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Thread: 1934 F5 copy

  1. #1
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    You might remember this one from ebay a couple of weeks ago, it came to visit tonight. I was pretty skeptical.. but nothing about it seems wrong, it very likely is a 1934 F5 copy.

    First off, here's the signature visible in the bass fhole..
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  2. #2
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Face..
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  3. #3
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Back
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  4. #4
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Bound f-holes!
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  5. #5
    Registered User John M. Riley's Avatar
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    so hows it sound and play??
    09 Altman F5
    20 Stiver F5
    07 Rattlesnake F5
    18 Gibson F5 Custom
    94 Flatiron Artis F5
    18 Weber Fern F5

  6. #6
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Probably Gibson A tuners from the teens.. note how one plate was modified to not overhang the edge of the peghead
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  7. #7
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    compare to a Gibson '26/'27 F5
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  8. #8
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Cool case also looks pretty much hand made folk-art
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  9. #9
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Scroll
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  10. #10
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Peghead
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  11. #11
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Grained Ivoroid.. up & down!
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  12. #12
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Back wood detail
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  13. #13
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    The Front
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  14. #14
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Back
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    "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead"

  15. #15
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Point protectors. Interesting solution..
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  16. #16
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Case
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  17. #17
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    I've seen this tailpiece in period catalogs.. note the wood quality too
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  18. #18
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Fingerboard extension
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  19. #19
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    It appears to have a bit longer scale from the pictures. Is that correct, or just the perspective from the angle they were taken?

    Ron



    My wife says I don't pay enough attention to what she says....
    (Or something like that...)

  20. #20
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Nothing holding it up!
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  21. #21
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Last one.. the bridge
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  22. #22
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    One more for scale.. just about matches a '26 f5, though I didn't measure it (whoops)
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  23. #23
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    The sound is pretty decent considering. I'd still take an F4 from Gibson over this one, but it could use a little setup too. With a properly fit bridge (maybe that one on there is later..) it has some definite potential. The F-holes are quite slender compared to the '26 too. Pretty respectable though ,has some elements of the F5 sound you can hear in there vs the F4 or oval-hole tone. Didn't check the inside for bracing pattern either, though I'm kicking myself a bit now over that!

    So whaddaya know. To me, it looks like the signature info in there plus feaures add up, I can't think of anything off the top of my head to say that would make it not likely a 1934 instrument.
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  24. #24
    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Here's a Windows AVI video clip from my point & shoot of Phil playing a tune on it
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  25. #25
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    Looks closer to an H5 mandola than the F5 mandolin.
    At least they didn't use the Gibson name anywhere.

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