In Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1923, Checker Cabs first arrived on the city's streets, and Lloyd Loar completed this F-5 Master Model mandolin. Signed July 9th, this model was made during Loar's last two years at Gibson. This historic mandolin features a carved spruce top with figured maple sides, back, and neck, beautifully paired with an ebony fingerboard and adjustable bridge. It comes equipped with four-on-a-plate tuners with pearl buttons, original "The Gibson" stamped tailpiece, and a raised pickguard. Pearl dots adorn the fingerboard, perfectly complementing the multi-ply purfling and binding. The methods refined by Loar during this era persist to this day, establishing the industry standards for the F-model mandolin. Early, influential features on this piece include a tuned soundboard, parallel tone-bar bracing, dual F-holes, and an adjustable truss rod, all finished in a stunning Cremona sunburst. A Calton hardshell case and Small Dog case cover are included. Gibson and those same Checker Cabs shuttered their Kalamazoo factories in 1982—59 years after this mandolin was made. Now, 103 years later, this legendary F-5 has returned home to Michigan, available on consignment for your enjoyment at Elderly Instruments.