Any opinions on the differences between one and two piece backs?
Any opinions on the differences between one and two piece backs?
Two piece backs are symetrical.
f-d
ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '84 1N, '84 A5-1, '06 Phoenix Bluegrass, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5
One piece backs are supposedly better for tone, two piece backs are prettier.
"I love the smell of my mandolin in the morning. The smell, you know ... that varnish smell. Smells like victory."
I hear that tone wise there shouldn't be a difference between a one-piece back and a well joined two-piece. I'd be curious to see the results of a thorough study though if someone is willing to fund it.
Jason
"Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway."
Newell A5 #37, Glenn F5 #66, Eastman 615 #537,
I've owned a mandolin with a two-piece back, and I currently own a mandolin with a one-piece back. This topic has been covered a lot on the Cafe, and I thnk the consensus is that there is really no way to identify a diference in tone, because the seemingly infinite amount of variables that are involved in comparing two mandolins prevents any definitive answer.
Just think, if mandolin X is made with a two-piece back and mandolin Y is made with a one-piece, is that all we need to tell the difference? What about the 200 additional pieces of material that go into making a mandolin? What about the age of the mandolins? What about how they've been cared for? What about the pick, the person playing it, the strings, the life of the strings, the setup, the stain, the finish, etc.
How can we possibly account for all of this, even when we have two mandolins built at the same time by the same builder, with all things otherwise equal?
"If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark."
~ St. John of the Cross
http://www.youtube.com/ktbriggs
Maybe, maybe not...Originally Posted by (fatt-dad @ Feb. 07 2008, 14:48)
"First you master your instrument, then you master the music, then you forget about all that ... and just play"
Charlie "Bird" Parker
For what it's worth, ALL of the best sounding Loar F5s I've ever played (about 50) had two piece backs.
The Best 2 mandolins that I have owned are both one piece
backs. This was in sound and looks IMHO...Have heard many buiders say that there are no advantages of one over the other also
Ellis A5 Deluxe #231
2012 Gibson F5G
Martin D18GE
Martin HD28V (custom prototype)
Randy Wood #1 has a two-piece back, and RW#3 has a one-piece back. They're both great mandolins, and I can't say that anything distinctive about each mandolin's sound is related to the back structure.
Red
Red
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Huh? Most one piece backs are chosen for looks as there is no discernable difference in tone.
Bill Snyder
I've never heard a builder say there was an improvement in tone from a one piece back, and have often heard that there is in fact no noticable difference. #
For myself, I generally prefer the look of a one piece back.
Chip
Two piece backs are generally a bit more stable due to bookmatching. I don't see how there'd be any tonal difference at all.
I posted the earlier photo of how I kinda mismatched, but given a matched set, I like the 2 piece backs if the figure is flame or there is little or no figure (at least the symmetry gives it something). But (IMO), the best looking backs are the one piece quilted backs.
"First you master your instrument, then you master the music, then you forget about all that ... and just play"
Charlie "Bird" Parker
Ah, no. Only difference is a glue joint. #
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