Gibson H5 Mandola Lloyd Loar signed (October 7, 1924)

Holy time capsule! Even by Loar standards, the H5 is in rare company, one of only twenty or so mandolas to have been signed by Lloyd Loar. More than merely a collector's item, though, this is a phenomenally great sounding instrument, one that may have you rethinking your commitments to the mandolin. As you can hear in Ethan's video demo, it sounds massive! Dry and reverb-drenched all at once, with days-long sustain, substantial air around the noters, commanding a glorious sense of space. Playability is surprisingly easy, the setup streamlined and beautifully dialed in, ready for studio, (really, really, really nice) stage, or more intimate playing occasions.

A special, historically significant instrument to behold, and one of the more inspiring mandolin-family instruments we have ever encountered.

Special thanks to Ethan Setiawan for his ever-toneful, super tasteful playing!