Mandolin Cafe Message Board - Post a picture of your mandolin

#1 is finally finished!

Steve Etter — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:32:22 GMT

Well, its taken me almost a full year, but #1 is finally finished!

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Cigar Box Uke/Mando

pelone — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:54:23 GMT

This is another attempt to play around and learn how or what constitutes a mandolin. Have posted an example of two "In The Round" mandolins on the builders page but wanted to share the "box" also. I reinforced the top with a brace under the bridge, bolted the neck on, used Uke strings except for the G and tuned it as GDAE. Thought the labels gave it color and left the hinges and clasp in place. Fun project and my grandson likes it.

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Blondie got a new home

Mark Seale — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:33:24 GMT

Many thanks to Big Joe for building such a fine instrument. I can't begin to say how happy I am to have it.

Latest Hester F5

Gail Hester — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:39:47 GMT

Here are a few pictures of my latest F5 mandolin. Thank you to the new owner (who has been so patient, tolerent and good natured about the whole thing:) ) for allowing me to keep it long enough to take with us to Nashville last month. I had the great fortune and a lot of luck to be in the right places at the right times and was able to hear this mandolin played by some top players.

This one has a very old red spruce top and sugar maple back & sides. It sports a James hand-engraved tailpiece, dovetailed bone points, a Virzi and Macassar ebony bridge and fingerboard extender.

Here are some pictures from build to finish, I hope I didn’t post too many.:grin:

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New Poe Eye Candy

Steve-o — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:44:11 GMT

For those admirers of Andy Poe's mandolin family instruments, he's got new pics on mandolin #30 and mandola #2 up on his web site: Poestrings

We're commenting in the Poe Social Group... ~o)

Mandolinetto Mio!

Eddie Sheehy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:17:25 GMT

Needs a bit of work:

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New Labraid

labraid — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:25:46 GMT

Hello everyone,

I'm very excited to unveil my latest mandolin... a Lyon and Healy style built for Mr. Sylvain N�ault of Qu�bec City, Canada (www.bazirka.com). Sylvain is a professional violinist by trade, and I have to say it is an immense pleasure, yet again, to have a mandolin on the world stage...
Sylvain's playing styles range from Tsigane to Klezmer, Irish to Qu�becois, South American to Chanson Fran�aise. Sylvain allowed me the freedom I needed to custom tailor this instrument to his needs, precisely and despite that no such instrument has ever existed quite like this one. Some stats on this mandolin:

Scale: 13.5"
Top: Engelmann spruce cant-top, induced arch, Sitka bracing
Back: Maple, Ebony, Koa in understated semi-lute configuration; spruce shaving reinforcement
Neck Radius: 7" nut, flat bridge
Nut Width: 1�
Bridge: one-piece ebony
Pickup: Pick Up The World, compression-type, directly under bridge; Tapastring endpin, silver plated
Tailpiece: Labraid Violette, silver plated, custom "stork" inlay to commemorate Sylvain's new baby.
Peghead: Slot-head, visually inspired by the old city of Qu�bec

Sylvain was looking for a tone which would project without inhibition, one which would still have a traditional sound like that of a turn-of-the-Century mandolin. The goal was complexity, ethnicity, the tendency toward emotion, all with the possibility of digging in without loss of identity.
I'm very excited that Sylvain will be putting together some mandolin tunes somewhere in the near future, and you can be sure that they will be posted on my website when they are ready.

Thanks for looking! Happy picking.

Mr. Ed Hanrahan's Italian? German? Bowlback

Jake Wildwood — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:17:07 GMT

I just posted a little writeup and photos of Mr. Ed's nice little old slotted-headstock bowlback on Antebellum... click here to go.

More info is there, but I've also attached some pics here!

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because

billkilpatrick — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:48:24 GMT

this is from "pablo668" and his family in Australia - mandolin content IS here but mainly some exquisite harmonies (everyone needs a family like theirs living close by):

Help identifying this old taterbug

Perry — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:18:17 GMT

Hi
A friend has this mandolin and would like to sell it. We have no idea what it is worth or who the builder is...there is no label or anything on the inside.

I've posted a few pix (sorry for the quality)

Does anybody have any info they can provide or where might be a good place to look?

Thanks
Perry

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My new Rover RM-75

Dubz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:49:51 GMT

Hi Everyone,

Im new here at the cafe. Here are some pics of my new Rover RM-75. Im just a beginner on the mando.

Take care all.

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not another old bowl back

Dan Hoover — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:12:21 GMT

here's the Mayflower mando i recently picked up...it's in pretty decent shape...i wanted a player so i'm going to get it up and running..looking for suggestions..theres 1 crack,not too bad on top,not sure if i should tackle or not?theres a lot of scuffs and such,some i would guess from sitting in it's case for how many years?? frets don't look too bad,no deep gouges...i did find a number on the brace at the soundhole..#6693..
i'm looking for input on what would be a good approach?cleaners?re-freting?strings?not sure should i go the xtra on Thomastik or go w/GHS??other's??any input would be greatly appreciated..thanks...here's some pictures

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The Magnificent Seven, A Study in Wood and Tone

Steevarino — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:20:08 GMT

We have been building up stock of our RedLine Traveler mandolins to be ready to introduce them to a select group of dealers across the country (which we are now doing). This gave us the rare opportunity to have a larger than usual number of mandolins in stock at one time. My friend, Rob Haines is a professional Video Wizard (hope I got that title right) and he graciously offered to produce a video, using top notch equipment, that would hopefully show the subtle differences between maple, mahogany, walnut, Engelmann Spruce, Carpathian spruce, etc.

Since this project involved seven mandolins, Rob wisely split it up into two videos. Since Sesame Street, many of us seem to have a hard time concentrating on one thing for any length of time, so, good idea, Rob!

These videos went up on Youtube this morning. Here are the links. See if you can tell the differences in tone between the various woods as Rob plays on these otherwise nearly identical instruments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWIQu09jDTc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaFdasGyLeg

My first Build

Wudwerkr — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:45:13 GMT

I have recently finished this mando. I didnt go for traditional look . I have learned several things since and am working on my second as we speak.

IE: making neck thinnner and less chub , and buying a decent lacq. Gun :))

The Sound is quite good for my first attempt. I am fortunate to live close to a professional musican , and he has played the unit and assured me it has a very good sound. ( I play but am no Pro )

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New Coufleau - French builder

eltof — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:23:12 GMT

Have you seen before this type of mandolin in Grun store ?
I had now a new model mandolin : "Absynthe".
But, this time, is not blue but a more classical color.
This mandolin had build for me by Herv� Coufleau, a very good builder in France and a very good Friend.
A very lou noise like .... the Dailey from Mister Steffey (respect ...)
I hope thats you enjoy to see it
best regards eveybody (I don't speak very good, sorry)

Eltofdelparis

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michael vanden F-5

kendeck — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:36:45 GMT

born feb 1980..a very sweet playing mandolin..very woody toneAttachment 47416

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Two tags inside.. one says feb.1980,, the other says custom frets,,
very small crack near
bottom f-hole..If anyone recognizes it I would appreciate information on its history..best playing mandolin Ive every played..I think it will be with me for some time to come..

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