irishbanjos - Posted - 01/04/2011:  23:46:41

What are the best things about the Gibson F-5G?
And the worst things?

I like that mandolin, and I'm hoping to be able to buy one someday, but I'd like to know if there's something bad about it or something.

mandogryl - Posted - 01/05/2011:  02:54:43

Nothing bad about it that I know of. I played one once and it sounded all right.
I do not believe it has binding on the back side, but if you can live with that you will
be fine. And, with Gibson having name-brand recognition it should hold some resale
value. Nothing bad about it at all.

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 01/05/2011:  05:24:34

No bnding on the headstock either..... Less expensive than an F5 or a Goldrush. The one I played was fine. No problems ... but every hand made instrument or factory made instrument is different. When you decide to buy play every single one you can get your hands on....

paire-berline - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:25:08

FWIW (these are isolated incidents), but I know of 2 cases where individuals went shopping to buy a Gibson Fern and ended up buying an F5-G because they sounded better than the Ferns.

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:26:46

OK, then.

I was thinking of buying a Gibson F5-L, but it was sooo expensive! This one looked similar, and according to some comments of the Gibson webpage, it was very similar to the F5-L.
Now I'm sure this one's the one.

mandolinman31639 - Posted - 01/05/2011:  15:29:12

I have a 2000 Flatiron Festival F which is basicaly the same as the F-5G and I have loved it for over ten years now. People constantly complement it's sound and it's the best mandolin I ever owned I had a gibson F-12 before this one.

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/06/2011:  00:05:02

quote:

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Originally posted by mandolinman31639

I have a 2000 Flatiron Festival F which is basicaly the same as the F-5G and I have loved it for over ten years now. People constantly complement it's sound and it's the best mandolin I ever owned I had a gibson F-12 before this one.

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Edited by - irishbanjos on 01/06/2011 00:05:17

Tomm - Posted - 01/07/2011:  04:08:49

Weber "custom" Bitterroot is a good "equal" to an F-5G. It is basically the same mandolin, and as you know Bruce Weber built for Gibson for quite awhile. I was actually going to buy an F-5 about the time Bruce went into business and bought a bitterrroot based on Bruce's reputation instead. At the time, I suppose getting things up and running you could buy one of his for 5-6 hundred less than the Gibson. I think his are now more in line with Gibson price wise, but I have seen a few old one's up for sale where the folks obviously were just looking to re-coop they're money. If you come across one of those deals, it's most likely a good opportunity. They are really nice mandolins.

Hydrilla - Posted - 01/11/2011:  13:19:26

I've seen some F5Gs that had much more highly figured wood than average, and ones that sounded way better than average. I think I'd just suggest that you play one before you buy. I think when you get into instruments in this price range, they are much more consistent, but there are some gems out there.

I had a Gibson A9 once that was a tone monster, I'd call it 1 in 100 based on the others I've heard, which were all good by the way.

ccravens - Posted - 01/11/2011:  13:41:37

I agree with what pretty much everyone has said.
Play as many as you can, 'cause even the same model mandolins (F5G, for example) can sound different.
I would put Gibsons in this category.
Since they're made by different people/workers, I guess that makes sense.

Good luck on the search - that's half the fun.

Here's one just put up in mando cafe that looks good:
mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/class...retrieval