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Thread: So called gibson f5 copy

  1. #1

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    Item number 200223712980 on eBay is described as a Gibson F5 copy Heimer, it's like no other mandolin I've ever seen, certainly nothing like an F5 or a Gibson, anyone know anything about it ?

    Dave H
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  2. #2
    once upon a time, drmole Joel Spaulding's Avatar
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    Interesting. Is the body a 2 piece-sorta-kinda-a little bit like a Rigel? (No disrepect intended to Rigel - I would LOVE to have one of almost every model)

    I almost want this just for conversation - but I don't wish to invite the LACK of conversation from my wife that would likely result from said purchase and subsequent wall hanging.

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    Registered User man dough nollij's Avatar
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    Bizarre-- dowels? I can't imagine the tuners work well mounted like that.

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    It does look a little Rigel-ish. Or a little like a Rigat Rubus violin. It does appear to follow Orville's original idea of carving the back and neck out of one piece of wood. But I'd classify it as more folk art than a real instrument.

    With a hardwood top it won't put out much volume, but you could throw a pickup on it. And yeah, I don't know what the builder was thinking with that tuner placement.
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  5. #5
    Registered User Gutbucket's Avatar
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    Think 4th period high school shop class. Wow is that thing butt ugly!
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    Yes, I think this must have been made in shop class. I remember building an electric guitar in shop class. Never worked, but it kept me busy. Or it could have been some guy in his home shop.



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    Look at the thickness of the wood, top and back! I doubt that this is an early Rigel, carved out inside. The way it is, it would sound like what it is, a block of wood. But it's not without a significant coolness factor--like a salad bowl carved out of monkey pod wood.



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    Registered User buddyellis's Avatar
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    Probably only be useful as an electric with a P/up. That top is like 3/4" thick or something.

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    The back of the headstock looks pretty cool, too. Someone loved mandolin a lot to build that, and he must've been pretty disappointed when he played it. This may well have been the only mandolin in his town.
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    I suspect that the frets may need work, and the neck angle may not be right. Apart from that, this could be turned into a fun electric mandolin by adding a humbucker from a guitar. Sort of like a Fender Thinline, or whatever they called them.
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    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    I think that is best described as folk art....

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    This is my nomination for the auction that won't get a single bid for this week.

    The tuners probably work fine. I'm wondering if he screwed the top and back to the sides and plugged the holes. I don't see why he'd use dowels.
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  13. #13
    I Am The Slime F5GRun's Avatar
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    Well thats just soemthing else...im not sure what, but something for sure. #I wish he had sound clips. And the seller says no screws anywhere...looks like the pick guard is screwed right into the top.



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    Whew. the only thing more creative than the instrument is the copy used to describe it. Here's my favorite:

    "The inline Klusons are a nice touch!" What??!!!

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    jbmando RIP HK Jim Broyles's Avatar
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    Well, to be fair, he did call them "dual line" Klusons and not "inline" Klusons. I wonder if they work backwards though. They look upside down to me. Maybe they were intended to be mounted the other way, but the inner D string tuner got drilled too close to the edge and he had to use an upside down treble side tuner to get it to fit.
    "I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp

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    Mike Parks woodwizard's Avatar
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    Very strange indeed
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    Registered User Ken Olmstead's Avatar
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    Definately its best use would be a 4 or 5 string electric. I bet if it was set up as such it would not look quite so much a something only a mother could love. Might make a nice end table as well!
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  18. #18

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    I'm sure glad the opening bid is higher than my "oh what the heck" price. That might make an interesting electric.

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    Registered User Gutbucket's Avatar
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    Stick a big old honkin dog ear P-90 on it and wail away!
    A couple of mandolins
    A couple guitars
    An Upright Bass
    Some banjos
    Wax Paper over a comb
    A Loar era Didjeridoo

    "I Never Wanted To Be A Barber. I Always Wanted To Be A Lumberjack !"

  20. #20
    Geoff Clarkson squirrelabama's Avatar
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    Wasn't Heimer a high school woodshop teacher in VT?
    I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

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    write more songs Bob Wiegers's Avatar
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    I'd love to find this at a yard sale for $20 or so.

    "not a screw anywhere"...as if this is something to brag about...except he forgot about the screws attaching the pickguard directly to the body...
    Original acoustic music - Solo Octave Mandolin - Original Folk Music

  22. #22
    Registered User Gutbucket's Avatar
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    Oh, I think there are a few loose screws.
    A couple of mandolins
    A couple guitars
    An Upright Bass
    Some banjos
    Wax Paper over a comb
    A Loar era Didjeridoo

    "I Never Wanted To Be A Barber. I Always Wanted To Be A Lumberjack !"

  23. #23

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    The point is that the seller describes it as a Gibson F5 copy, if so, it must rank as one of the worst copies ever.

    Dave H
    Eastman 615 mandola
    2011 Weber Bitteroot A5
    2012 Weber Bitteroot F5
    Eastman MD 915V
    Gibson F9
    2016 Capek ' Bob ' standard scale tenor banjo
    Ibanez Artist 5 string
    2001 Paul Shippey oval hole

  24. #24
    Registered User Gutbucket's Avatar
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    Do you think Gibson has their lawyers ready to pounce?
    A couple of mandolins
    A couple guitars
    An Upright Bass
    Some banjos
    Wax Paper over a comb
    A Loar era Didjeridoo

    "I Never Wanted To Be A Barber. I Always Wanted To Be A Lumberjack !"

  25. #25
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    It's hard for lawyers to pounce when they can't stop laughing.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

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