Re: Gail Hester Mandolins
Originally Posted by
jim_n_virginia
Piper I do not know Gail personally but I have watched her progress from doing a few finish repairs to building mandolins from scratch. I have read many happy posts from players who have commissioned her work. She is a well respected and long time member of this forum. I would not hesitate to bring her a mandolin to fix or build on from scratch.
Also I looked at that website and the pictures. Personally I feel like Gail should have never taken on a luthiery task so difficult. I am pretty sure she knows this now. Channeling the back of a refinished mandolin and install binding without chipping the back finish all up? What kind of request is that? You want a back bounded Gibson then sell your dang F-G5 and buy a Fern! SHEESH!
She should have told this guy this right in the beginning! But to call him an idiot or a hole as some on here have done I don't think that is right too. As a contractor in the past I've had people ask me to build crazy outrageous things and I just say "NO CAN DO!" I didn't build it and then if it doesn't come out right I don't blame the guy and say he never should have asked me to build a wooden Ferris wheel (serious) in his backyard in the first place!
I should have never agreed to do the job in the first place. This is where experience kicks in. Experience that Gail hopefully has now concerning stuff like this.
You don't judge a person by one mistake! You gotta look at the whole picture! She has done some beautiful work. I wish that guy would take the website down. She doesn't deserve that.
Agree with Jim. I thought about this post last night and I just see this as an impossible job that she should have turned down. Starting any business is tough and you have to go with your bread & butter. Do what you do best. I'm sure she'll never deal with anyone like this guy again.
Beck
1993 Flatiron F5 Master
2003 Randy Wood A5 2 Pointer
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard, grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
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