1906 Gibson F-2 Mandolin

Mandolin design is really where it all began with Gibson instruments, with the electric and acoustic instruments that we are all too aware of today being built on the back of Orville Gibson’s revolutionary Mandolin designs of the late 19th and very early 20th century. Upon founding the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Co. in 1902, the ‘F’ and ‘A’ style Mandolin would become the companies two flagship instruments, based around the carved top, flatback design that separated Gibson Mandolins from the rest of the heard. This 1908 Gibson F2 Mandolin is a fantastic, player grade example of an early Orville era ‘F’ style Mandolin.

This 1908 Gibson F2 Mandolin is a very early example of one of the most recognisable Mandolins manufactured by Gibson, featuring a carved to with black stain finish and what appears to be Walnut back and sides, with the 3 point & scroll body design found on these early examples. This F2 features ‘The Gibson’ inlaid headstock logo and similarly engraved ‘pineapple’ tailpiece, along with deluxe inlaid Handel tuning machines and the inlaid tortoiseshell and mother of pearl pickguard that makes these ‘F’ style models so distinctive, before the introduction of the elevated pickgaurd.