The First Quality Music Blog

Howdy folks.  Just wanted to give everyone a short clip of the new Gibson F-10 Mandolin.   You can check out all the details at the First Quality website.

Have you ever wanted to get a Gibson Mandolin, but wanted a little wider neck?  A little larger frets? Maybe a scooped fingerboard or a pickguard added. For our banjo playing friends maybe a Granda Flying Eagle but in a Tenor or a Plectrum or maybe a Walnut neck instead of  Curly Maple.  Now you can!  Gibson Original Instruments have opened up their Custom Shop and now you can custom spec your favorite Bluegrass Instrument.  Give us a call and let us help you build the instrument of your dreams.   Ask for Jeff or Murrell  at 800.635.2021

We just got in our first shipment of new Jam Master Gibson Mandolins,  all we can say is WOW!  Dave Harvey and Crew down at Gibson Original Instruments have sure done a fine job on these new offerings.  Below is some information on these fine instruments. Check them out on line.

Jam Master Series Standard F-style Mandolin
The new Jam Master Series Standard F-style mandolin descends straight out of Gibson tradition, delivering a fresh new take on one of Gibson’s most popular mandolin lines. Each F-style mandolin is crafted with all the artistry of a world-class mandolin maker, along with a no-nonsense, hard-traveled, but much-loved look that lets these superb instruments sit in at any occasion. Stripped-down appointments offer a simple yet elegant look, while making way for the performance-enhancing elements that players of the Jam Masters Series will certainly appreciate. F-holes remain unbound, there’s no neck or headstock binding, no position markers on the fretboard (side dots only), and no inlay on the peghead, just the timeless Gibson logo decal. All of the notable luthiery features you do find, however, are in the tone and playability departments.

Bigger Frets, New Satin Finish Equals Improved Performance
Each new F-style Jam Master Standard Mandolin features a top carved from solid spruce, trimmed with simple single-ply binding to contrast its classic Gibson Sheraton Brown color with satin lacquer finish. The back and sides are constructed from figured maple, and the figured maple necks are hand-shaped to Gibson’s popular “rounded V” profile, with a 1 3/16″ width at the nut providing enhanced comfort and finger room across the radiused ebony fingerboard. Thirteen of the mandolin’s 20 frets clear the body, and are a little bigger than the traditional frets typically fitted on vintage mandolins – a modification that improves fingering for many players and playing styles, and one that many contemporary players are sure to appreciate. Advanced constructional features include Gibson’s time-tested tone bar bracing, a radiused dovetail neck joint, and a genuine bone nut all help to enhance the instrument’s resonance and projection. An adjustable ebony bridge and nickel Grover tuners round out the package.

Test Drive a Jam Master Mandolin at Your Nearest Gibson Dealer
The first 100 Jam Masters Series F-style mandolins will be signed by Gibson Original Acoustic Instruments’ Master Luthier David Harvey. Every instrument in the series will come in a snug pouch-plentiful padded travel bag, making it ready for the road and easy to haul from site to site. Contact a Gibson Dealer near you, or visit one of the internet dealers, and let the jamming begin.

See all the photos on firstqualitymusic.com

Eric and I were proud to present Harold Priddy of Louisville, Ky with the very first “Old Growth” Mandolin prototype today.  Harold was very excited to be the first one to own this wonderful mandolin.  This original prototype was built by master luthier Dave Harvey ( Gibson Original Instruments ) in Nashville, TN and was put into service on Oct 9th, 2008.  Serial #  81009010. Since that time it has been loaned out to many mandolin players to give it a test drive,  one of our favorite’s was Doyle Lawson of Quick Silver,  Doyle played it for about 4 weeks and even played a show or two with it.  One of Doyle’s comments was it sounded like a cross between one of his original 1926 and 1929 Ferns.  It just sounds old. Harold is anxious to get it out and break it in with his current band Fresh Cut Grass. Harold is a very respected mandolin player here in Louisville and has been playing 30 plus years. We look forward to hearing the mandoin on his new CD, he’s going into the studio on May 8th.  Stay Tuned!  First Quality is working on the 2nd and 3rd prototype currently and welcome anyone who wants to hear an “Old Growth” mandolin. Come on by the shop and give it a test drive.

Nathan Livers stopped by today and checked out our Gibson Old Growth Mandolin prototype. We’ve been working closely with Dave Harvey at Gibson Original Bluegrass to put this mandolin together out of the same factory floor wood that has been so successful in our Sullivan Banjo wood rim and bridges.  The mandolin  just got back from being test driven by Herschel Sizemore, a great mandolin player and a good friend of ours. Rumor has it that our prototype may be featured on a cut or two from his upcoming album. Stay tuned for more information to follow about the exciting mandolin project.

Nathan drop by to get some picks today and roped him in to playing a couple tunes with Murrell Thixton our resident Bluegrass Specialist. Nathan formerly played with James Monroe , Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers and Charlie Lawson & Oak Hill.  He is currently forming a group with Murrell (more on that later!). If you like what you hear, Nathan will be teaching here at First Quality Music in the near future.  Call us at 502-995-5651 ext. 7124 for more information!