Gibson Unveils 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue and F-5G Mandolins

Features of the 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue include a hand-selected red spruce top, a highly figured maple back, an authentic varnished Cremona Brown finish, and silver-plated hardware. Despite the cutting-edge technology employed in the scanning process, building these instruments is a labor of love for the luthiers of Gibson Custom Shop, and most of the work is carried out by hand.

“It’s a lot of handwork,” says David Harvey, Gibson Custom Master Luthier and mandolin virtuoso. “It’s passionate people who want to do a great job to recreate something, and it is a piece of art—it’s functional art. It’s a beautiful instrument from top to bottom. We’re not copying, we’re recreating.”

Above: The F-5G Mandolin from Gibson Custom Shop.

Orville Gibson invented the modern mandolin, and Gibson Master Luthier Lloyd Loar perfected it with the invention of the Gibson F-5 mandolin over 100 years ago. Enter the new 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue, an exacting clone of the priceless originals that only Gibson Custom Shop could create. Every contour and spec are incorporated thanks to scientific analysis, 3D scanning of original models, and detailed production notes from Lloyd Loar himself found in the Gibson archives. The talented artisans of Gibson Custom Shop meticulously construct and refine each mandolin contour until it is a perfect representation, not only in looks but also in sound and feel. Features include a hand-selected red spruce top and highly figured maple back, an authentic varnished Cremona Brown finish, silver-plated hardware, a replica hardshell case, and an assortment of vintage-inspired case candy is included in the package.

A Modern Collection version of Gibson’s iconic F-5 mandolin design and setting the industry standard for today’s mandolin players, the F-5G revisits the iconic F-5 designthrough a modern lens. Finished in Dark Burst gloss nitrocellulose lacquer, the F-5G’s contours and construction have been refreshed for optimal acoustic response. The neck and body are made from figured red maple and are coupled with a Sitka spruce top. Player-friendly specifications include an unbound ebony fingerboard with a 14-degree radius, no pickguard, and a short fingerboard extension.

Both the Gibson 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue and F-5G mandolins come complete with a hardshell case and are available to buy now via Gibson.com. The 1923 F-5 Master Model Reissue also features an assortment of vintage-inspired case candy.