Is is worth the extra money for the F9(Gibby) oppossed to the “similar” Eastman ( or other similar brand) Like a 5 series or 6 series. I’m a guitar player and understand the difference in quality between a Gibson Les Paul ( American made) and an Epiphone Les Paul
(Made overseas ). The Epi is a great instrument for the money, But the Gibson.....well its a gibson....Its awsome you get what you pay for.  I have a cheap manolin right now I want to buy a good one and keep it forever. I’ll probably have to buy thru the mail. There’s no where around me to go to play a couple of Gibsons and Eastmans and compare. Any advice would be great… Thanks

Ok how bout I put it like this.... Would you all buy a Overseas, good, Mando for about 1500$+/- and save the rest of your money for cold beer and fast women. Or forego the debauchery and drop about 3300$ on the F9 Gibby?

If you have the money to spare,I’m sure it would be worthwhile to spend the extra for the Gibson. If nothing else, your later resale value would probably be higher.

I appreciate the input. I thought that would be the case. Ironically it’s the resale value of a Gibson Les Paul ( & amp.....gulp!).  That will allow a chump like me to even consider being able to buy a Gibson mando.

Nice thing about guitars, huh!

Besides, from what I’ve heard, the Eastman won’t sound anywhere near as good as the Gibson.

Well that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to get rid of some gear and get that F9. A nice electric guitar and nice amp costs about as much as the F9, so I see it as a trade off.  Although the F9 is much lighter and easier to carry around( ha). Honestly...this might sound corny but I haven’t been as excited about playing music since I was a kid trying to sound Like Jimmy Page on the guitar. Except now it’s a Manolin and Monroe or Bobby Osbourne instead of Jimmy. For the life of me I can’t figure out what the heck Bobby is doing on forked deer. I’ve got some tabs and I can get the notes...up\down stroke ( hard pick ) and I can play it fast ...but I can’t come close to the rthym or the swing he has. Never mind the tone or fluidity.....whoa momma! Thats the stuff that makes this little instrument “rock” \m/ (><) \m/ Zoso!
Any input on Forked Deer is welcome.

I should stipulate that I only know the first 3 bars http:

I cannot speak to the F9, but I have an Eastman 815 and a 1932 Gibson A4.  I am now looking out for a Gibson F4 or F5 (if I can get one). Need I say more?

The F9 is around three +\- grand, can you touch a F4 or F5 without giving up 5 grand? ( or much more).

5 grand translated into English money (which is where I am) becomes just about affordable. Besides, I am of an age when I would rather think about leaving behind a collection of good mandolins than money that people would only spend on useless stuff, like food or drink.

Over here you can get a F-5G for around 4600.00$. ( as far as I am aware)I’m from the south and all my friends either have a boat or a fourwheel drive truck etc. I drive a little Toyota thats paid for. I don’t have a boat or a fourwheel drive. I’d rather have a nice instrument that I can enjoy everyday. The resale value will be better for my mando than their boats and trucks anyway. So when I die I can leave my mando to my son. Then he can sell it and by a boat....

Where is the F9 made? My Eastman was made in China for the Eastman Company of the US and it plays very well indeed (until you compare it to the Gibson).  Over here Czech instruments are becoming highly prized and I confess that when I bought the Gibson A4 it was a close run thing between it and a Czech built mandolin (and indeed a 1935 Gibson Banjo, but since my banjo playing is very much taking a back seat to my Mandolin, that was not too closely in contention.)

I see Musician’s Friend are offering the F9 at 2999 USD and Janet Davis for 3400 USD.  Am I being too old fashioned if I say that for that money I would want something made in the US (or in the UK). The banjo I am playing in the picture was made in Bristol, by a luthier called Phil Davidson and I have yet to come across better made instruments than his and that includes the 1935 Gibson banjo that I was tempted to buy instead of my Gibson A4.

I’m pretty sure that the F9 ( along with all Gibson mandos) are made in Nashville USA. Gibson’s overseas brand is Epiphone ( this is true for guitars anyway). If I’m wrong maybe one of the guys on this site can chime in. When I first got into the mandolin I was blown away by the costs of a well made, American made mando.  Whatta ya goin to do? I’ve read on this site and others that there are some real good individual luthiers that make real good instruments here in the states, Just like your man who made your banjo over there. But there’s usually a waiting list and I think the cost is probably about the same as an equitable Gibson). Once again there are some cats on this site who know far more about individual builders (and such) than me, maybe they’ll chime in.  I love Gibson because of my experience with their guitars.  Tally ho
ZOSO

Well first off I am going to fix my signature!  I thought of getting Phil Davidson to make me a mandolin which would cost maybe 5000 USD for an F5 style, (for which I might get a Gibson).  My preference would be to get a Gibson F4 or F5 (style). I just missed an F12 going here for a sensible price.  I visit the US on business once or twice every couple of years so I tend to drift into music store to see what they have hanging on the walls.

I’ll try to address some of the queries.
An oval hole F model (2 or 4) is going to run somewhere above 3000 dollars in the US, more likely 5 & up. They haven’t been made for about 60 years, & are real gems.
All new Gibson’s are made in Nashville; in the 80’s & 90’s many were made in Montana, after Gibson bought out Flatiron, which it is said they’re about to use on an Asian import brand, as they have done with the once competitive & formerly prestigious Epiphone brand.

There are many builders who will make an instrument that will compare favorably. or better, to a Gibson for about the same money or a little less, a few for substantially less, & the top few for More (Monteleone, Gilchrist, Nugget, or Dudenbostel, for instance, will run 25,000 or more, slightly more than Gibson’s DMM top of the line).

The F9 seems to be a great buy, & should be right around 2900 to just over 3000 in the US.