dmiller - Posted - 12/22/2010:  23:00:12

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I'm willing to start the topics rolling here on the Mando Hangout.

Have had several mandolins over the years, but the one I have now is my prize. I was in Grand Rapids Minnesota about 8 or 10 years ago visiting Lloyd LaPlant (guitar and mandolin maker - - Minnesota's best kept secret), and he and his son Don were sitting on the floor of the living room, with a plethora of mandolins around them when I arrived. Most of them were mandolins that Lloyd and Don had made, but there were a few old Gibsons lying there too.

They were testing them all out comparing for sound/ tone/ etc. and if I recollect correct,there were 3 or 4 mandolins hanging in the south window of Lloyd's house there that they had just applied the varnish to and hung them there to dry out. Anyway - - - they said "grab a seat (meaning the floor) and let's pick a few". I couldn't say no.

Although Lloyd's mandolins there that day were superb, I kept gravitating to one old Gibson F-2 that was there in the mix of mandolins there on the carpet. I told Lloyd - - "I just might have to take this one home with me". And after some negotiating on price and all those other details, i was able to get it.

It's a 1917 Gibson F-2 with the Handel tuners. The last year that Handel tuners were used (to my knowledge) was 1917. Totally stock/ totally original. It's got the original pick guard on it, and Lloyd offered me a reduction on the price if I left the pick guard with him for another mandolin. I declined. It's got the original case too, though that is "road-worn".

I'll post pictures tomorrow.

ccravens - Posted - 12/23/2010:  08:01:18

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I've always wanted to play one of those old Gibson ovals. I assume it has the red wine colored finish?
They're very well thought of by many mando players.

I had a recent Gibson F9, but traded it for a Montana Flatiron that sounded lots better.

dmiller - Posted - 12/23/2010:  21:32:00

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quote:

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Originally posted by ccravens

I've always wanted to play one of those old Gibson ovals. I assume it has the red wine colored finish?
They're very well thought of by many mando players.

I had a recent Gibson F9, but traded it for a Montana Flatiron that sounded lots better.

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Hey there ccravens. Yes, it does have the "red wine finish". I took a few pictures of it today (I took it to work with me because the lighting is better there), and some of them didn't turn out as well as I thought they should. However some of them did, so I'll post those here now.

Shot of the front:



Scroll/ Oval sound hole (and purfling)/ and pick guard:



Back of the neck and peghead:



The pick guard:



The tailpiece:



The peghead with the Handel tuners:

ccravens - Posted - 12/23/2010:  21:40:09

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Great pix. Now I REALLY want to play one.

dmiller - Posted - 12/23/2010:  21:48:57

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Glad you like it. This thing has both the volume AND the tone.
I've used it in many bluegrass and old-time jams both.
This mando certainly "cuts the mustard".

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Edited by - dmiller on 12/23/2010 21:50:13

mandogryl - Posted - 12/24/2010:  15:09:19

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Nice F-2! Really nice. I love the stain color.
Here is one of my two personal mandolins that I had built, the 5th, an F-4 style.
I am showing this picture because of the "Handel" tuners. They are actually
reproductions, but a good imitation.

F-4 style

Buffalo Sam - Posted - 12/25/2010:  20:58:02

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Hey Mandogryl, it looks like the full flowerpot on the peghead [like my Apitius], not the half you usually see. Is there a truss rod cover hidden in the dark on that F-4 or could you get the whole inlay in by just having a reinforced neck?

coelhoe - Posted - 12/27/2010:  15:37:23

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I had one of those that I bought from Harry West in '68. Really nice for leads, but not much punch. I had to sell it in '72, alas, but a couple of years later I was loaned an F-12 reworked by Randy Wood that was just wonderful. I had to give that back and use a late 40's A-50 for a couple of years until I stumbled onto a '72 Gibson F-5 that looked great but was real dog (apologies to my canine friends) and that was sold to get a Flatiron A-5 that bought from Steve Carlson at Flatiron in '84. I still have it, but I don't play mandolin much anymore.

declan - Posted - 12/27/2010:  15:53:48

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That's a might fine looking mandolin!

el dobro - Posted - 12/27/2010:  18:07:25

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That's a clean one. Good thing you kept the pickguard.

dmiller - Posted - 12/27/2010:  22:00:57

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quote:

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Originally posted by el dobro

That's a clean one. Good thing you kept the pickguard.

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el dobro - - - Yup. given the "discount" that I was offered,
I figured it was worth it to keep the original pick guard with the mandolin.

mandolen - Posted - 01/04/2011:  04:33:44

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Hi dmiller. I agree with you keeping the pickguard. I don't know how much of a discount he offered but it would cost you hundreds of $$$ for even a reproduction (if you could find one). Mandogryl, at first I thought your F-4 had a white finish like the late teens/early 20's Gibson A-3. That would be a very cool finish for an F-2 or F-4. I'm new here at Mando Hangout but hope to be around for quite some time.

Enjoy,
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

mandolen - Posted - 01/04/2011:  04:42:46

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Hi dmiller. I agree with you keeping the pickguard. I don't know how much of a discount he offered but it would cost you hundreds of $$$ for even a reproduction (if you could find one). Mandogryl, at first I thought your F-4 had a white finish like the late teens/early 20's Gibson A-3. That would be a very cool finish for an F-2 or F-4. I'm new here at Mando Hangout but hope to be around for quite some time.

Enjoy,
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

Red Henry - Posted - 01/07/2011:  04:21:52

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What a nice mandolin! Play it and play it.

Red

OTbanjopicker - Posted - 01/07/2011:  10:49:27

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wow...you are a lucky man to have that little beauty i tell you what!!

Brumando - Posted - 01/07/2011:  13:54:25

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Lucky man allright!I have a lovely 1912 a with the same pickguard and i love it but if you were in the UK i would be trying to do a deal to swap for yours,it looks a beauty,wish i could tear it in a jam!

woodwizard - Posted - 01/15/2011:  09:11:26

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Very nice one! Bet it sounds nice too. I have a 1919A4 all original and luv it. You can see it in my avatar there along with my goldrush