With its timeless beauty and iconic sound, Gibson’s F-5 is the most coveted mandolin design around. Originally designed by acoustical engineer Lloyd Loar in 1922, the F-5 was more informed by violin design than previous Gibson mandolins. It introduced elements such as parallel tonebar bracing, a longer neck that joined the body at the 15th fret, and a fingerboard extension that floated off the body. Loar left Gibson in late 1924, and the instruments he signed during these first two years of F-5 production are by far the most valuable, sought after by musicians and collectors alike (check out Peghead Nation instructor John Reischman demonstrating his 1924 Gibson F-5 here). After Loar’s departure, Gibson continued to build great F-5s for the remainder of the 1920s, but with general interest in the mandolin declining during the 1930s, fewer instruments were built. 

We recently heard from a San Francisco Bay Area Peghead Nation student who owns a beautiful, well-preserved F-5 Master Model built in 1928 (serial number 86104), and we took him up on his offer to demonstrate the instrument in our studio. In this video, Peghead Nation co-founder Dan Gabel and mandolin instructor Sharon Gilchrist discuss and play the mandolin.

Introduced after Loar’s departure from Gibson, the Master Model version of the F-5 continued the fundamental design of the earlier years, though without Loar’s individual fine tuning of the instruments built during his tenure. Shortly before Loar’s departure, Gibson changed the peghead inlay from the “flower pot” design found on earlier F-5s to a “fern” design, and this term is often used to identify these later year models. Later F-5s had larger square position markers in the fingerboard, but this 1928 model is among the last with smaller dot inlays. 

The mandolin still has its original case, and while its current owner has removed the pickguard, this too is kept safely in the case. 

Without a doubt, the history of Gibson’s F-5s is fascinating. Anyone who would like to dive deeper in understanding the variations from different eras should check out Walter Carter’s great book, The Mandolin in America, as well as www.mandolinarchive.com/ and many discussions on Mandolin Cafe.

1949 Gibson L-5N Peghead Nation instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates the guitar he uses in his new Western Swing Guitar course. Read More

1923 Gibson F-5 Mandolin John Reischman demonstrates a Lloyd Loar-signed F-5 that’s in nearly mint condition. Read More

John Reischman’s 1924 Gibson F-5 Mandolin virtuoso discusses and demonstrates his legendary Lloyd Loar mandolin in this Fretboard Journal video. Read More

1957 Gibson L-5CES Peghead Nation instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates his rare Gibson electric archtop with a special pickup configuration. Read More

1921 Gibson A-4 Peghead Nation’s Irish Backup Guitar instructor Flynn Cohen demonstrates his vintage mandolin. Read More

1927 Gibson Style 5 Deluxe Bill Evans demonstrates a classic Gibson banjo. Read More

1907 Vega Whyte Laydie # 7 Peghead Nation instructor Bill Evans demonstrates an iconic vintage banjo. Read More

1931 Gibson RB-1 Bill Evans demonstrates the vintage instrument known as the “Grace Attfield Banjo.” Read More

1914 Gibson H-1 Mandola Demo and Mini-Lesson Peghead Nation Irish Mandolin instructor Marla Fibish demonstrates her vintage mandola and talks about her preferred tuning and some of the techniques and chord voicings she uses. Read More

1930 Gibson Master Model L-5 Peghead Nation’s Roots of Jazz Guitar instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates his main guitar. Read More