¿Distressed?

[Keith Erickson]

Hi Folks,

I have seen a lot of posts referring to distressed mandolin.

This might be silly, but I'm not too familiar with the term distressed.

What exactly does it mean?

Thank you

[Hans]

Prematurely "beat up"!

[Chris Baird]

It certainly is a good term. Distressed mandolins are, indeed, distressing.

[grandmainger]

From Google Definitions:
"Appearance of product that has been scraped, dinged or scratched to give it an aged appearance at the time of manufacture."

Essentially, it's adapted from furniture making. It's a way to artificially age a mandolin in appearance. Making it look as though it has been played for years

HTH

Germain

[Dale Ludewig]

In that I've spent most of my working life between furniture and instruments, I also find the "distressed" thing distressing, as Chris said. After spending the amount of time I do on a fine piece of furniture and then find out the customer wants it "distressed", I've usually told them that they'll have to do that themselves. I'll give it to them unfinished and then they can beat it up as they wish and finish it themselves. I realize that this is not what Gibson does, and what they do is very well done (?), I don't understand the point. Evidently there's a market for it, but at $25K a pop, I would bet the market is small. On the other hand, the couple I've heard were acoustically wonderful. I still think it's an odd concept. It's not an "old" mandolin. There's something superficial about it.

[grandmainger]

I do understand that some people like the look of distressed instruments. I also do understand that some people might not want to buy an instrument that's been played for 20 years to have that look. I suppose a well battered mando would "probably" have been subjected to more stress than a 20 year old immaculate instrument.
Perhaps it's a compromise: to buy a brand new instrument, with all the security and warranty it entails, but with a look that matches what one wants... Wouldn't do that myself, but hey!

Or perhaps, it's to be able to trick less knowledgeable people that one owns Bill Monroe's mando

Germain

[fredfrank]

I think it would be a good thing to do whatever they do to age the finish without beating it up. Make it sound older without making it look like it's been around the block-on the end of a rope behind a pickup truck without a case. . .

[Bob DeVellis]

Do we know that distressing has any effect on tone? Sure the distressed MM's sound great but is it the finish scuffing that does it? Truly old instruments can develop a wonderful, mature sound. But it's the age, not the appearance of age that I find valuable in a good old instrument. After all, finding a "golden oldie" that's been well preserved and is still in beautiful condition is a good thing, isn't it?

If someone could isolate what (if anything) about the distressing process gives an instrument a more mature sound, I'd pay attention. At least some people have scoffed at the idea of exposing an instrument to high-energy sound as a way to mature it, but that seems more credible than the idea that dragging it down a gravel road (figuaratively speaking) would help her open up. Of course, if people just like the way it looks, that's fine. I don't fault any builder for doing it or anyone for buying one. Just not my cup of tea.

[Paul Kotapish]

When I was an editor at Strings magazine I did an article about contemporary trends in violin lutherie. I interviewed a dozen of the finest luthiers currently working in the United States, and they all reported that they had consistent demand from their clients to build distressed instruments. Some of this is driven by the fact that in the world of symphony music, many conductors insist that their string players perform on vintage--or vintage-looking--instruments. Many of the makers were slightly dismayed by this persistent demand, but they all agreed that they made more money when the produced brand-new instruments that looked very old.

PK

[arbarnhart]

"Oh yes, we have distressed mandos! We have a lovely A in paranoid pine"

[Ken Sager]

It takes a worried maple to make a worried mandolin...

[Links]

I think Paul is correct. I think it started with violins, where players, for reasons he stated or just the fact that violinists did not want to perform with their peers with shiney new instruments. As a matter of fact, I think Big Joe mentioned that they (Gibson) contacted violin makers to learn their techniques for "distressing" mandolins.

I do agree with Dale, that I certianly would not want to distress something that I had gone to so much trouble making.

