This 1912 Gibson F-4 represents one of the landmark designs from the early years of American mandolin building. Finished with the striking black top that distinguished Gibson's highest-grade mandolins of the period, it features the elegant scroll body, bound soundhole, and ornate appointments that helped establish the F-4 as the company's flagship model. Built during the tenure of Gibson's first generation of craftsmen in Kalamazoo, it comes from an era when the mandolin remained a central instrument in American musical life.
More than a century later, this example shows the signs of both wear an maintenance. The headstock scroll was broken and professionally repaired at some point in its history, and the treble-side binding has been replaced up to the seventh fret. Additionally, our in-house repair team reglued several of its loose braces. Cosmetic wear includes noticeable pick wear. Early F-4 mandolins occupy a special place in Gibson history, and this 1912 example stands as a reminder of the company's formative years and the enduring appeal of its carved-top mandolin designs.
Includes OHSC.
