IV vs. Stew Mac Kits

[the_guitar_guru]

I know that the IV F-5 kits are a lot cheaper then Stew Mac kits; is there a difference in the quality between the two? Does one make a nicer instrument in the end over the other? I want to start with the best quality parts.

As far as my tools and abilities I have a well equiped shop; I design and fabricate custom trade show exhibits and one of a kind items. I have everything from drill presses, Delta Unisaw, Delta X5 Joiner, 6" x 89" Grizzly Belt Sander, Delta dust collector, 3-1/4hp Freud router, router table built into the Unisaw table, Delta 12-1/2" planer, 22/44 drum sander and a wealth of handtools. I have done acoustic and electric guitars but never a mandolin.

Any advice and opinions are appreciated.

[thistle3585]

My original idea was to sell my pacrim mando and buy a kit. So, I have compared the two kits, and Siminoff's as well, and initially thought that I'd rather spend the extra $145 for a StewMac kit. I really like my A style from IV, but I think you get more bang for your buck from StewMac. I think you get better quality, and better looking wood. I know hardware is extra in the StewMac kit, but I'd replace the IV kit hardware anyway. If the flamed back version was $50-$60 less then I might spring for it.
I have about the same shop setup as yourself, and finally decided on just building from scratch. Over the last year, I have accumulated luthier specific tools and have been building molds and jigs etc, as well as breaking myself in by building electrics.

[Mark Franzke]

The Stew Mac offers more flexibility with design, but requires more work. The wood is nicely flamed and everything is precision cut. It also has an ebony fingerboard and overlay.

[violin2233]

No one has the F5 kit From IV to actually compare yet so it would be unfair to give an answer this early in the IV F5 mandolin game. There is alot less work to do and accessories have been upgraded as far as the bridge, nut and strings on the IV kit. There is no doubt that both kits have their own nitch in the market though.
There have been a good number of kits shipped and honest answers will shared among the cafe's members but these kits have not reached them yet.

[the_guitar_guru]

I noticed IV is offering an F-4 kit which is really an F-5 with an Oval Hole; at least that is how I understand it. Does that mean I would have the 15th fret neck joint of an F-5? How does this effect the bridge placement in relation to the oval hole? I have been told that an oval hole mandolin with a 15th fret neck joint can't be done.

Educate Me!!!

[Mando Gil]

I hopoe I am not wrong here - I believe that the distance from the nut to the 12th fret should be the same as the distances from the 12th fret to the bridge. I am certain I have seen this on oval hole mandos w/ the longer neck.

[Bill Snyder]

... Does that mean I would have the 15th fret neck joint of an F-5? .....I have been told that an oval hole mandolin with a 15th fret neck joint can't be done.

Educate Me!!!
If I am not mistaken several builders in the last few years have built oval hole mandolins with 15th fret neck joints. It might not really be accurate to refer to them as F-4's though.

[GeoMandoAlex]

... Does that mean I would have the 15th fret neck joint of an F-5? .....I have been told that an oval hole mandolin with a 15th fret neck joint can't be done.

Educate Me!!!
If I am not mistaken several builders in the last few years have built oval hole mandolins with 15th fret neck joints. It might not really be accurate to refer to them as F-4's though.
I've heard them refered to as a F-4 conversion or F-4/5 or F-4 hybrid.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Do the IV F4 kits come with soundhole rosettes?

[pelone]

Just posted on the othe IV themed thread. When I spoke with Ken to order the "mando in the white" I wanted to explore how simple the process would be to simply order an in the raw mando, add clear finish and play. Just finished the final coat of finish, will allow to cure. I have already ordered Grover tuners an Allen tailpiece and a mother of pearl nut blank from Stew-Mac. I plan on using JM-11's ( I really dig these strings). I was very pleased with the mando upon opening the well packed box. The binding looks great and all I have done is a bit of sanding and work on the recurve on top and back. Will post pictures when complete.

[Kevin K]

pelone,
Do you have pictures of your kit mandolin?

[pelone]

Kevin---I am waiting for my tech support ( my son is away at college) and I will post some pictures soon. I have had the mando strung up and have been playing it hard. I did not like the initial tone so I stripped the strings off and began recurving the top and back. I used a broken bottle glass shard to scrape and increase the recurve and was very satisfied on how it resulted in a far better sound quality and sustain. I did not want to take it too far and have a resultant "chubby" bass side but was still able to get a pleasing look. I will get the pictures posted in the near future.

Pelone

[buddyellis]

Here is a Link (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=37711) to my kit, which was one of the early prototypes (the non-flamed one) With these kits, the top and sides are 'together' but there is some tuning/shaping to be done to the top, as well as the tone bars need attaching. The back is roughed out, but alot of carving left to do. The neck is near complete, some heavy sanding required. The kit I got had the standard IV kit celluloid binding (thin white), although from what I understand the unflamed kit actually comes with a more correct WBW binding or something -- again, I had a prototype. I am about to order 2 (one of each probably -- flamed and unflamed) more of these, and will let you know.

-b

[buddyellis]

Here is a link (http://picasaweb.google.com/bassdude/IVF5) to the kit contents and some building photos for my prototype, too.

[Usonian]

Pardon my ignorance, but I've never heard of IV kits before - do they have a web site? Thanks!

-Andy

[Antlurz]

International Violin. IE: IV.

http://www.internationalviolin.com/

Ron

[Bill Snyder]

Pardon my ignorance, but I've never heard of IV kits before - do they have a web site? #Thanks!

-Andy
There have been thread after thread here in the Builder/Repair section of the Cafe about the IV kits. Several pictures in the Post a Picture section as well.
Do a search and you can read up on them.

[Stephanie Reiser]

I once assembled a S-M kit for my cousin, and I thought it was of a good quality. I do think though that without previous luthiery experience it is pretty easy to throw away whatever the cost was. (I think he said $500). I have a friend who is building an IV A-model, and I dont know if she ever finished it. But from what I can gather, quite a bit more of the work is already done for you. And the parts and wood is of a somewhat lower quality. But these are just my impressions, never having seen one. However, the IV kit's niche in the market place seems to be as a price point. A really really inexpensive way to get a solid wood mandolin, with a minimum of work. And from what I gather from the Cafe message board, ALL of the owner/builders are very pleased. If I were someone who eventually wanted to pursue mandolin-building, I would either choose the S-M kit or Siminoff kit, or scratch build. Simply due to more of the process involved. I think the downside of the S-M kit is that the peghead is not very close in size to the Gibson/Loar pegheads. Other than that I was quite impressed with the S-M. I have posted two S-M kits, the one on right is one I built for my cousin, and the one on left that I did a neckset on.