[John Flynn]

I think the whole distressing thing is a cheap and transparent attempt at a kind of "fraud." People want thier instruments to look like something they are not. They want people to think they have a vintage instrument when they don't. They want people to think they spent more than they did. They want people to think they have played out more than they have. Having a decent looking instrument is understandable. No one wants to play something that looks hideous. But if this all about music, the main thing shoul be how the mando sounds and how it plays.

[Big Joe]

We have built a reasonable number of distressed MMs now. In every case, there is a distinct difference in tone after the process than before. We have a pretty good idea why there is a difference, but that is for another day. The bottom line is that they are desired because of the tone first. The fact they look vintage or 'cool' is just an added benefit. When we first started the project it was about the look. Once we realized the change in tone our focus shifted quite rapidly and we began isolating what was the difference and work on that aspect and the look as secondary.

[Bob DeVellis]

Joe, you probably (and properly) consider the critical factor in the tone change to be a trade secret but can you tell us if it's possible to achieve without substantially altering the instrument's original appearance?

[keymandoguy]

reminds me of the guy who buys a new car and first thing he does is walk around and kick the door in.

[Big Joe]

Hey Bob...it all depends upon what you mean by altering the original finish. The distressed does not have to look beat up, it does not have to be damaged, but the finish is the main thing. Distressing the finish and making it look old without making it look worn out is important. My personal DMM is a bit more distressed than the others, but I wanted it that way personally. While we do want to make the wear areas look real, it is not by damaging the wood or the instrument, more of an aesthetic thing. However, the distressing of the finish, when done properly, is what causes the alteration in the tone. The instrument retains its original appearance but may not be quite as shiny or undisturbed. Upon close inspection one may notice areas of wear that would not be present on a new mandolin, but they are not just drug behind a truck for a hundred miles. The distressing process is a pretty exacting combination of science and art. For examply, Ricky Scaggs Distressed will look a lot like his Loar. This is good for him. People expect him to play his Loar, but that does not mean he wants to drag a 125,000 mandolin on the road. He can play his distressed and no one knows the difference unless he tells them. His Loar is safe and his music is just as good.

The real thing is not about it being beat up or looking old, but ultimately the playability and tone of the instrument. The more we do, the better they get, but they have all been an interesting experiment that went right for a change! Some will not like them, and others will go faint when they see them, but they will always generate interest and excitement. I love taking mine out places and letting people see it and play it. The responses are pretty cool. Even when I took Blondie to a couple festivals, it was the Distressed Master Model that got the real attention. They loved playing the x braced mm because it was different, but the distresssed was what they really liked...both for the tone and the appearance. The fact it plays very well is also nice.

[arbarnhart]

Take a look at this recent thread:

mando cracking up

Remember that? Seemed like he wasn't sure whether to complain or not because of the tonal improvement.

[Knowlesy]

I read this today on Janet Davis' site;
The Distresssed Model now includes a special perfume inside the "F" holes, developed to duplicate exactly the smell inside the original Loar Gibson mandolins.
Are they "Having a laugh"?

[stevem]

Joe, any chance we could see a pic of your distressed mando?

[Big Joe]

Hey Steve...it was on the "post a picture" section awhile back. I don't know if I can copy and paste, but I will try. If not it is on there somewhere. I will see if I can do this. Thank you.

[Big Joe]

I could not figure how to paste, so I just bumped it to the top of the "Post a picture of your mandolin" section. There are several good photos there. Mine is a bit more distressed than most but you'll get the idea. Thank you.

[tnpathfinder]

#The distressing process is a pretty exacting combination of science and art.

You mean you have a room full of guys at Gibson pickin' the @#^% out of them right?

Any openings?

[Knowlesy]

I still want to know if they spray in the smell of age or not?? Is it Essence of old ladies sideboard by Givenchy?

[mandroid]

Fender corp. does a whole "Relic" lineup of Guitars. stuff gets done to make it look battle scarred, 'Closet Classic', a bit less broke in, and 'NOS'. Antiques the parts and finish but doesn't undergo the road tested look, effects.
the imported , but tied to a line off the fantail and drug thru the sea with the mops look perhaps?