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1988 Gibson F5-L

Serial #8154098. A simply gorgeous F5 with a lively and rich tone, great chop, excellent projection and purity.

Dated September 19th 1988, and signed by Steve Carlson (formerly of Flatiron fame), this F5-L is built with exquisite tonewoods, carefully carved, and stained with a particularly lush hand-rubbed Cremona sunburst. The instrument has an even and tightly grained quartersawn spruce top, quartersawn figured maple back and sides, and a tightly figured one piece maple neck with a distinctively Loar-F5 carve. Ebony fingerboard and bridge, ivoroid bindings, bound celluloid pickguard, and silver-plated tailpiece and tuners. Pearl nut and tuning machine buttons. Flat fingerboard with vintage-size fretwire, 1-1/8" nut, and 13-7/8" scale.

The instrument is a very attractive and cleanly built Loar-era F5 replica, and has aged remarkably well through nearly 25 years. Apart from some playwear to the frets, the instrument doesn't show any flaws; its finish is blemish-free, set-up and bridge fit are perfect, and its top shows no sinkage.

With original hardshell case
1988 Gibson F5-L

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Folkway Music in Guelph, Ontario Canada

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