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Thread: Gibson A Lefty Conversion

  1. #1
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    If I find a Gibson 20's Gibson A, can I convert it with a nut and saddle or would I just be ruining a great old mandolin?

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    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Alan. I forgot to mention in the pm I used to have a 1918 A2 and it was a no sweat conversion....nut and saddle only. played like a dream untell the F desires took hold

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    I think if you save the original bridge and nut, remove the pick guard if it has one, use white out for the side marker dots, then you can convert it back to the original state if you sell it. You would not be using a pick guard, but some folks remove them anyway. Just a thought.
    Bill P.
    I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore I am perfect.

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    Alan, mandolins are meant to be played. If you're looking to play it then convert it and enjoy the heck out of it. If you're looking at it as an investment buy it and don't make any changes. It sounds to me more like the former. Go for it.

  5. #5
    Registered User Andy Morton's Avatar
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    You should be OK doing the conversion if you just change out the nut and saddle (save them)---and save the pick guard....appreciate your desire to not "ruin a great old mandolin." I play an A-2 (21) with a Cumberland Acoustics bridge and saddle. I saved the original bridge. Works great.

    I would like to hear some of the vintage experts weigh on this---Darryl Wolf, Dan B.

  6. #6

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    Yes, it would be completely ruined. Being left handed is a known psychological disorder. Just learn to play right and don't go ruining perfectly good unmolested right(wing) mandolins.

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    Chris,
    As everyone knows, only left handers are in their right minds

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    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    That just sounds like Chris wants you to order a lefty from him! (not a bad idea)



    Jason

    Lefty JBovier F5 Tradition, Lefty Mid-Mo M1

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    I just got back from having a seasoned "Lefty" try out the F5 lefty I'm building (which he loved, by the way, he could sure burn one up) and he had brought his f-hole Gibson A from the 40's which had been converted with a new nut (the "Pro" that set his up just flipped the bridge around) and a removed pick guard. He said that right handed it sounded great, but left handed it sounded like "junk", no bass. I checked the tone bars and found them as they should be for a "Righty" I suggested to him that they were most likly the problem with the lack of bass. So bottom line, the oval hole may work, but the F-hole would most likely be a waste of time converting one. This guy is putting the mando back right handed, selling it, and having me make him a custom Lefty F5.
    Bill P.
    I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore I am perfect.

  10. #10
    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    I told you there was a lefty market!
    Jason

    Lefty JBovier F5 Tradition, Lefty Mid-Mo M1

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    Quote Originally Posted by (Mandoplyr @ July 24 2006, 07:23)
    Yes, it would be completely ruined. Being left handed is a known psychological disorder. Just learn to play right and don't go ruining perfectly good unmolested right(wing) mandolins.
    So true!!!
    "Bonjour chez vous!"
    Phil.
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    This is just my own opinion gathered from experience, reading, and tutelage under an acoustics engineer, but I have had good results stringing up right handed mandolins left handed, including those with asymmetrical tone bar bracing. Set up is important. I believe that mandolins don't "know" if they are strung up lefty or righty. The whole instrument vibrates as a unit.

    Just in case any leftys are out there (or even rightys, they can't help who they are), I will have a couple of lefty mandolins and a lefty fiddle that you are welcome to play up at the Clifftop festival this coming week. I just strung up a retopped Stewmac kit mandolin that I used red spruce harvested from a 5700 foot mountain here in VA. It is quite nice sounding to me at least and has bound C-shaped holes. I also have a koa oval hole mandolin for sale that is strung up Lefty but was originally made righthanded. I intend to have a mandolin only jam like the one I had at Mt. Airy last month--

    http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....t=35292

    (You have to copy the entire url to get there or else look in the photo section of the Message Board on the second page.)

    If you make it to Clifftop, please look me up. We have big wide open jams-- mostly oldtime music. There are some fine mandolin pickers there-- the Mando Mafia for example, and last year Tim O'Brien came just to hang out.

    http://www.wvculture.org/stringband/

    I intend to have a mandolin only jam (other mandolin family instruments allowed) on either Thursday or Friday afternoon. Look for an announcement on the message board by the stage. Our camp will be up near the water tower.

    I don't want to belabor the left handed issue too much, but I do feel strongly that one should play with the hand that has the most feeling in it. Check out my left handed webpage to read my soapbox on this.

    I'll be gone to wild wonderful WV starting tomorrow (July 27th)!

    Happy Pickin'!

    Woody

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    This whole thread is making me wish I were left handed. I feel so left out...

  14. #14
    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (DiegoMoon @ July 26 2006, 19:08)
    This whole thread is making me wish I were left handed. I feel so left out...
    until you try to find a store that carries left handed instruments so you could actually try before you buy...
    Jason

    Lefty JBovier F5 Tradition, Lefty Mid-Mo M1

  15. #15
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    I suppose that's an issue. I surprised someone in a major market doesn't specialize in left handed instruments.

  16. #16
    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    well, you can always order a lefty sight unseen and if you don't like it you can send it back within a grace period. of course you will end up paying shipping BOTH ways and a restocking fee but hey...it's only money and afterall you're left handed and use to this sort of treatment.
    Jason

    Lefty JBovier F5 Tradition, Lefty Mid-Mo M1

  17. #17

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    Hey I love leftys, My CEO thinks they all deserve a room with a view.... of some sparkling Cuban bay.

  18. #18
    Jason Wicklund DryBones's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Mandoplyr @ July 26 2006, 20:18)
    Hey I love leftys, My CEO thinks they all deserve a room with a view.... of some sparkling Cuban bay.
    and I was just about to order a lefty from you.....
    Jason

    Lefty JBovier F5 Tradition, Lefty Mid-Mo M1

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