Sierra Hull with her signature Gibson F-5 Master Model mandolin – photo courtesy of Gibson
Gibson has announced two new Sierra Hull custom signature model F-5 mandolins, a top professional grade Master Model for those who demand the very highest standards, and a similarly-appointed F-5G for more budget-conscious buyers.
Folks in the bluegrass world have known about this talented young woman’s virtuosity since her pre-teen years. She released her first, self-produced album at age 10, and signed with Rounder Records at 13. Sierra waited until she was 16 to tackle a professional career, with her Secrets project on Rounder in 2008.
After finishing high school in middle Tennessee, she attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston on a Presidential Scholarship, and hasn’t slowed down since, touring and recording in her distinctive, bluegrass-adjacent style that features both her stunning instrumental chops and her unique singing voice.
We were able to speak with Sierra about these new mandolins during the summer, and she said that discussions and meetings about this project had been going on for several years leading up to this week’s official unveiling.
“I got a phone call a couple years ago to start talking about this mandolin. They said they were interested in a signature model.
I had been playing my 2009 Master Model almost non-stop since I got it. I had Dave Harvey customize a couple things on the ’09, like a smaller neck – not as small as the Skaggs neck – which for me is more comfortable. I remember playing Ricky’s and thinking, ‘Wow – this is really easy to get around on.’
I also had Dave scallop the fretboard extension.”
So work began on the new Sierra Hull F-5 Master Model based on the customized changes that were on her 2009 mandolin.
“It had occurred to me that I needed a second mandolin, set up like mine. So Gibson scanned mine and got every detail right. We were talking about a signature model already so this was the first step.”
Like all the Master Model F-5s, this new one is made with eastern curly maple back and sides, with a quarter sawn, two-piece figured red spruce top. The body is bound with a white/black/white celluloid nitrate binding, as is the one-piece curly maple neck.
Sierra chose to have it done with a slightly different finish.
“We did it with a matte varnish finish, like my older one. They’ve never done that on a Master Model.
I love the traditional look of an old mandolin. We used a slightly different sunburst, traditional Loar spec nut and fingerboard, double binding, and my signature on the truss rod cover with a little heart over the ‘i’, and a special ‘The Gibson’ tailpiece.”
Everything came together late last year, and she had her first chance to play her signature F-5.
“I got my official prototype in December, and just got to go to Gibson and play a tableful of new mandolins. I am so impressed by the consistency and the detail work – the color and finish – and knowing they are all made by hand here in Nashville. The sound is also consistent from one to the other.”
The Sierra Hull F-5 Master Model ships in a Loar-style, rectangular, green plush case, with a few extras.
“They come with some case candy: a new strap copying mine, a custom Blue chip pick, a sticker, and a letter of authenticity.”
Her signature Master Model sells for $19,999. The F-5G, while made with fine hardwoods, doesn’t use the very choicest wood as does the Master Model, and sells for $8,499. The G also has Grover tuners rather than the Waverly tuners as on the Master Model.
Sierra created this brief video with Gibson to introduce her new mandolin, and how much she loves playing it.
The various specs and a great many photos can be seen on the Gibson web site.
Sierra will be performing, meeting visitors, and signing autographs at The Gibson Garage in Nashville on October 16 at 11:00 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early as space is limited.
