1924 Gibson H-5 mandola

Although the Gibson F-5 Mmandolins of 1922-24 are legendary for their role in bluegrass music, Gibson acoustic engineer Lloyd Loar did not have Bill Monroe or any other bluegrasser in mind when he designed the Master Model family of instruments. The key word is family - and which included the mandola, the mandocello and the guitar.

In terms of quality, sound and design improvement, Loar's H-5 Master Model mandola has the same relationship to oval-hole mandolas as the F-5 does to oval-hole mandolins, except that Loar signed far fewer H-5s than F-5s.

This H-5 (inv#MF7396), signed by Loar on March 31, 1924, has exceptionally fine sound and is one of the few Loar H-5s made without a Virzi. It was formerly owned and used by Herman Von Bernewitz, director of the Takoma Mandoleers (founded in 1923 in the Takoma Park, MD, and still in existence). With its original hard case it is offered at $95,000.

This instrument is SOLD

For further enjoyment...

Close of body
Pickguard
Tailpiece
Headstock
Back of headstock
Full back view
Back of bdoy
Case