Gibson Honors Sierra Hull with Signature Gibson Mandolin

Gibson has shaped the sound of music since 1894, when Orville Gibson first designed and built mandolins in his workshop. 130 years on, the groundbreaking and forward-thinking carved top design that revolutionized the mandolin and guitar world, delivering a louder, more durable, more playable instrument, remains the DNA of every Gibson.

To honor this journey, Gibson is proud to celebrate the groundbreaking two-time GRAMMY®-nominated mandolin virtuoso, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Sierra Hull, who is now the first-ever female artist to have a signature Gibson mandolin. On October 7, Gibson will debut the Sierra Hull F-5 Master Model and the Sierra Hull F-5G mandolins worldwide. Both mandolins will arrive in a Sierra Burst VOS Varnish finish and come with unique case candy in a package worthy of this trailblazing artist who has taken the mandolin and bluegrass communities by storm.

“We spent about two years talking and dreaming about what this mandolin would become,” says Hull. “The exciting thing for me is that the mandolin that I have played exclusively since 2009 was signed by Master Luthier David Harvey. It’s become my voice after so many years of playing it. Being able to work on this project with David personally gave me the confidence that we’d be able to achieve something unique, while still honoring the legacy and history of those beloved Master Model mandolins. It’s exciting and full circle to see these new mandolins with my name on them and his signature inside.

“When I finally played the prototype for the first time, I knew these instruments would be something that I could be proud of. They are hand-built with the highest level of quality by the team at Gibson—many folks who have worked there for years. Mandolins can also be very expensive. They take a lot of time and care to build right. If I’m going to put my name on something with that kind of price tag, it needs to be a great instrument and something long-lasting. I truly believe these mandolins are, and I’m really proud of that.”

“Sierra Hull is one of the most gifted mandolin players and singer-songwriters of our time,” says Mat Koehler, Vice President of Product at Gibson. “She has redefined what’s possible on the mandolin and across the many genres she explores. Her signature models reflect her passion for the instrument and her uncompromising approach to tone and feel. Each one is built with pride, authenticity, and soul at the Gibson Custom Shop, and we’re honored to have worked with Sierra to bring them to life.”

"Sierra's music transcends traditional bluegrass - she strikes a beautiful balance between old-time sounds and contemporary Americana, pioneering and shaping the sound of modern acoustic music and inspiring a whole new generation of music lovers,” adds Codey Allen, Gibson Cultural Influence-North America. “Sierra has inspired all of us at Gibson, and it has been a joy to share the creative process with her. She has poured so much time, love, and attention into every detail of her signature mandolins, and we are grateful to share in this celebration of her art."

Explore the current Gibson mandolins HERE, as well as the Epiphone Bluegrass Collection HERE.

Sierra Hull - "Lord, That's A Long Way" 

“This was the first time I’ve gotten to see the process of building mandolins up close and personal, which has been such a beautiful and fun thing to witness,” continues Hull. “To see a mandolin go from simply a piece of wood to the final product of an amazing instrument is kind of mind-blowing. I’ve never been one to know a lot about the ins and outs of wood types, or real specs of instruments, but I am really connected to what I feel and hear from an instrument—even if I don’t always have the language to discuss it. I’ve learned, and continue to learn, a lot about this tiny instrument I love so much through this process. It’s been so fun.”

Currently nominated for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Female Vocalist of the Year” and “Mandolin Player of the Year,” Sierra is also the only woman to have been nominated for, let alone win, six International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) “Mandolin Player of the Year” awards, Sierra Hull is world-renowned for her exceptional technical proficiency and genre-bending musical style. Sierra started playing mandolin at age eight, and by age 10, made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Her fusion of bluegrass, Americana, folk, jazz, and modern progressive acoustic music attracted the attention of other highly skilled bluegrass musicians, and she has collaborated with and received accolades from Eric Clapton, Dolly Parton, Brandi Carlile, Cory Wong, Billy Strings, Dave Matthews, Bill Kreutzmann, Sturgill, Simpson Gillian Welch, Béla Fleck, and Alison Krauss. Hailing from Byrdstown, Tennessee, Hull’s innovative sound is deeply rooted in bluegrass yet continually pushes boundaries.