After retiring from a career in the electric motor repair industry, John Hutto dedicated himself to lutherie and built fewer than 150 mandolins before he passed away in 2004. Hutto was a lifelong fan of bluegrass and traditional music, and he built instruments designed to capture the full-bodied tone and exceptional projection typically only found in 1920s originals.
This Hutto F-5 Master Model is dated May 13, 1992, and it has the number "74" stamped next to the label, which probably means this is the 74th mandolin Hutto made. In many ways, this Hutto mandolin is an excellent interpretation of the mid-'20s "Fern" F-style template. It features a hand-carved Spruce top that shows fine grain with even separation. The back and sides are gorgeous Flame Maple that show the classic "fiddle back" book match. From there, this F-5 is set up with the right components: three-ply Maple neck with a traditional V profile, 1-1/8" nut width, flat fingerboard, gold tailpiece, gold tuners, and greenheart Abalone block inlays to match the Abalone Fern on the peghead.
Over the years, this F-5 has been played, so it shows finish wear and signs of use all around (see photos). It has been refretted with Evo Gold frets, and the fingerboard extension has been scooped (frets removed and fingerboard lowered) so it won't interfere with your picking. There are some bumps and marks around the edges of the peghead, and the finish on the back of the neck is worn-in so that it feels like an old friend. It had a pickguard at one time, but that has been removed. A previous owner installed a K&K pickup, so it's ready to plug in.
Like fine violins, mandolins need to be played to open up and reach their full tonal potential. As soon as you pick it up, this 1992 Hutto F-5 comes alive with nuanced sound that is seasoned with age. When John Hutto carved the top and back, he voiced this mandolin produce powerful and balanced ton. This F-model has throaty sound will cut through any mix. It is not lacking in bass and mid-range, and it sounds just as good with a lighter touch as it does when you hit with a hard chop.
This 1992 Hutto F-5 Master Model includes a Calton hardshell case that has collected some seriously-cool bluegrass stickers over the years. You can tell by looking at the case that there's a great-sounding mandolin inside.