1924 F4 at Vinstrum

[Hendrik Ahrend]

#79307, not in the archives, yet. Description says "all original". Seems to have quite an orange finish (possibly due to photography) and non-original pick guard, as far as I can tell.
https://www.vinstrum.com/index.php?r...&product_id=25

[Eddie Sheehy]

Similar color to mine - which was refinished in the 20's...

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/87201

[pheffernan]

#79307, not in the archives, yet. Description says "all original". Seems to have quite an orange finish (possibly due to photography) and non-original pick guard, as far as I can tell.
https://www.vinstrum.com/index.php?r...&product_id=25

I found out about the existence of this F4, and the shop actually, on Reverb where the price is significantly lower ($4595 as opposed to $5495). I played it earlier this week, and starting with the caveat that I am no expert in vintage Gibsons, I found that it played really well and sounded very good, better in both regards (playability dramatically so) than my 1924 snakehead. In terms of condition, there is a crack in the top underneath the fingerrest running north from the tonehole to the neck join (reportedly uncleated but stable). There is also a crack in the bridge above the treble side wheel (also supposedly stable). The instrument is consigned by a motivated seller / nonplayer who inherited it from a mother believed to be the original owner. The cracks and apparently the pickguard make it no collector's piece, but I'm guessing one could do worse in a ~$4K Loar-era F4!

[Ken Waltham]

Similar color to mine - which was refinished in the 20's...

http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/87201

I would say refinished in the 60's....

[Eddie Sheehy]

I would say refinished in the 60's....

Interesting. The provenance I have says 20's. What makes you think otherwise? I'd really like to know. I'll ask Lynn Dudenbostel to have a look at it at the Symposium next week.

[Jeff Mando]

Why would a 20's instrument "need" to be refinished in the 20's? It wouldn't have had time to get worn, at least to my way of thinking.....

Edit--OK, I just clicked Eddie's link--sent back for repair

[Glassweb]

definitely a neck and body refin... strangely the headstock seems original... hard to say on all of this without having it in hand...

[HoGo]

Complete refinish. The color was applied with spraygun, not rubbed like 20's mandolins. BTW when did Gibson quit rubbed colors in favor of sprayed colors?
Same in the Eddies link it seems.

[Eddie Sheehy]

P.M. Me with email addy for pics. There's a lot of finish-crazing in the respray/overspray...

[lenf12]

I would say refinished in the 60's....

I can see that Ken although a Gibson cherry burst 60's finish (with all due respect to the Hummingbirds of the era) wouldn't be too far out of character for them either imho. My guess is the 50's, maybe late 50's given how prominent the red is in the burst. $5495 is a bit too rich, $3495 is a more realistic asking price given the refin, the replacement laminated finger rest/pick guard and the cracks revealed above.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[lenf12]

BTW when did Gibson quit rubbed colors in favor of sprayed colors?

Probably the late 20's...

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Ken Waltham]

The refin I was referring to was the OP's. Eddy, yours looks earlier, but, no earlier than 40's, I think. Certainly never the 20's, the colour, application, burst, everything is wrong for the 20's.
I would have to have it in hand to make a better judgement.
Just read your post..and the p/g clamp is 50's, or 60's, my guess. Good job to replace it.

[Jim Garber]

Compare to this one that just came on eBay: 1922 Gibson F4 Mandolin body with 1960's vintage neck

[Bob A]

Compare to this one that just came on eBay: 1922 Gibson F4 Mandolin body with 1960's vintage neck

Sort of hurts to look at that neck. I can't help but wonder what could have happened to require a total neck replacement.