My custom eastman 5056

[Chaser]

I broke out my Dremel this morning, wanting to see if I could have the best of both worlds. #What do you all think? #Considering I did it freehand, I don't think it's too bad... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

I've dubbed her the Eastman 5056.

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/10/30216111525.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3850473)

[Chaser]

That came out smaller than I intended! Here's a direct link for a higher quality photo:

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3850473

[Jim Broyles]

Seems to me it would be quieter now. Right?

[JEStanek]

Hows it sound? IS the image a photoshopped one or a real one? The holes look fuzzier than the top?

Jamie

[gschmidt]

I'm all in.



What attachment did you use on the dremel?

[JasonN]

Hmmm,


I'm by no means knowledgeable about these sort of things but isn't the top of a mandolin carefully tap tuned to a particular register? If so wouldn't the removal of that wood change not only the volume of the instrument but also change the register/key that the top was tuned in?

It's certainly eye catching at any rate.

[good_ol_al_61]

This seems to be a little beyond Mandovoodoo™.

I'd be interested is reading Steve's comments on this one.

[Bill Snyder]

I'm by no means knowledgeable about these sort of things but isn't the top of a mandolin carefully tap tuned to a particular register?
Jason if you do some reading over in the building section you will find that many of the luthiers do NOT use tap tuning but rather other methods of deciding when to stop carving.


BTW Chaser I could not view your photo. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Steve Davis]

I couldn't view the picture either.

[gr_store_feet]

Ditto Jamie, looks like photoshop.

[Stephen Perry]

This seems to be a little beyond Mandovoodoo™.

I'd be interested is reading Steve's comments on this one.
Looks photoshopped to me. #But. #I'd put extra holes in the ribs, not the top, if I wanted extra holes!

[Jim Broyles]

Hows it sound? IS the image a photoshopped one or a real one? The holes look fuzzier than the top?

Jamie
Now that you all mention it, the holes do look fuzzy, but the kerfing is in the right spots on the treble side . I guess it would look right anyway, but it looks good except for the blurriness.

[Chaser]

Humm.... Everyone should be able to view the photo, either by clicking on the small thumbnail image in my first post, or at least by clicking on the link in my second post.. Odd that some can view, while others cannot.

Actually, the photo is a hoax. I was bored this morning, and took about 10 mins with Photoshop and came up with something I have been wondering about for a while now. I just wanted to see what a mando would look like if it had both F holes and an Oval hole on the soundboard.

I really do wonder what the outcome would be in real life if one were to do this sort of thing?

[Mark Walker]

Ken Ratcliff - many years back - #used to make his Silver Angel mandolins with a diamond-shaped center hole in addition to the F-holes. #If you can tolerate the pop-ups, here's a LINK (http://www.silverangel.freeservers.com/) to his original site with a few of those mandolins.

I don't know how they were tone-wise, but they still look tastefully done!

[Chaser]

Thanks for the link! #I sort of liked Mandolin #15, except I would want the diamond shaped hole to be somewhat larger. #Still, that's very close to what I had imagined in my minds' eye!

[Mark Walker]

Chaser - yeah, in his archive #15 with a center-hole (http://www.silverangel.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/mando15.jpg) DOES accentuate that center-cut diamond better than most.
#
I wonder what's become of Ken's early 3-hole mandolins? #We could start another thread out there asking about them and see if anyone bites! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif