I'll happily reveal my ignorance in order to dispel it: what does it mean to say a mandolin is a "Fern?"
I'll happily reveal my ignorance in order to dispel it: what does it mean to say a mandolin is a "Fern?"
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
Ha!
Yes, That would be confusing to those who don't know.
When the F5 was introduced the peghead inlay was the "flower pot". Later, some of them had a different inlay with sort of leaf-like frilly shapes, and the inlay was referred to as the fern inlay. All mandolins with Loar's signature on the label are called "Loars" because of that signature, even the ones with fern inlays. Those relatively rare mandolins with both a signature and a fern inlay are sometimes called fern Loars.
After Lloyd Loar left the building and there were no longer Loar-signed labels inside of F5, the fern inlay remained and such a mandolin came to be known a "fern".
There are some F5 mandolins that were in production before ol' Lloyd left them behind and didn't sign their labels and those are often called "unsigned Loar" mandolins. That has always been a funny contradiction of terms to me, but... what do I know!?
John Hamlett
www.hamlettinstruments.com
This refers to the peg head inlay on a mandolin, typically an F-5. Early Gibson F-5's either had a Fern or a Flower Pot - someone far more tech savvy than me can probably post pictures.
(looks like we were typing at the same time...)
Kirk
And today the Gibson Fern is kind of their standard model. Has been since its reintroduction around 1980-ish.
Another distinguishing difference is that Ferns (vintage and new) are typically Sitka topped with a lacquer finish. The Loars and today’s Master Models are Adirondack topped with a varnish finish.
Last edited by sgarrity; Apr-09-2021 at 3:28pm.
Shaun Garrity
http://www.youtube.com/user/spgokc78
Thank you, John.
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
Another question for the Fern-Explication Team: I have on a few occasions (I've been reading lots of ads lately) seen the non-Gibson mandolins described as Fern. From what I've learned from your responses, I take it this is a misuse of the label?
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
It means we'll have Fern Fern Fern til her daddy takes her T-bird away!
Bren
Also, I guess (e.g) a Weber Fern has both the fern inlay and is saying that it's built on the same principles?
Bren
& Fern 'fiddle heads' are the Original scroll of Nature.. forest asparagus any one?
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-t...#axzz6rZvfMPNR
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Here are my 2 Ferns although technically the one on the left is an F5-L ('81) and the one on the right is a Fern ('06). According to Joe Vest, formerly of Gibson, " In 2003 the designation of F5L was discontinued to keep the current Fern from being confused with it".
Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band
John Hamlett
www.hamlettinstruments.com
John Hamlett: that is a real fern inlay! Kudos!
That is a great fern indeed! And from 1970!
John Hamlett
www.hamlettinstruments.com
Thanks, Caleb. I make my living with words. . . .
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
The name Fern is used to describe Mandolins with a Fern on the Headstock.
2021 The Loar LM700 VS
John Hamlett
www.hamlettinstruments.com
It means that it thrives in damp, shaded forests
2003 John Sullivan F5 "Roy"
2015 Heiden F Artist
2019 Ruhland F5 #35
Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.
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