Instrument weights

[Rob Grant]

Just a question about f-5 mandolins for the builders in this mob:

What is the average weight of the f-5 instruments built by various members of this forum? This would be finished weight with the instrument strung up (no strap).

[french guy]

I've just built 4 mandos F5 and they all have 950 gramms
the last is not an F5 and , with a carbon fiber rod it's 850g.

[sunburst]

Tuners, tailpieces, and bridges can make a difference on the completed instrument. The wood species can too.
I have weights for 3 of the last 5 mandolins I made. These three are all F5 style:
905 grams
941 grams
940 grams

The lighter one has a Sitka spruce top and Gotoh tuners, the two heavier ones have Red spruce tops and Waverly tuners. Everything else is basically the same.

(for those who wonder, that translated to 1.99 lb. and 2.07 lb.)

[Michael Lewis]

I have never weighed my instruments. What sort of scale do you guys use? I have an Ohaus triple beam scale but i think it pegs out at 600gm.

[Rob Grant]

Whatever the local P.O. has on the counter is my scale of choice.

Thanks for the response on this. Sorry for the fixation on weight, but I'm a bit isolated down this way and I rarely get to check out anything but a few low end Asian instruments.

I've been building the occasional A style since the mid 90s.
I was amazed at the first time I got to heft a Gilchrist A style. Compared to my efforts the Gil was incredibly light
(besides sounding incredibly good<g>). Since then, besides lifting my game(tone and projection), I've tried to pare down weight on the few instruments I build. I'm just about finished with my first f style (actually an f-4) and I'm interested in what sort of weights others are getting with conventional mando woods.

[sunburst]

What sort of scale do you guys use?
I got lucky in an antique store and found a beam type ballance with a capacity of several thousand grams. It works very well, but is only accurate to 1 gram. I've started to weigh a lot of the parts as I'm building and the finished instruments.
I'm going to start recording the deflection of tops and backs sort of like what Don MacCrostie (sp?) is doing and see what I can learn from stiffness to mass ratios of plates.

Bob, My mandolins feel lighter than most F5s. I too have thought of as many ways as I can to keep the weight down without any sacrifice in strength, however, I like the sound, look, and working characteristics of Sugar Maple (hard or rock maple). It is a heavy maple. I could build a lighter instrument with a lighter maple.

[Luthier Vandross]

I can weigh two tomorrow, but they have no hardware.

I feel compelled not to weigh them though, because if I weigh them, what's to stop me from weighing every one I see? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

I gotta go wash my hands again.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Miles

[Rob Grant]

I know what you mean sunburst about being attached to using particular timbers and "bugger the weight." I made a mandola a few years back with my favorite Queensland Black "Walnut" (bloody heavy and dense, but carves and finishes beautifully) and sides of New Guinea ebony (even heavier!!). I trimmed weight wherever I could. I even drilled out the head block! Needless to say this sucker just about needed a set of jocky wheels to help some poor muso haul it around<G>. It sounded alright, but the weight was a bit off-putting.

Michael, this was one of the instruments I dragged over to your booth at Strawberry#(last spring)for a quick "show and tell" when I was visiting California. I sold it before I left Calif. for home. So if you see a muso (musician) playing a unusual mandola and they have rather stout neck muscles, it's probably mine!<G>

[Michael Lewis]

Rob, there seems to be a lot showing from Australia. Very good musicians, great luthiers, and some very interesting varieties of wood.