mandolin kits

[Jim Tepperman]

I know there are many threads about this subject - but here's another. I want to build an F-style mandolin. I currently have two instruments - a Breedlove A-style (quartz OO) and a National Resonator. So I am looking for an instrument between the two (in terms of volume, projection etc.). I know of the three major kit makers available (Stewart MacDonald; Siminoff Kit; IV). Obviously I want what everyone does - a good sounding instrument - pretty loud with a round tone. I am not too concerned about cosmetics - simple is good. I have some woodworking experience but want the hard stuff to be done already (arch top etc.) So - who actually has built these and how do they sound??

Thanks

jt

[Fretbear]

I know of the three major kit makers available (Stewart MacDonald; Siminoff Kit; IV). Obviously I want what everyone does - a good sounding instrument - pretty loud with a round tone. I am not too concerned about cosmetics - simple is good. I have some woodworking experience but want the hard stuff to be done already (arch top etc.) So - who actually has built these and how do they sound??

The Stewmac's top and back plates are only rough machine-carved. The arch's are there, but a good deal more wood is left to be removed to bring them to their proper graduations. The Sim plates can be bought already graduated. I graduated my Stewmac to their own Don McRostie's F-5 plan (the original plan, it may have been tweaked when they tweaked the kit) and those grads are slightly different than what could be thought of as averaged Loar grads, especially the heavier centre-most top graduation.
It is a cannon, but they take months to fully break-in.

[Andy Nichols]

I have built three stew-mac kit mandolins. they all turned out fine.Been wanting to try one of Roger Siminoffs. Andy

[leathermarshmallow]

I have done a couple of IV A kits. They ended up sounding really great in my opinion. The bad thing is that the fretwire they use is very thin and doesn't suit my fat fingers. So on the last one I did, I bought a different fretboard and thicker fretwire and did it myself. It appears to be better for me anyway.

[charlesa46741]

Just completed a Siminoff kit. Pictures are posted in the "post a picture of your mandolin" under the title Siminoff F4 kit http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45356 (hope I inserted this link correctly). The tops and backs seem to be carefully carved so I think as long as you don't make any really large alterations, you can't go too far wrong. A friend has that mandolin and he is very satisfied with the sound. You can also order many levels as far as how far along the kit is. Support is top notch.