Quilted Back Mando Owners!

[Lane Pryce]

How would you rate the tone and volume of your mandolin in an acoustic setting? I have pulled the trigger on a quilted back mandolin with a red spruce top and want to make sure I am not cheating myself in the volume department. Given that quilted maple is a tad softer due to the way is has to be cut would I not get more volume going with a harder quarter sawn figured maple? Help me out here ---- Lp

[Gail Hester]

I’ve built two instruments with quilted maple, an H5 mandola and an F5 (Engelmann top). I’m very proud of both and my husband has claimed them and in spite of having a nice collection of very nice mandolins, the quilted F5 is his number one. It is very loud tends to draw an inquiring crowd wherever he plays. As always, the particular piece of wood is more important than the type and a bad sounding plate no matter what type of wood should never be part of an instrument. Trust your builder and enjoy your new mandolin.

[Russ Jordan]

Lane,

You should be able to answer that yourself! That Anderson A model I had at MerleFest had a quilted back.

[Lane Pryce]

Thanks folks!!! Russ that was a great little mandolin. Lp

[Ken Berner]

I own a '93 Flatiron A5 Artist (Carlson) with quilted sides and back, which is quite loud and has served as my main jam axe. The sound just jumps out of it and has a thunderous chop. The tone is rich, without being sweet or too warm. This mandolin will be offered for sale soon on this web site; look for it.