Refinishing a mandolin

**Ken Berner** · Sep-18-2007, 11:08am

I read in the classified ads on this site where a very good quality mandolin is being offered for sale, and it has recently been refinished. The wood was probably sanded completely down to the point of no visible coloring, as it is now a blond. Would a new finish, regardless how thin, bind up the top so that it will be a long time in coming to life again; or might the slightly thinner top (as a result of the sanding) actually be an immediate tone enhancement?

**MikeEdgerton** · Sep-18-2007, 11:27am

Maybe yes, maybe no. That Gibson might have sounded better before, it might sound better now, I imagine it's in the ear of the beholder. The finish on that puppy wasn't a quarter of an inch thick to begin with. As far as adverse affects, it affects the price of the mandolin and if indeed it was sanded it could affect the integrity. That doesn't mean it isn't a good deal it's just that you need to see it to make a value judgement based on your ears and your eyes.

**testore** · Sep-18-2007, 11:45am

just did a refin on a 1912 F2 and it was twice the mando when I was done. It just depends on how good the mando was when it was originally finished. Dogs kind of stay dogs but if it was a good sounding mando before it needed work and if the work is good then the mando will be just fine.

**bradeinhorn** · Sep-18-2007, 12:35pm

if it is a sound you love, i would avoid it.

**soapycows** · Sep-18-2007, 12:53pm

Refinishing instruments makes me kind of sad.

**Ken Berner** · Sep-18-2007, 1:02pm

Of course I do not know the lady selling the mandolin in question; I certainly hope that she didn't have it turned blond just for the sake of change in overall appearance. Even if the instrument were naturally distressed, I don't believe I would refinish it just to make it look good enough to sell.

**testore** · Sep-18-2007, 1:11pm

If the refinish that has been done already looks bad then have it redone. A good revarnish by a pro WILL NOT hurt the sound. That was the case of my recent refinish. It was GREEN at some point and when I got it it had been covered up by very thick #### colored brown. It doesn't look refinished now, it looks vintage and sounds way better than it did when I got it. If you are removing bad work to replace it with better,more correct work, then there's not a problem.