Bill Monroe's mandolin

John Steele (deceased) · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

I've seen many pictures over the years of Bill Monroe playing a weathered Gibson mandolin, and always noticed that the Gibson name was very crudely hacked out of the peghead.
Having heard of Mr. Monroe's stern personality, I figured there was probably a good story behind that chiselled-out peghead. Anybody know it ??
-John

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

John,

That ain't just any mandolin you're talkin' about, that's Bill Monroe's Gibson Lloyd Loar F-5 and it's one legendary blue-sounding little horn. There are at least three explanations circulating around out there as to why the headstock only says "The", one of which is that the "Gibson" inlay simply fell out some 60-odd years ago but Bill's mandolin became so famous that to replace the inlay would be sacriledge. I'll leave the other two stories to the bluegrassers, who can certainly tell 'em more accurately than I can. Suffice it to say that Mr. Monroe was truly a one-of-a-kind fellow. Did you hear Ricky Skaggs' comments about him tonight on NPR? Pretty good stuff.

Tim R.

Steve Frost · From: Scarborough,Maine

I heard that Monroe was irate at the Gibson company for some reason and pried the name out with a pen knife. Many years later he and the company made peace, and the inlay and broken peghead scroll were restored. I think I have the article in an old Frets magazine.

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

I remember reading the article on Frets about restoring project after somebody broke into Monroe's house and smashed that particular mandolin into pieces. It's been years, but I still have the magazine somewhere. If I remember, I'll try to find it tonight and give you more details.

Larry Chung · From: San Francisco, CA, USA

yeah, I've read the same Frets article, and I've also read in a few other places about the inlay. If I recall, Bill Monroe had asked the Gibson folks to repair the broken scroll on his F-5; it took them a good long while to do this repair, and to his chagrin, they had refinished the mandolin - bad, very bad.

So he proceeded to scratch out the name (and therefore, the manufacturer and any marketing and sales pitches) off of the headstock.

You go, Bill.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Hi John,
Bill purchased that mandolin in a barbershop in the 40s for $150.

There's two types of damage being discussed here.

First, Bill inflected cosmetic damage to it with a pen knife. He had some dispute with Gibson. He then gouged out the Gibson name on the headstock.

In the 70s Gibson made peace with him and restored the mandolin. This was the subject of the FRETS article.

In the 80s the same mandolin was badly damaged as it hung on his wall by a breakin thug with a blunt object. My sources say it was due to a personal dispute with a woman. I don't know if that was ever proved. It was again restored.

Here's a story aboout it's current ownership: http://www.thepressoffice.net/releases/nr26.htm

-j0ey-

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 18 February 2002 at 06:55 PM.]

John Steele (deceased) · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

Thanks guys... you're a mine of interesting info!
-John

Fred Murphy · From: Indianapolis, In. USA

Bill discussed this incident on the old Nashville Now show, in an interview with Ralph Emory. He stated that he sent the madolin back to the Gibson Factory for some repair to the neck. They thought they would suprise him and completely restored it to like new condition. He was very irate with them because he liked it with the worn appearance and so he took a knife and gouged out the Gibson name and put some scracthes back on the body.

[This message was edited by Fred Murphy on 19 February 2002 at 10:50 AM.]

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: