Description
VG+ Condition / #39185
Dbl. Flowerpot / Handel Tuners
One-pc Highly figured Maple Back
This 1917 Gibson F-4 mandolin, #39185, is in great playing condition. These Gibson F-4 mandolins are quite sought-after, both for their beauty and high quality construction and for playability and tone.
The Neck:
The neck is Mahogany and is fully bound with Ivoroid binding around the headstock and all around the fingerboard. The peghead veneer is in good shape but with some normal scratching (from restringing for 107 years). The Gibson MOP script logo is inlaid slanted across the peak with the rarer Double Flowerpot inlaid in the center. The tuners are original and work fine – they feature the famous Handel tuner buttons with hand-inlaid artwork in each button. NO bent tuners! Back of peghead is blackened, ending in a bee stinger point as it ends at the black wooden stringer along the back of neck.
The neck profile is the usual “full” Vee profile that is slightly rounded. The neck heel has a crack repaired (see photos).
The fingerboard appears as if its Ebony, but history tells us it was more often blackened pearwood (or even blackened Mahogany on some early Gibson A’s). This flat fingerboard is double-cut with the extension out over the oval soundhole. The original small frets are playable. Pear nut(original?).
Large side dots in bass side ivoroid binding for position reference while playing. Large pearl dot inlays in fingerboard.
The Body:
The body is quite precious! It is also fully bound front and back with ivoroid binding. This whole mandolin has a beautiful cherry red sunburst under the beautiful Shellac finish that has a perfect patina after 107 years.
The Oval Soundhole is bound inside with ivoroid. The soundhole rosette has wooden hound’s tooth surrounding a wide band of ivoroid.
This F-4 was built with an especially nice One-Piece highly figured Maple back. The Maple sides complement the top and the back quite well.
It has a couple of issues: repaired heel crack in the Mahogany neck with finish touch-up around the heel; and it is missing the original pickguard. It has all of its original parts except the pickguard. Also, the bridge, tailpiece and original hard case are all original.
