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Thread: Earl taylor's f5

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    Registered User Tom Mullen's Avatar
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    I played guitar for Earl Taylor in the late 1960's when he was in Southern Calif. He had an old Gibson F5 from the 20's. I was 20 at that time and was not tuned into the Loar magic. Does any one know if it was a Loar, or what happened to it?
    Earl died many years ago.
    Tom Mullen
    Tulsa, OK

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    Not a Loar but a 20 something fern. Last I knew Ricky Wasson who plays with Crowe was in ownership of it. I played it a few years ago at IMBA. When I played with Mike Lilly and Harley Allen in the 80s and 90s we were playing a club in Cincy. Thru all the smoke I could see this little figure come thru the door..he made his way up to the stage..set his mando case on the table...opened it up and handedhis mando to me to play right in the middle of a song we were playing. It had 6 strings on it..and A and D were missing. I remember it having real "Manly" action on it..but it sounded good...looked like it been dragged down a gravel road too. Just as soon as the song ended he reached for the mando...put it back in the case...turned his back and disappeared into the smoke back out the door into the rainy night. It wasnt until a couple of songs later that I was made aware that it was indeed Earl Taylor. The story I got is that Ricky Wasson gave $60,000 for it. At the time I played it it back with the Allen/Lilly band it had a pick-guard some how implanted in the top because he had just about worn the top thru with his planted fingers.




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    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Earl's Fern was No. 84271. By Gruhn's guide it's a 1927 but speculations and more confirmed dates would put it more like late 1928. It survived decades of heavy playing and was quite worn with cracks and repairs when Earl died on Jan. 28, 1984 at age 54. It remained in the family a long time. When Earl bought it back in the late 50's it was pretty much mint. It was the first bluegrass mandolin to grace the stage at Carnegie Hall in NYC in 1959.

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    Stories are told that Earl would hock the mandolin just about every week and his player friends would buy it out of hock for him. Don't know if it's true, but that's what I heard.
    What The ....

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    A sometimes contributor to this message board tells the story of visiting Earl near the end when he was living in a trailer, the mandolin under the bed.

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    Registered User Tom Mullen's Avatar
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    Here is a pic taken at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles in December 1968. L to R is Earl, Don Parmley, & myself. Not pictured, but in the back playing the meanest bluegrass slap bass ever is the Old Boatwhistle himself......Vernon McIntyre.
    The original banjo picker when Earl came out was Elmer Burchett (senior). Don Parmley took over when Elmer went back home because he could not live in Southern Calif on $75 a week....for some reason or another. Boat left after this pick was taken for the same reason.

    "we didnt have much fun, but we sure made a lot of money"...?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Earl__Don_and_Tom_smaller.jpg 
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    Tom Mullen
    Tulsa, OK

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    ..cool pick..thanks for sharing.

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    Awesome.

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    i played it Dec 05 ,it is what i thought one of the loudest mandolins i ever played ,i have heard that it would drown out Crowes banjo way back then ,it is well played lots of wear,i was thinking Ricky told me it was a 25 or 26 can't remember.
    Danny Clark

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    some great " stories" here, folks....!! - thanks for posting - Moose. # #

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    Registered User F5G WIZ's Avatar
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    My daughter has been taking Banjo lessons from Vernon McIntyre. #He knows his stuff. #Sure has a lot of stories.
    Do you have any pictures with Vernon in them?



    Poe#5, Neely#72, Kentucky KM 150 (The Bagram Beater)
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    Registered User Tom Mullen's Avatar
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    The Vernon McIntyre referenced has been dead for years. You might be referring to his son or other. I will have to dig around and make some calls if I have a pic of Boatwhistle around.
    When we played, Boat dressed in baggy old clothes with suspenders and told some of the most ridiculous jokes and stories I ever heard......some on stage thru the mic....
    We did not do any church work............
    Tom Mullen
    Tulsa, OK

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    Tom,
    What a great picture! - Thanks.
    Feel free to post any others you may have.
    Jim
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

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    Registered User F5G WIZ's Avatar
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    Yeah the Vernon I know is about 62. Owns Famous Olde Time Music in Ohio.
    Poe#5, Neely#72, Kentucky KM 150 (The Bagram Beater)
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    Vernon is Boatwhistles son.

