Comparing F5s, A5s, and F4s
Some basic differences and some basic similarities:
Body: The F5 and F4 have virtually the same body shape. The fretboard on the F4 is attached directly to a raised portion of the soundboard which causes the part of the soundboard that is nearest to the neck to be thicker. That thickness causes that part of the F4's soundboard to be somewhat constrained, and virtually non-functional. The fretboard on the F5 floats above the soundboard on a "fretboard extender" and the soundboard beneath it is thin and graduated (just like the other areas of the soundboard) providing more functional soundboard area. The obvious difference between the F5 and F4 is that the F5 (and A5) has two violin-style f-holes whereas the F4 has a single oval soundhole. Less apparent is that the F5 (and A5) features two longitudinal tone bars (that are asymmetrically positioned) and the F4 features one horizontal cross brace and no tone bars. (Tone bars of the F5 serve to tune the stiffness of the soundboard compared to the F4's brace that provides strength across the grain in the area just below the oval soundhole.) The A5 that Loar developed and signed has a body that is 3/4" longer than both the F5 and F4. The A5's body is extended towards the tailpiece which gives the appearance that the f-holes are slightly closer to the neck. The A5's f-holes are about 6% smaller in area than those of the F5 and the soundboard is about 8% larger in area than that of the F5. Both of these serve to lower the resonant frequency of the instrument's body in what appears to be an effort to improve the A5's bass response. (It should be noted that there are several A5 body designs that have been developed over the years and most have f-holes that are similar in size and location to those of the F5. Loar's A5 had a different body shape and different f-hole positioning than those of later A5 designs.)
Pegheads: The F5 has the alignment of it's tuning pegs tapered inwards while the F4 has a slightly wider peghead with the alignment of its tuning pegs tapered outwards. The A5 has a tapered ("snake") peghead design and used machines with in-line buttons. The machines for the F5 and F4 were "staggered" where each of the posts holding the knobs were of different length. The scroll of the F4 peghead is also extended outward a bit more than the scroll on the F5. The nut-end of the F4 peghead was also a bit wider than the F5's peghead due to its connection to the slightly wider fretboard of the F4.
Tone/amplitude (loudness): Generally speaking, the oval hole instruments (F4s and other oval-hole A models) had a warm, full, rich tone with moderate amplitude and reasonable, but not excellent treble response. The F5, especially those fitted with Virzi Tone Producers, had very good balance from the lowest G (open) to the highest fret positions on the E string. The arched soundboard with centered bridge and f-hole apertures offered greater soundboard flexibility that genereated comparitively excellent amplitude. The Loar-signed A5 (speaking specifically of that model and not of other A5 designs) had many similarities to Loar's 10-string mando-viola and it appears from the developments of the Loar-signed A5 that he was attempting to a deliver similar rich, deep, tonality to an instrument with mandolin voicing. Of particular interest was the slightly larger soundboard and the smaller f-holes of the A5 (compared to the F5) which give this instrument its deep dark tone.
Cosmetics: Both the F5 and A5 were finished in the deep Cremona brown/black and were bound with white./black/white binding. Although some deviations have been noted, the F4s were typically finished in a red-ish sunburst. According to the period, the original F5s were inlaid with either "fern" or "flowerpot" inlay. The earliest F4s were inlaid with a full flowerpot until the truss rod was announced in 1918, at which time the shorter flowerpot was utilized to enable the truss rod cover to fit below it. The Loar-signed A5 had a "fluer de lis" inlay. (For a photo of the Loar-signed A5, see Loar's Contributions)
Fretboards: The F5, F4, and A5 mandolins all featured ebony fretboards and a 13-15/16" string scale. Both the F5 and A5 had a fretboard that joined the body at the 15th fret whereas the fretboard on the F4 joined the body at the 12th fret. The fretboards on the F5 and A5 were comparitvely narrow and the fretboard on the F4 was about 1/8" wider. (This also enabled the necks on the F5 and A5 to have a thinner shape than the neck of the F4.)
Neck and peghead pitch: Both the F5 and A5 have a 7° neck pitch and a 12° peghead pitch (peghead-to-fretboard). The F4 has a 4° neck pitch and a 17° peghead pitch.
Click here to see a comparison of: F5 kit components or here for A5 kit components or here for F4 kit components.
Return to previous Kit page
Click here to return to Siminoff Banjo and Mandolin directory page
Click here for Order Form or here for our Online Store Mandolin Kits
© Copyright 2007 Roger Siminoff, Arroyo Grande, CA., U.S.A. Reproduction or use in whole or in part is prohibited and protected by US Copyright and Trademark law and use is only allowed by written permission of Roger H. Siminoff.