1922 Gibson F-4

I know many people say Gibson’s F-5 is the most beautiful mandolin ever made and while I agree that it is a lovely instrument, I think the F-4 is Gibson’s prettiest mandolin. I think the red sunburst is just magnificent, particularly the way it accentuates the figure in the maple back. I also like the way the shape of the oval soundhole echoes the curves and points on the headstock and body. The general ornamentation is austere but still elegant. And the best part is they sound great. This particular mandolin was made in 1922, the same year Gibson introduced the F-5. This F-4 has the simpler flowerpot inlay on the headstock that Gibson used on the F-5 but it doesn’t have an adjustable truss rod, which pretty much all other F-4s with this inlay have. Was this one of the last F-4s made without a truss rod? It could be. This particular example looks to be in excellent shape and it comes with the original hard shell case. It’s currently living at Mandolin Brothers and it’s priced at $6700.

Click here for the original listing.

For more stories about great mandolins, banjos, guitars and ukuleles, please subscribe to The Fretboard Journal.