Gibson Mandolins 2004

[Old Dog Dave]

Just curious--does anyone in the Cafe know who was heading up Gibson's mandolin work in 2004? I'm pretty sure that was before Dave Harvey, but don't know who it may have been. My curiosity stems from my having two 2004 Gibsons--and F-9 and an A-9.

Thanks!!

[William Smith]

Charlie Derrington was the head mando man in 2004.

[MikeEdgerton]

Charlie Derrington and Danny Roberts were doing final inspections and signing the labels in that time period.

Charles Derrington (1987-2005) *
Danny Roberts (2001-2005) *

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1854382

[Mark Seale]

IIRC, Charlie's last signed instrument was December 2003. After that, Danny Roberts took over for a couple of years.

[MikeEdgerton]

I just went through the thread and it appears the original creator of the thread added one more year to Charlie's signatures with no mention of it or a picture of the label at one point. I'm going to modify the list back to the original 2003. If anyone has a signed Derrington label after 2003 they should post it on the thread below (not this one).

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-head-luthiers

Danny Roberts was signing labels in 2004.

[Old Dog Dave]

Thanks, y'all!! I was curious and you satisfied my curiosity. A great day to all of you!!

[Mandohound]

As my friends and I are researching these A-9 mandolins and the F-9 mandolins from this period I am intrigued not only about who,was signing theses but who was crafting them, who was carving them, or who was running the CNC machine…. these model 9’s are tonally exceptional without being visually special. We’re Charlie and Danny experimenting with neck length, neck angle, carving and tuning options with these models? Something is special about them.

[MikeEdgerton]

Just to get back to it, we have a 2004 and a 2005 label Charlie signed now.

I think Gibson was trying to put out a no frills mandolin built with decent wood and diminished trim in hopes of capturing the upper end of the inexpensive mandolin market. The same people were using the same techniques on the A-F-9 series mandolins and some were great, others not as great. There is a thread started by Hogo hear that details one with issues. I think over time the trim level did change. I actually liked the earlier plain brown mandolins.

[Geno]

Here's some info from a 2003-2004 issue of Mandolin Magazine that might be of interest to Mandohound and other F-9 and A-9 fans. Charlie D. also talked a liitle about them in this 2003 Co-Mando Q & A (Q#5): https://mandozine.com/media/CGOW/derrington.html

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Just to get back to it, we have a 2004 and a 2005 label Charlie signed now.

I have these accounted for:

V-70781 December 2, 2003 Derrington (formerly?) owned by Danny Roberts, same number as blonde fern
V-70781 December 23, 2004 F-5VX, x-brace, blonde Fern, New Style Script (as on any current Fern and New Style FP MM, close to late 1928 style), one of a kind, one-piece back
V-70429 Jan 08, 2005 last Derrington known, owned by Bill Lilly, side bound, Old Style FP, small pickguard from Gibson, curved f. B.

Bill Lilly worked for Gibson, and Charlie's late signature in 2005 was a personal favor for his ex-colleague.

[Wayne Stuvick]

V-70427 January 18, 2005 Signed by Danny Roberts

[MikeEdgerton]

Why not post images of the labels on the other thread?

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-head-luthiers

[Mark Seale]

I have these accounted for:

V-70781 December 2, 2003 Derrington (formerly?) owned by Danny Roberts, same number as blonde fern
V-70781 December 23, 2004 F-5VX, x-brace, blonde Fern, New Style Script (as on any current Fern and New Style FP MM, close to late 1928 style), one of a kind, one-piece back
V-70429 Jan 08, 2005 last Derrington known, owned by Bill Lilly, side bound, Old Style FP, small pickguard from Gibson, curved f. B.

Bill Lilly worked for Gibson, and Charlie's late signature in 2005 was a personal favor for his ex-colleague.

That's right, my mistake above. Blondie was 2004 not 2003. I owned that one for a while and it was exceptional, as was the case it came in.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Blondie was 2004 not 2003. I owned that one for a while and it was exceptional, as was the case it came in.

I remember that, Mark. We exchanged emails at some point.

[Mandohound]

Geno, thanks for the review. Very informative and good to know that hand carving was still the method to achieve the top and back. My A-9 was acquired a couple of years ago for about $1600… apparently about the same price as they were in 2003. I have purchased 2 A-9’s from that period and they are exceptional sounding and playing instruments. And they have the Master Model label. A friend recently purchased an F-9 from 2002 and he is extremely satisfied with the instrument. He also has an A-9 and for the money, they are the best deal out there.

[Tiderider]

As my friends and I are researching these A-9 mandolins and the F-9 mandolins from this period I am intrigued not only about who,was signing theses but who was crafting them, who was carving them, or who was running the CNC machine…. these model 9’s are tonally exceptional without being visually special. We’re Charlie and Danny experimenting with neck length, neck angle, carving and tuning options with these models? Something is special about them.

I bought (still have it) a brand new A9 in 2003 and it is not signed.

[dhergert]

FWIW, my 2002 F-9 has only the serial number "Master Model" label which shows through the G course F-hole. It does not have the signature "Master Model" label.

While I haven't played a lot of other Gibson F-style mandolins in comparison, the tone of my 2002 F-9 has pleased me greatly over the years and I consider it a lifetime instrument. I do suspect that during the early years of the F-9 / A-9 lines these mandolins received special attention; it would be only natural for a new model line.



And, while we're talking about this period's labeling / markings, does anyone have any idea what this "R" means??? It's under the clear finish, so I'm thinking this came from the factory that way.