A bluegrasser's dream machine, this Duff is dry, loud as all get out, and has a great, fast playing neck. With upgraded, top-shelf hardware, this Duff is primed and ready for the festival stage.

Why We Love This

This striking F-5 from Paul Duff is approaching 30 years young, but looks—and sounds—like it could have come right out of the 1920s. Dry as a bone, with serious volume on tap, this is, indeed, an ideal mandolin for bluegrass, or for any other style that demands power and audibility in the mix. It never ceases to amaze us the variety of sounds mandolin makers can coax from the classic, scroll-F body. For those looking for that traditional, high lonesome sound, this is a great one.

As you can see, this instrument has been played hard, and sounds the part. Aside from the obvious playwear to the top, the instrument is in very good overall condition, with some notable improvements: It has been refretted with EVO wire, outfitted with a new bridge saddle, and is playing very nicely. The Waverly tuners and James tailpiece are also upgrades from the original hardware, rendering this very much a move-in-ready mandolin!

Please note: used instruments are, well, used. We pride ourselves on thoroughly vetting, and carefully photographing, each pre-owned instrument we sell, but many of them carry subtle signs of handling that can escape even the most discerning eye. If you have questions about the condition of this instrument, we invite you to call us for an in-hand description. We're here to help!