mandos from kits

[Steve Cantrell]

I've been playing a MK Legacy for a few months, and I've decided that I might want to try my hand at a mando kit. I've seen both the Stew mac and Siminoff kits online. Would anyone be able to rate the difference between these two? How do they sound once they're completed? I hate to throw the $500 into into the wind if I could apply it towards another mando. Thanks for the help.

[tallestleprechaun]

Hi Steve,

I have been going over the same thoughts for a while now as well. You didn't say what type of mando kit you were interested in building, but I want to try an F, so it does narrow the choices. I am definately going with the Siminoff kit, especially after talking with Roger a bit on the phone. Seems like a really good guy, and offers pretty much any mods or flexibility you could wish for (important to me). Stew-mac is pretty much order by part number. My thoughts are to build a kit so I can see and feel the parts and how they go together, get a little experience, and build the next one "from the tree". The way I am starting this is to order Roger's books and plans ahead of time, then put together the kit order the way I want it. Really looking forward to it. One nice thing about the folks in this forum is you will have expert help if you need it. This place is priceless.

If you are wanting an A type, there are more choices. Be sure and give "Luthier" on this board a yell. GREAT guy, and makes a really ice kit.

Good luck!

[Steve Cantrell]

Thanks for the advice--actually, I'm considering an F-4. I had the same thought as you about going with the kit before trying it from scratch. You mentioned that the Siminoff kits offered some flexibility. Did he offer specific examples? I'd love to get another radiused fretboard. I've gotten used to the one on my MK. Also, you're right. This place is priceless.

[tallestleprechaun]

Not really sure about the radius fretboard. You should ask and see what he can do. I know he is not setup to do one for me, but then I am having a special sized neck designed because my hands are so large. He has been more than willing to help me sort things out on that regard. Let's keep in touch and compare notes as we go along. I think it is going to be fun.

[Steve Cantrell]

Great idea. I'll send along some pics once I get the ball rolling. I'll also let you know what other mods he might be willing to extend. Hopefully, I'll come up with something halfway servicable.

[tallestleprechaun]

Sounds good. The way I look at it, even if I were to end up with something I didn't want to play (unlikely), the time and money spent as an investment in experience has got to pay better dividends than just buying something "off the shelf". Heck, I can't even buy my clothes that way!

[Clyde Clevenger]

I'm leaning really hard towards the Siminoff kit. I've been mulling this over for a couple of years now, and just last night after a jam and dinner my good friend Santa Claus says, "why don't we buy a couple of Siminoff F-5 kits and meet in my shop once a week and build them?" Okay for me.
Doesn't hurt that Santa is a luthier with a whole lot of repair and rebuilding experience and a shop. I had been thinking of building a flat top, then and A then the F, but why not just jump in with both feet. Christmas in February.

[tallestleprechaun]

Perfect! Jump on in... the waters fine!

[Steve Cantrell]

Santa, in my case, is my state income tax return check. He should be sledding this way as we speak. It's got MAS written all over it. tallestleprechaun, I know what you mean. I keep thinking about dropping a pile of money on another mando and then beginning to dislike it in 15 minutes. Not a good scenario.

[tallestleprechaun]

Cool! Let's see... S. Carolina, Oregon, & Louisiana (me) so far. We're already a conglomerate! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Steve Cantrell]

Look out, Gibson! Well...maybe not. Look out, Johnson!

[Clyde Clevenger]

We could flood the market, bring the prices down and I can get that Dude that I let slip away a couple of years ago.
Might as well dream big while I'm dreaming.

[Steve Cantrell]

If you have any success, post your pics Mandoholic. I'm curious to see what variations we have.

[Yonkle]

