Gibson F-4 Carved Top Mandolin (1913)
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Item # 10953
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Gibson F-4 Model Carved Top Mandolin (1913), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 17776, natural top, cherry stained back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This instrument is a well-worn but still lovely sounding early two-point F-4 with the unusual and rarely seen catalog option of a natural finish top. This model was Gibson's top of the line mandolin and company's flagship instrument in the 1910s. This one dates to late 1912, likely shipped in early 1913. The scroll-body F-4 had just been fully perfected, having recently evolved from its earlier 3-point body form. In either mode it is an utterly distinctive creation, by just about any standard the finest mandolin in the world in 1912. With a sharper neck angle and higher bridge the mandolins of this period offered a more powerful tone than earlier Gibsons, and with an aggressive sales policy the company was able dominate the market for mando-family instruments through the 1910s.
Although a high-end piece compared to the bowl-back mandolins it competed against the F-4 is not overly decorated with what Gibson called "flumadiddles". The company believed the instrument's inherent art nouveau elegance spoke for itself. The body, neck and headstock are bound in lovely grained ivoroid and finished in a very light varnish, ambered on the top and subtly sunbursted on the back and rims. The blonde top was briefly noted as available in the Gibson catalog around this time but in practice is rarely seen.
The double-flowerpot pearl and abalone inlay on the headstock and the inlaid Handel tuner buttons exude gilded age grace and class. The 2-piece maple back has lovely flame figure as do the sides. The laminated mahogany neck is fairly slim for this period with a pronounced "V" profile. This instrument would have been the top choice for any virtuoso mandolinist in the just pre-WWI age, and today is still a superb mandolin and an iconic creation. This one shows some scars from well over a century of serious use but like a fine old violin is still a wonderful instrument to play.
Overall length is 26 in. (66 cm.), 10 in. (25.4 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This lovely F-4 shows a decent amount of wear and minor repair but remains a beautiful-sounding mandolin and a very fine player's instrument. The finish shows some fairly heavy wear on the top, with pickwear into the wood mostly above and in front of the soundhole and several areas worn into the varnish. There is a deep scratch just above the soundhole ring that is not a crack although it looks like one! The thin varnish overall shows less micro-checking than many but a decent assortment of dings, dents, scrapes and worn-down spots. The back of the neck is worn to the wood over a decent amount of its surface, the headstock has numerous small dings and dents.
The only crack on the instrument is a typical repair to the back of the scroll; it was not split all the way through. We see no signs of the typical back/side seams having separated and re-glued. The instrument is fitted with the original pickguard with a minor internal repair to the clamp. The bridge is original, the saddle inserts have been lowered and re-contoured, long ago by the look of it. The hardware is otherwise original and complete including the tuners and tailpiece, which have just minor signs of aging.
The mandolin has been refretted with correct style wire; the binding on the edges of the fingerboard has shrunk just a bit but is solid. The bridge bass and original pearl nut have been carefully shimmed for optimum playability. This is a very sweet and enjoyable mandolin to play with a sparkling sound and a most comfortable action. Orville Gibson himself would have likely been pleased with the way this one has weathered the century; it really does feel like a centuries old heavily played-in violin. The original early-pattern HSC is included, worn externally but generally in better condition than we might expect and still fully functional. Very Good + Condition.
This instrument is a well-worn but still lovely sounding early two-point F-4 with the unusual and rarely seen catalog option of a natural finish top. This model was Gibson's top of the line mandolin and company's flagship instrument in the 1910s. This one dates to late 1912, likely shipped in early 1913. The scroll-body F-4 had just been fully perfected, having recently evolved from its earlier 3-point body form. In either mode it is an utterly distinctive creation, by just about any standard the finest mandolin in the world in 1912. With a sharper neck angle and higher bridge the mandolins of this period offered a more powerful tone than earlier Gibsons, and with an aggressive sales policy the company was able dominate the market for mando-family instruments through the 1910s.
Although a high-end piece compared to the bowl-back mandolins it competed against the F-4 is not overly decorated with what Gibson called "flumadiddles". The company believed the instrument's inherent art nouveau elegance spoke for itself. The body, neck and headstock are bound in lovely grained ivoroid and finished in a very light varnish, ambered on the top and subtly sunbursted on the back and rims. The blonde top was briefly noted as available in the Gibson catalog around this time but in practice is rarely seen.
The double-flowerpot pearl and abalone inlay on the headstock and the inlaid Handel tuner buttons exude gilded age grace and class. The 2-piece maple back has lovely flame figure as do the sides. The laminated mahogany neck is fairly slim for this period with a pronounced "V" profile. This instrument would have been the top choice for any virtuoso mandolinist in the just pre-WWI age, and today is still a superb mandolin and an iconic creation. This one shows some scars from well over a century of serious use but like a fine old violin is still a wonderful instrument to play.
Overall length is 26 in. (66 cm.), 10 in. (25.4 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 14 in. (356 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
This lovely F-4 shows a decent amount of wear and minor repair but remains a beautiful-sounding mandolin and a very fine player's instrument. The finish shows some fairly heavy wear on the top, with pickwear into the wood mostly above and in front of the soundhole and several areas worn into the varnish. There is a deep scratch just above the soundhole ring that is not a crack although it looks like one! The thin varnish overall shows less micro-checking than many but a decent assortment of dings, dents, scrapes and worn-down spots. The back of the neck is worn to the wood over a decent amount of its surface, the headstock has numerous small dings and dents.
The only crack on the instrument is a typical repair to the back of the scroll; it was not split all the way through. We see no signs of the typical back/side seams having separated and re-glued. The instrument is fitted with the original pickguard with a minor internal repair to the clamp. The bridge is original, the saddle inserts have been lowered and re-contoured, long ago by the look of it. The hardware is otherwise original and complete including the tuners and tailpiece, which have just minor signs of aging.
The mandolin has been refretted with correct style wire; the binding on the edges of the fingerboard has shrunk just a bit but is solid. The bridge bass and original pearl nut have been carefully shimmed for optimum playability. This is a very sweet and enjoyable mandolin to play with a sparkling sound and a most comfortable action. Orville Gibson himself would have likely been pleased with the way this one has weathered the century; it really does feel like a centuries old heavily played-in violin. The original early-pattern HSC is included, worn externally but generally in better condition than we might expect and still fully functional. Very Good + Condition.