F Style Mandolins

[Picking Dick]

Does anyone know when the first F Style mandolins started being built? Were the A style ones first? It seems like that would be the case.

[MikeEdgerton]

Orville was building both styles before the creation of the company on October 11, 1902. His original patent was for an A style mandolin. The company built them from its inception although they quickly abandoned the method that Orville had patented. Take a glance through the Mandolin Archive by year to see some early examples. For more on Orville Gibson take a look at Roger Siminoff's Orville page.

[Picking Dick]

How does one find “Archive?”

[Picking Dick]

Well, what were mandolins like prior to A and F ones?

[bradeasley]

Well, what were mandolins like prior to A and F ones?

Short answer, the predecessor to the Orville Gibson designs were the European bowlback mandolins. For a more thorough answer, highly recommend watching this video when you have an hour to spare.

[allenhopkins]

Well, what were mandolins like prior to A and F ones?

Most pre-1900 mandolins are what we call "bowl-backs," with construction derived from Renaissance lutes. They had bulbous bodies composed of a number of "staves" or "ribs" glued together, a top that was essentially flat but had a bend or "cant" across it latitudinally, a round or oval sound-hole, and a generally slightly shorter scale.

This YouTube vid compares a bowl-back, a '20's A-model Gibson with a carved top and oval sound-hole, and a modern carved-top, F-hole mandolin. It doesn't include an F-model instrument, but the body points and carved scroll that characterize F-models are (basically) ornamentation, not acoustical features -- though you can get an argument on that point from a few Cafe regulars!



Bowl-back mandolins are still built, as are flat-top, flat-back mandolins, but the "A-style" and "F-style" mandolins which I'd guess you're thinking of, both have carved, graduated tops, and either oval sound-holes, or the "f-holes" of the Ellis instrument played in the vid.

Orville Gibson is generally credited as the originator of the carved-top mandolin, derived from his belief that the violin family, all of which have carved tops, represented the ideal of musical instrument construction. His designs have become pretty much standard in the US -- not without significant exceptions -- and lead to the general vernacular of "A" and "F" mandolins. Those initials, of course, represent Gibson model designations, and don't stand for verbal descriptions (like "Artist" or "Florentine"), as some will tell you.

[MikeEdgerton]

How does one find “Archive?”

There are three links in my reply to you above. Click on the bold fonts. One is for the Mandolin Archive, another is for Roger Siminoff's Orville Gibson page and the other is for the Gibson patent.

[Jim Hilburn]

I had downloaded this shot for another thread, but this would be one of the earliest F models made by Orville before there was a Gibson company.

[JeffD]

Short answer, the predecessor to the Orville Gibson designs were the European bowlback mandolins.

Here is that creepy Gibson ad showing the "modern mandolin" sweeping away the bowbacks, like one might attack an infestation of beetles. Or potato bugs.

[Picking Dick]

I really prefer A style mandolins, but I would like to have a playable bowl back. Maybe just as a wall hanger though. My belly would probably keep me from playing it.

[journeybear]

Here is that creepy Gibson ad showing the "modern mandolin" sweeping away the bowbacks, like one might attack an infestation of beetles. Or potato bugs.

I like that Gibson is the capitol.

... I would like to have a playable bowl back. ... My belly would probably keep me from playing it.

There's a work-around. It involves slipping the back around so it's pretty much down, with the top level or horizontal, or, well, at the top. Yes, it's a bit odd, and involves a bit of a reach with your left arm to fret it, but it works.

[Picking Dick]

Ha! Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I guess one would call it a “lap mandolin”.