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    i played it up at ibma a few yrs ago....its the only fern ive seen that looks worse than mine...and thats a good thing!!! #mr

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    Registered User Tom Mullen's Avatar
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    The Vernon Mc that owns the music store used to be called "Junior" or "Presswood". I found an old LP of Earl' with Jim McCall and Boatwhistle, and Junior even picked the banjo on it.
    Tom Mullen
    Tulsa, OK

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    Registered User F5G WIZ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Scotti Adams @ Sep. 10 2007, 08:43)
    Vernon is Boatwhistles son.
    Thanks Scotti.
    Poe#5, Neely#72, Kentucky KM 150 (The Bagram Beater)
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    Registered User masa618's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    Quote Originally Posted by Scotti Adams View Post
    Not a Loar but a 20 something fern. Last I knew Ricky Wasson who plays with Crowe was in ownership of it. I played it a few years ago at IMBA. When I played with Mike Lilly and Harley Allen in the 80s and 90s we were playing a club in Cincy. Thru all the smoke I could see this little figure come thru the door..he made his way up to the stage..set his mando case on the table...opened it up and handedhis mando to me to play right in the middle of a song we were playing. It had 6 strings on it..and A and D were missing. I remember it having real "Manly" action on it..but it sounded good...looked like it been dragged down a gravel road too. Just as soon as the song ended he reached for the mando...put it back in the case...turned his back and disappeared into the smoke back out the door into the rainy night. It wasnt until a couple of songs later that I was made aware that it was indeed Earl Taylor. The story I got is that Ricky Wasson gave $60,000 for it. At the time I played it it back with the Allen/Lilly band it had a pick-guard some how implanted in the top because he had just about worn the top thru with his planted fingers.
    Thank you. Scotti. I have always been interested in Earl's F-5. In the album of Rural Rhythm 188, I was surprised that the top had a pickguard. Who is playing on now?

  24. #20
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    I do know Earl Taylors Fern is a later serial# of the small historical FON# 9140 batch, The # before his was Jimmy Gaudreau's Fern "with a 3 piece neck-tell me that doesn't scream a leftover early Loar neck!" Also Bobby Osborne's, Dean Webb's "Dillard's" Well and mine but I'm not famous, mine may be the first one of that batch! I call mine a 1926 based on the construction, finish, etc...Maybe it wasn't shipped out till 1928 but is a 24 Loar still a 24 Loar if it was supposedly shipped in 1928?

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    Registered User masa618's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    Quote Originally Posted by William Smith View Post
    I do know Earl Taylors Fern is a later serial# of the small historical FON# 9140 batch, The # before his was Jimmy Gaudreau's Fern "with a 3 piece neck-tell me that doesn't scream a leftover early Loar neck!" Also Bobby Osborne's, Dean Webb's "Dillard's" Well and mine but I'm not famous, mine may be the first one of that batch! I call mine a 1926 based on the construction, finish, etc...Maybe it wasn't shipped out till 1928 but is a 24 Loar still a 24 Loar if it was supposedly shipped in 1928?
    Thank you so much for posting interesting information, William.

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    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    I used to own fern # 84252... FON 9140... one serial number after Bobby Osborne's. Bought it in Seattle, sold it to a buddy in Chicago, bought it back from him years later and then sold it again! Stupid me! It was/is a magnificent sounding/playing example.

    It is now in the good hands of a "goodfeller" down there in North Carolina...

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    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    Quote Originally Posted by Glassweb View Post
    I used to own fern # 84252... FON 9140... one serial number after Bobby Osborne's. Bought it in Seattle, sold it to a buddy in Chicago, bought it back from him years later and then sold it again! Stupid me! It was/is a magnificent sounding/playing example.

    It is now in the good hands of a "goodfeller" down there in North Carolina...
    I'm pretty sure I played your old friend last year at Banjerthon, and yes if its the one it was/is a gnarly one! Weird my 24 with Virzi is the one after Mr. Osborne's!

  30. #24
    Registered User Hendrik Ahrend's Avatar
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    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    Quote Originally Posted by Glassweb View Post
    I used to own fern # 84252... FON 9140... one serial number after Bobby Osborne's. Bought it in Seattle, sold it to a buddy in Chicago, bought it back from him years later and then sold it again! Stupid me! It was/is a magnificent sounding/playing example.

    It is now in the good hands of a "goodfeller" down there in North Carolina...
    Absolutely right, Glassweb. Wonderful F5; I checked it out 2 years ago.

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  32. #25

    Default Re: Earl taylor's f5

    I probably don't belong in this discussion but in the picture it looks to me that this is one of the later F5's with the old style "The Gibson" inlays which I only realized existed just recently.

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