plate made with two F4 back plates from some flaming rock maple I sent to Dave at Smith Creek Mandolins. I want to build a Loar Era H4 with the smaller neck and board but wasn’t sure if 15.5” , 15.75” or a 16” scale length would be the most fun to play. My plate is pretty full in Road Trip travel and F4/F5 builds for now but scale length is the missing part for my Dola build if I ever get to it.
    "A sudden clash of thunder, the mind doors burst open, and lo, there sits old man Buddha-nature in all his homeliness."
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    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: F-Style Mandola progress

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    I have a friend that plays the banjo and his last name is Gilsen. I jammed with that guy three years before I realized the headstock of that banjo said Gilsen and not Gibson. Great concept.

    I'm thinking the tape inlay would be fun.
    How about "Gibsnot"?

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