Nice blonde F-4

[rcc56]

At Retrofret in Brooklyn. We don't see many of these.
NFI

www.retrofret.com

Sorry, I can't get a direct link to the mandolin to work.

[Steve 2E]

It's on Reverb too. Stunningly beautiful to my eye.
https://reverb.com/item/50262910-gib...ard-shell-case

[journeybear]

Here's the Retrofret listing. Sure is purty. Glad I'm in MAS remission.

Gibson F-4 Model Carved Top Mandolin (1912), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 15838, natural top, cherry stained back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case. $6850

NFI. Honest!

[j. condino]

The F4 is nice, but check out that L5 they just posted!

https://www.retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=10230

[journeybear]

Geez! Check out just the description. If you have the time ...

[shylock3]

[QUOTE=journeybear;1854777]Geez! Check out just the description. If you have the ti
Both are really nice.

[sgarrity]

That thing looks brand new!

[Jim Hilburn]

Everytime I think I know about mandolins something new shows up.
I don't think I ever saw the zig zag fingerboard extension before.
looks like they changed it around 1915.

[Don Grieser]

The double flowerpot might be my favorite headstock inlay--right there with the torch and wire.

[rcc56]

The F4 is nice, but check out that L5 they just posted!

https://www.retrofret.com/product.asp?ProductID=10230

I like the early D'Angelico L-5 at Lawrence Wexer's. www.wexerguitars.com Look under archtops. I don't know why I can't get a direct link to the guitar to work.

These D'Angelico L-5 types turn up only once or twice every 3 to 5 years. "Find another one" actually fits this model.
If I hadn't taken the pledge, I would have been all over this one like a duck on a june bug, as we say in this part of the country.

Some years back, George Gruhn had a quite amazing [a term I don't normally use] D'Angelico two point oval hole mandolin that tempted me sorely. It would have been a lifetime keeper for the likes of Jethro Burns.

James, you might be interested to know that we put a mirror in it to see what made it tick. What we found was not necessarily what one might expect: just a single transverse brace, but perhaps 1 inch or so behind the sound hole-- noticeably farther back than what Gibson and Lyon & Healy used. But I wish someone had mapped the graduations-- I suspect the instrument's "magic" had more to do with that; and whatever intuition the maker used to determine how to carve an individual piece of wood "just right."

And I don't believe in unicorns and fairy dust, at least not very much, but D'Angelico had something. A true master of the craft.

[journeybear]

Here to help

[Bazz Jass]

Everytime I think I know about mandolins something new shows up.
I don't think I ever saw the zig zag fingerboard extension before.
looks like they changed it around 1915.

The last mandolin on could find on the mandolin archive with the Z-Step in the fingerboard extension is 18149, and the first without it is 19261. Both F4s.

[Jim Hilburn]

They must have realized how much easier it would be to do the later way.

[j. condino]

I like the early D'Angelico L-5 at Lawrence Wexer's. www.wexerguitars.com Look under archtops. I don't know why I can't get a direct link to the guitar to work.

These D'Angelico L-5 types turn up only once or twice every 3 to 5 years. "Find another one" actually fits this model.
If I hadn't taken the pledge, I would have been all over this one like a duck on a june bug, as we say in this part of the country.

Some years back, George Gruhn had a quite amazing [a term I don't normally use] D'Angelico two point oval hole mandolin that tempted me sorely. It would have been a lifetime keeper for the likes of Jethro Burns.

James, you might be interested to know that we put a mirror in it to see what made it tick. What we found was not necessarily what one might expect: just a single transverse brace, but perhaps 1 inch or so behind the sound hole-- noticeably farther back than what Gibson and Lyon & Healy used. But I wish someone had mapped the graduations-- I suspect the instrument's "magic" had more to do with that; and whatever intuition the maker used to determine how to carve an individual piece of wood "just right."

And I don't believe in unicorns and fairy dust, at least not very much, but D'Angelico had something. A true master of the craft.

I grew up playing D'Angelicos when they were just old guitars from days gone by and only the old hairy Italian guys in the city paid attention to them ( my relatives!). As a high school kid I passed on a couple for around $550. Stan Jay first turned me on to them as a young kid. I knew they were cool, but for $100 less I bought a 1957 Les Paul goldtop and smashed it to pieces all over the stage one gig ending in a Who song....rock 'n roll...angst ...youthful energy!!!!!!

'Pretty sure I played that oval hole D'A at Gruhn's. It was a hauntingly powerful instrument dressed up in sheep's clothing! There was a very similar one at Carter's maybe 5 years ago (possibly the same one) hanging next to an incredible D'Aquisto that I think David Rawlins may own now. The big single transverse brace was pretty standard for Stromberg guitars.

[Matt]

[lenf12]

Absolutely lovely, thanks for posting Matt I appreciate the amount of work that goes into writing the RetroFrets product descriptions. Definitely as much information as anyone would need to know, but always able to capture the flavors and historical context of the times when the instruments were first introduced. I think they are well done indeed.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Matt]

This is my 1913 (I think) F4. Looks just like the Retrofret model. I hope they get their price, it would be the first time I saw an appreciation on something I own!

[Bazz Jass]

This is my 1913 (I think) F4. Looks just like the Retrofret model. I hope they get their price, it would be the first time I saw an appreciation on something I own!

I'll think you'll get a lot of appreciation, whether the price goes up or not

[KCNelson]

I just got the latest addition to my Gibson instrument family back from an excellent local luthier. My wife says I'm running a mandolin rescue operation, where I buy unplayable instruments in long-neglected condition but at a reasonable price, then pay to have them repaired and giving them a second life.
This 1913 F4 had not been played in 50 years. It had a significant back separation, very high action, divots in the fretboard, worn out frets and a loose internal brace. Now it's all buttoned up with modern fretwire, perfect action and a strong sweet tone. I couldn't be happier with the work of my luthier, Will Bright, a young archtop guitar builder who has the skills and fondness for instrument restoration. I'm excited to hear how it sounds after 3-4 months of consistent playing.

[rcc56]

Sold.
I hope it sounds as nice as it looks, and the new owner is happy.

[sgarrity]

That was a really hard one to resist!

[Bruce Clausen]

I grew up playing D'Angelicos when they were just old guitars from days gone by and only the old hairy Italian guys in the city paid attention to them ( my relatives!). As a high school kid I passed on a couple for around $550.

I didn't play any, but I sure remember lots of ads for old L-5's, Strombergs, and d'Angelicos, often placed in the musicians' union paper by pro players who had retired to Florida. Early sixties prices were in the $300 to $500 range. I *think* I saw an ad there once for Eddie Lang's old L-5, for sale around $550. After all, at that time you could get a brand new L-5, with cutaway and two of the new humbucking pickups, for $600. The best I was able to do was an old ES-175, much like the one Wes Montgomery used before he got that custom one-pickup L-5.

Couple of gorgeous F-4's here— thanks,everyone!