1911 Gibson F-2
A beautifully original and lovely sounding Gibson F-2 with excellent playability, this instrument remains completely usable after some 110 years since being assembled.
The F-2 was Gibson’s more simply appointed F-style mandolin and featured a single-bound top with black finish, unbound back of unfigured wood, and unbound headstock with pearl ‘The Gibson’ inlay. Constructed otherwise identically to the pricier F-4, the scaled-down F-2 was originally designed and marketed to musicians as an affordable alternative that didn’t compromise tone; and, a century later, the same holds true today.
Despite its ‘dressed-down’ look by Titanic-era standards, the F-2 is anything but plain. It has Handel tuners and scroll headstock, a bound ebony fingerboard with double-cut extension, bound soundhole and a triple ring inlaid rosette. The pickguard, bridge and tailpiece are standard parts on both the F2 and F4 models.
This example is in excellent playing condition and has been carefully set-up here at Folkway. Frets and finish show little wear, and all the parts and finish are original. There is a cleanly repaired headstock scroll crack, and another cleanly repaired crack at the base of the headstock. Both cracks appear to be stable and solid. There are no cracks or seam separations on the body and the top arch is unaltered. The neck has a U shape carve and a nut width of 1-1/8”.
An open and responsive mandolin with good dynamics and reactivity, dark overtones, and woody low-end.
With modern hardshell case
The F-2 was Gibson’s more simply appointed F-style mandolin and featured a single-bound top with black finish, unbound back of unfigured wood, and unbound headstock with pearl ‘The Gibson’ inlay. Constructed otherwise identically to the pricier F-4, the scaled-down F-2 was originally designed and marketed to musicians as an affordable alternative that didn’t compromise tone; and, a century later, the same holds true today.
Despite its ‘dressed-down’ look by Titanic-era standards, the F-2 is anything but plain. It has Handel tuners and scroll headstock, a bound ebony fingerboard with double-cut extension, bound soundhole and a triple ring inlaid rosette. The pickguard, bridge and tailpiece are standard parts on both the F2 and F4 models.
This example is in excellent playing condition and has been carefully set-up here at Folkway. Frets and finish show little wear, and all the parts and finish are original. There is a cleanly repaired headstock scroll crack, and another cleanly repaired crack at the base of the headstock. Both cracks appear to be stable and solid. There are no cracks or seam separations on the body and the top arch is unaltered. The neck has a U shape carve and a nut width of 1-1/8”.
An open and responsive mandolin with good dynamics and reactivity, dark overtones, and woody low-end.
With modern hardshell case