When luthier, musician, and acoustic engineer Lloyd Loar designed the F-5 mandolin in 1922 while he was working for Gibson, he came up with an instrument that is still universally considered to be the pinnacle in the evolution of the mandolin. Loar left Gibson in late 1924, and the F-5s that he personally signed and dated between 1922 and 1924 are among the most valuable fretted instruments today, appealing to players and collectors alike. (228 Loars are documented to still exist, out of around 350 that were originally made.) Peghead Nation instructor John Reischman is closely associated with a 1924 Gibson F-5 that he’s been playing for more than 30 years (check out his demo of the instrument), so when we learned that Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon, California, had a 1923 Loar-signed F-5, we arranged for John to check it out while he was in the area to shoot lessons for his Peghead Nation Old-Time Mandolin course.
Signed on June 13, 1923, this Gibson F-5 is from the middle period of the Loar era, before Loar’s Virzi Tone-Producer was frequently added to the instrument, and it has a lighter sunburst than some later models, including John’s 1924 instrument. The mandolin appears to be completely original and is in remarkable condition, with a few scratches, yellowed binding, and a tarnished tailpiece being the only signs of its age.
John didn’t play the instrument prior to shooting this video, which documents him discovering the instrument, playing a variety of tunes, and commenting on its condition, tone, and playability. “It has a nice bottom-end, and very clear top-end,” he says. “It’s a great mandolin, a lot of fun to play!”
To learn mandolin from John Reischman, enroll in his Melodic Mandolin Tunes or his new Old-Time Mandolin course.
![]() |
John Reischman’s 1924 Gibson F-5Mandolin virtuoso discusses and demonstrates his legendary Lloyd Loar mandolin in this Fretboard Journal video. Read More |
![]() |
1928 Gibson F-5 Master Model “Fern”A beautiful post–Lloyd Loar era F-5 mandolin. Read More |
![]() |
1949 Gibson L-5NPeghead Nation instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates the guitar he uses in his new Western Swing Guitar course. Read More |
![]() |
1921 Gibson A-4Peghead Nation’s Irish Backup Guitar instructor Flynn Cohen demonstrates his vintage mandolin. Read More |
![]() |
1927 Gibson Style 5 DeluxeBill Evans demonstrates a classic Gibson banjo. Read More |
![]() |
1914 Gibson H-1 Mandola Demo and Mini-LessonPeghead Nation Irish Mandolin instructor Marla Fibish demonstrates her vintage mandola and talks about her preferred tuning and some of the techniques and chord voicings she uses. Read More |
![]() |
1930 Gibson Master Model L-5Peghead Nation’s Roots of Jazz Guitar instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates his main guitar. Read More |
![]() |
1930 Gibson L-5 GuitarPeghead Nation’s new Roots of Jazz Guitar instructor Matt Munisteri demonstrates one of his two 1930 Gibson L-5 guitars. Read More |
![]() |
1907 Vega Whyte Laydie # 7Peghead Nation instructor Bill Evans demonstrates an iconic vintage banjo. Read More |
![]() |
1931 Gibson RB-1Bill Evans demonstrates the vintage instrument known as the “Grace Attfield Banjo.” Read More |