I've had my eye out for a good used Jam Master F for a while now. I finally spotted one in the Classified and snatched it up. It's dated August 4 of '09. I put a James tailpiece on it and made some ebony tuner buttons. I love the look, tone, and playability of this thing. I really think its the best F-hole mandolin I've had in my 35 years of playing. I find the radiused, slightly wider neck to be extremely comfortable. I was thinking of waiting until Gibson starts production again, but apparently they haven't yet, and probably won't anytime in the near future, so I've been told. Anyone know any more about that?
glad you found a JM-F5 to your liking. Mine is still doing good, although I have slowed down on playing in the past couple of months, today is the first time I've been on the Cafe in over 3 months. I have played Bluegrass music now for over 46 years, but due to joint problems and the massive doses of meds I have to take, my Bluegrass music playing days are about over with, I just do not have the speed anymore to pick them 'barn-burner' instrumentals ie. Daybreak In Dixie, Rawhide etc. So I'm getting together soon with a group of old friends who play a big variety of music, blues, folk, original material, and they do not play high octane Bluegrass, so maybe I can still play and have fun. I will miss picking Bluegrass as I have did it before for a living for about 5 years back in my youth with some very talented guys, one of whom is a big name in Bluegrass today. It has been the music I love above all others, but I've always enjoyed any kind of good acoustic music, so with the nw road I'm venturing down it should still be fun, and my Jm will be with me until I pass it on to one of my children or grandchild.
Oh, and as far as Gibson production, yes they are building, but the Gibson dealer close to where I live tells me that now there is a $40,000 minimum order for mandolins, banjos or dobros from Gibson OAI, and you can't get anything except what they have built, in other words if a dealer wants say, 5 Jm-F5s & 3 Earl scruggs banjos, he might only get a couple of F5-Gs and 2-3 RB-250's, this is an example, in other words no matter what you want, they will only send you what they have in inventory made. It will take them at least 2-3 years if not more to get caught up, and that depends much on the economy. If the dealers are not selling, then in theory that would give them more time for GIBSON OAI to build up a huge inventory, but on the other habd if dealers are not selling, then there will be less need to build, catch -22 situation there.
