Shaving tone bars 70s gibson

[bdj]

On an early 70s F-5 it is pretty well known that tone bars are rather large.

Were these generally all the same size as if mass produced?

Looks to me that they need to be about half the size that they actually are.

Has anyone had this done? Details?

Thanks bdj

[SternART]

There was an article on doing this through the end pin hole......back in an old issue of MWN......from the late 70's /early 80's, it was written by Bob Alekno......he had good results.

[sunburst]

I've heard of people shaving the bars down in those industrial strength mandos with good results, but it seems to me the top and back would need to be re-graduated to get any real improvement.

[Bill Halsey]

Check the grads on this to see if it's worth it. Some of these were virtually ungraduated, and assembled right off the carving machines (thick at the edges and thin at the center).

[Fretbear]

The top and back are likely too thick as well and need regraduating. Randy Wood has sliced the back off of many of these to do just that and replace or recut the tone bars. He then re-assembles them so that you don't know it was done. It likely costs more#than some mandolins are worth.

[Bill Halsey]

Agree with Fretbear, a regrad/rebar can be effective if there's enough wood in the plates. However, some of the '70s F-5s were so thin at the center of the top that, absent a breast patch, they would need to be retopped. Some sustained sunken tops. Generally, the bars were poorly fitted, as well.

The point of all this is, try to be sure the instrument is worth the extra investment in time, hassle & $. There are a lot of nice mandolins available at reasonable prices, and your Gibson may fetch a higher price in its unmodified condition.

[sunburst]

I agree with Bill.
With the mandolins that are available these days in all price ranges, the economics of the situation don't really support trying to "make a silk purse" out of a 70s Gibson.
If you have one and just want to try the project, that's fine, but there are certainly cheaper and easier ways to a good mandolin than buying and modifying one of those.

[lenf12]

Hi all,

I had Randy Wood do this procedure to my 1956 F-12 (a differnt beast, I know from a 70's F-5). I just needed the regraduation to the top and new tone bars installed so his initial price quote of $600 was my final cost (plus shipping of course). I think that a 70's era Gibson would be a very good candidate for this procedure IF the top is thick enough to regraduate. An acquanitance of mine has a 70's era F-5 that came out quite nicely after Randy did this to it. Mine has been back from Randy for only 2 months and he advised that it would take a few months of "banging" to break her in. The mando is considerably louder and better sounding than before the procedure but still has a way to go sound great. I say "go for it" if it meets the criteria for Randy's procedure.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL