Product Description

This Gibson F-5 is an incredible late Fern with block inlay fretboard that compares favorably tone-wise to earlier Loars and Ferns. The clean finish was declared original by Randy Wood, Darryl Wolfe and Tony Williamson. Randy Wood reported "it showed no signs whatsoever of having any finish work done." He also reported that the top and back are very "Loar-like" in their graduations while the tone bars, though in the correct position were heavier than the Loars and so he trimmed them down to proper size. He also reset the neck to proper Loar angle. The result is a wonderful sounding F-5 comparing quite favorably with some of the best Loars. It is a real "crusher"! My watch measured its volume at 102 db!! I was at Paul McCartney?s concert a couple weeks ago at the Oakland Coliseum and complained that it way too loud. It was 100 db! At the end it got as high as 110 db, but then again, I'll bet we could crank this mandolin more.

Due to the reset and setup, the action is low with plenty of bridge height, frets are perfect and the neck is dead straight. Hardware is original, the pickguard is a Darryl Wolfe reproduction with patent date, but its gold bracket is vintage The finish, especially the top and peghead, has plenty of the good old Gibson crazing, the more protected back has less. The wood is beautiful and the label is unmolested.

With original "red-line" shaped case.