Description
Exceptional condition • SN: 185.
Nut width: 1″
Legendary mandolin maker, RL Givens built about 800 handmade mandolins in 30 years between 1962 and 1992. This 1979 R.L. Givens F-5 mandolin is one of the finest condition F’s I can remember from this period of his building. The fit and finish, the symmetry, the neck, the frets… everything is quite nice. And the best part is the sound is equal to how good it looks.
Engelmann spruce top with highly figured Maple back, sides, and neck. Handsome red-brown-amber sunburst. Masterfully applied nitrocellulose finish is in great shape. Multiple bindings throughout, with body showing black line on top and back, and fingerboard and peghead showing black line on the side. Blackened back of headstock. Rosewood peghead overlay with beautiful pearl fern inlay in center, and R.L. Givens logo at top. Flat ebony fingerboard has pearl dot inlays. Fingerboard extension has last six frets removed and filled with ebony, for ease of playing without hitting frets. Original Givens ebony adjustable bridge. Original Gotoh tuners with naturally antique’d pearloid buttons. Original tailpiece, bridge, and pearl nut. Rounded V profile neck.
This mandolin is from the age of true handmade construction, meaning this was entirely hand-cut and hand-carved by Bob Givens and all inlays were hand-cut and hand-inlaid by Bob Givens. *Today some instrument makers SAY handmade, but they mean human hands are feeding the wood into machines to shape the woods. Even the very accurate fretting is from hand-cut slots by Bob Givens. It would be hard to find another 100% handmade mandolin with this degree of perfection today. There is one spot of natural hand wear through finish on back of neck near nut. Original frets show slight denting in first position but play with no problem.
Don’t let the 1″ width of nut scare you away… Did you know that Bill Monroe’s old Gibson Lloyd Loar F-5 measured slightly less than 1″. The feel is very nice; the neck profile is professional and feels “correct” for this instrument.
This is an amazing mandolin with great sound. Power, playability, beauty, tone, and exceptional condition are all present in this mandolin. Comes with original rectangular hard case.
Here is a sound clip from our friend Billy Parker playing this fine instrument.
And another video demonstration from visiting mandolin great Emory Lester.
