Here's something you don't see every day....

DKB

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My 1917 "the Gibson" F4.... a little beat up.... but oh my!!! the tone. Any other F4's here??

F4_Mando.jpg


F4_Back.jpg


F4_Headstock2_Alt.jpg


F4_Tailpiece.jpg



had to re-post the links since the villagephotos hosting service fiasco.
 

AlohaJoe

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History in your hands... wonderful! Love those tuners!! :shock:
 

dapmdave

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Oh, my! What a piece of history you have there. Loar?

Dave :D
 

DKB

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it's pre Lloyd Loar by just a couple of years but many folks think these are the best sounding mando's anyway.

I was working on an original song demo and used the F4 at the 1:42 mark if you want to hear it.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9120774

Apologies for the rough demo! Just haven't gotten back to this one yet
 

DKB

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had to fix the broken photo links due to the villagephotos picture hosting fiasco.

Enjoy!
 

DKB

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They are the Handel inlaid tuners from Germany that Gibson ran out of in 1917 because WWI was raging.
 

DKB

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MandoSquirrel said:
No F4, but I have an A2, which seems to date from 1920:


Have you ever compared it to an original F4 or similar?

I can't remember hearing an A2 in my past.

I know there are some that actually prefer the early F4's to the more famous F5's because of the soundhole differences.
 

kitniyatran

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I haven't compared an A2 or other oval to an F4 or F2 in person, though I've heard plenty of F's in recordings, on stage etc. I generally like the tubby Gibson oval sound, which is why I decided to get an A2 again, planning to replace the F hole Breedlove Cascade, which didn't happen. (I had an A2 from 1917 through much of the 1980's until around 1995)
I'd like an F 2 or 4, if they didn't cost so much. I'm quite happy with an A model for thousands less!
 

kitniyatran

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southernGuild said:
:shock: Beautiful mando's......Each in their own varied ways. Must be a joy to play those spectacular instruments. "History in your hands' to be sure. Enjoy. Thanks for the photos.
On the rare occasion when the playing ability is up to the material, it's nice. The ability, in my home, is never up to the instrument quality!
 
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