If you search there are a lot of threads on this topic. I have built 2 Stewmacs and 1 F5 Siminoff and I am currently on a F4 from Roger.
My opinion overall is they are both great kits and a great looking/playing/sounding mandolin can come from either.
I listed my pros and cons on each kit in another thread, type in "mandolin kit" in search and you should find a lot of info.
Real basic info: StewMAc is fast, 5 days its on your porch, order is always right, wood is top notch, and all the fittings are 100%, good quality control! Only downside is you can't pick and choose fronts, backs ect, but the ones they send (in my case) were better looking than the upgrade back I got from Roger. No complaints on SM wood.
Siminoff: Choose your wood and he has a F4 too..(plus!) (which I am building now.) You can order a radius fretboard from Roger.StewMAc has a better inventory or parts, binding, tuners ect.I get most all that from StewMac and leave the stuff Roger sends in the box (binding, trus cover ect. Rogers dovetails have never went together smooth like StewMac, a lot of "tweeking" involved, but work fine in the long haul.Roger will do more work for you, as in scroll slot is cut already, sounds like a small item, but if you don't have a bandsaw that is hard to cut well by hand, to match front, back and scroll block. Roger will put the ebony on the head and cut the F holes too, but that is easy. StewMacs Rim assembly is done already (time saver) Rogers you have to build, the sides are pre-bent but the lenght is not, and if you don't have a F5 mold of somesort, you have to buy or make one, getting the sides to fit the mold perfect looks easy, but it takes a bit of time. Roger is great guy, but after you order it takes about a month to see what you bought, and sometime, a part or two is missing and you have to e mail him, and get it later in a few days.
I was not happy with the F5 (1 piece back) I got from Roger, cost a lot and it had very little figure to it, the stock 2 piece SM has killer flame. However on my F4 I just got a few days ago, I upgraded to a "Quilt back" normally its hard to tell sometimes how great a piece of wood will look until you get it sanded down to 220-300 grit or so. One of my stewmacs my A5 looked plain, but in the final sanding the flame jumped out and it was a great back after all. The quilt I got from Roger, I asked Roger to pick me a winner..."I want figure!" And when I took it out of the box, unsanded and machine marks still in it,very rough , I could see the "Quilt" figure already, very nice! I could'nt wait so I hit it with 100 grit for 10 min or so by hand and helf it up to the light, and (Roger came through) very high figure, beautiful back, even at only 100 grit, can't wait to see it after final sanding, I already know it is cool!
You can't go wrong with either kit, Rogers plans are based off Vintage Gibson Mandolins, LoarF5, preLoar F4s, Dons from StewMAc are from his own Red Diamond Mandolin, looks close to Rogers except the neck and headstock are much different looking on the SM, looks fine, but does not look like a Gibson in that one area. Rogers plates are already graduated (bonus) Stewmac NOT.
In a perfect world, if you could order a kit with a Siminoff neck, Siminoff scroll block, Siminoff plates-(with good figure) Stewmac Rim and neck joint and get it all from SM in a few days, with the rest of the SM parts. That would be the perfect kit. I was not going to go into any detail on this topic, because it has been posted 100 times, but I guess I did. Good Luck.
I will post some F4 photos when I get her in the white, and after she is done. JD
PS: MANDOHOLIC, if you only meet once a week to build,you should be done around winter of 2007. Believe me, once you start, you could not go a week without building, I've started a 7AM and at Midnight have to force myself to quit, it is very addictive! "Just say yes!" to mando!

[Luthier]

....The builders here are ready to help you anytime also.....and remember, the only thing achieved in life without effort is failure.
(wonder where I have heard that before)

Don

[Fretbear]

Just a few points; somebody here had once said that the SM and Sim kits were different enough that the rim and plates were not matchable. Also the SM dovetail neck/block joint is absolutely perfect and I wouldn't try to mix and match that part. The SM pre-assembled, dovetailed rim is a huge step up for a first time builder. The stock Stewmac neck is slightly oversize and will serve nicely for a larger/wider neck. Stewmac does have top grade tone wood.

[Yonkle]

Agree Fretbear! My advise for the first timer, even after reading my "short novel" above, Would be to start with a StewMac, and get the video! The video is expensive but will save you lots of time and questions, not having it could cost you your whole mandolin, good insurance! Even with the video you will have questions, and the good people on this site have and share the answers! JD

[bpool]

Here's my first attemp at building a mandolin from a Siminoff kit... completed last summer. I would do some things differently, but overall didn't run into to many problems. Good luck!

[Steve Cantrell]

Guys, I can't think you enough. I've been approaching this like one would approach a big,growling dog that's wagging its tail. I've had my heart set on the F-4, but from what I'm reading I might be better off going with the Stew-mac. I don't want to get to deep and wind up with five or six hundred dollars in sawdust. I'll be giving you some progress reports as I go along--and I'll likely be back with about a thousand questions. Thanks again.

[Baron Collins-Hill]

wow, thats amazing, especially for a first go at it. im working on a stewmac campfire mando kit, and its gone together pretty easy so far.

[tallestleprechaun]

Nice job bpool! Bet she sounds as sweet as she looks!

[Steve Cantrell]

Way to go bpool. You call that an attempt? Awesome color. Building or built anything else?

[tallestleprechaun]

Call me a little slow, but I have just realized that there is a way to get started in this endeavor for just about anyone, regardless of skill and experience, to produce a work of art that has their own handmade signature in it. Regardless of the all the fine details of what kind of kit, wood, design details or ornamentation... there's something for everyone. What more could you possibly ask from your time?? To me, even if you did end up with a five or six hundred dollar pile of sawdust, the reward FAR outweighs the monetary value. Besides, that amount of money would only cover a couple hours time with a reasonably competant analyst (I question the value of that anyway!). Anyway.... check me in to the rubber room! I'm ready to go! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Fretbear]

bpoole, you did an outstanding job on the finishing, it looks just great......"she's got the look...."

[Yonkle]

My #2 SM and #3 Siminoff (French Polish)

[Yonkle]

Here's the Stewmac Back, outside, (good flameage)and the front (no Flash) the flash in the camera really lights up the yellow in the burst. Looks more like this pic, in person, or in mando!

[Steve Cantrell]

That's a sweet mando, Yonkle. You've got to post that f-4 once you've gotten it strung-up. Here's my question. The figuring on that Stew-Mac is fantastic. Would you say one sounded better than the other--I don't know if that's something that's inherent to the wood or comes from the build, etc....

[Yonkle]

They sound about the same, the EE strings sound better on the Stewmac also the neck angle and set up I got better on the Stewmac, so it plays better. Overall construction and looks the Siminoff came out better, but I play the SM more, it feels right to me. JD