Would you buy this mandolin?

[fscotte]

Concealing the maker, and provided it sounded good, would a 14th fret crosspiece bother you?



edit: the builder did this to put the bridge more central on the body. the "griffith" Loar shape/size pushes the bridge about 1/2" closer towards the neck (non-standard bridge position).

[fatt-dad]

no.

f-d

[Tobin]

Why would it bother me? I swap back and forth between my vintage Gibsons where the neck join is at the 12th fret and my modern mandolins with the join at the 15th fret, and it doesn't make any difference to me. They do feel different and play different, of course, but I see no reason why a 14th fret neck join would be a deal-breaker.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'd buy it if it sounded good. There ain't no money above the fifth fret anyway. Not a deal breaker.

[Austin Bob]

There ain't no money above the fifth fret anyway.

Funny, that.

[DataNick]

...There ain't no money above the fifth fret anyway. Not a deal breaker.

Yeah,

Supposedly Tommie Tedesco said that in relation primarily to pop music...

[JeffD]

My preference is for the shorter neck. But its not a requirement.

[Mandoplumb]

Why do you prefer the short neck, the sound? I have always played long neck an recently acquired a F-2, seems I run out of neck way too sone.

[fscotte]

So only one definitive no so far. May I ask why?

[mandroid]

Modern A5s are like that by many Builders .

I suspect even the big G used bodies from column A and necks and fingerboards from column B.

[JeffD]

Why do you prefer the short neck, the sound? I have always played long neck an recently acquired a F-2, seems I run out of neck way too soone.

While I have run out of neck, I have never had a problem finding the frets I need.

What I like is that a short necked instrument feels more compact and whole to me. Easier and more fun to hold. A long necked instrument feels to me more like a weight on the end of a stick, an unwieldy large spoon.

Its a small thing really, but I love that small compact feeling.

[Timbofood]

Sure, I'd buy it if I had any money.

[BradKlein]

The kind of builder who'd make that thing might go completely off the deep end. And something like this could happen!

[fatt-dad]

Oh, I just realized that the subject-line question and the OP question are in conflict. I'm saying no to this question, "Concealing the maker, and provided it sounded good, would a 14th fret crosspiece bother you?" The 14-fret neck joint would not bother me at all! Now if this was an oval hole mandolin I would not buy it at all! I hate the hybrid oval hole mandolins!

f-d

p.s., I'd also want to know how it sounds!

[JEStanek]

If it sounds good, it is good.

Jamie

[Tobin]

What I like is that a short necked instrument feels more compact and whole to me. Easier and more fun to hold. A long necked instrument feels to me more like a weight on the end of a stick, an unwieldy large spoon.

Seriously? The difference between a 12-fret neck and a 15-fret neck makes it feel like going from "compact" to "unwieldy large spoon"?

Ever played a guitar or banjo?

[UsuallyPickin]

Tone , touch , materials , execution of build , price ....... fourteenth fret versus fifteenth fret .............. how much can that impact any playability issue .... how many frets above the fourteenth fret do you play on anyway? R/

[Steve Davis]

If it sounds good, it is good.

Jamie

Duke Ellington was right.

[allenhopkins]

Depends. On the price.

[BradKlein]

An interesting question might be why this particular well-known maker chose to abandon the 14 fret body joint. And why he was tempted by it in the first place.

I won't reveal the maker, since the OP is being coy about it - although I gave a big clue above. But the 15th fret joint seems a bit unbalanced in a A-5 style to me, bringing the bridge too far North. I think there's something to be said for this design - just as the 13 fret guitar joint, or the OM length scale move the guitar bridge a bit further south toward the wide part of the body.

[Charles E.]

Yeah,

Supposedly Tommie Tedesco said that in relation primarily to pop music...

I have always understood that quote was from the Grand Old Opry banjo player, Stringbean.

As for the mandolin, I like the bridge position, if I was in the market for an A style I would consider it.

[Dobe]

Yea, what they said. I'd buy depending on : Tone/playability/looks/price. I had to tweak my 15th up a tich on the Griffith A I made, but not a whole fret. It just kept looking wrong but I think that's the way that Laor was. Good shot of the 15th join at 3:35

[MikeEdgerton]

Knowing now who the builder is I'd take it just on his name alone.

[Steve VandeWater]

I'm still in the dark about the builder. I may be an idiot but I love the looks of it and couldn't care less who the builder is. If it sounds good and the price was right, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat

[Jackgaryk]

I thought it was a "Lightly Distressed" Isabel. I doubt I could tell the difference between the 12th and 14th. No, it wouldn't bother me.