Got Scroll?

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 10:33am

http://redheadmandolins.com/2012/03/...la-mandocello/

**Mike Bunting** · Mar-24-2012, 11:10am

is this an ad?

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 11:56am

Well, it's a mandocello that I made...Does that make it an ad? If so, then yes, I guess there are many "ads " on the thread. But I think ads generally have purchasing info...

**billhay4** · Mar-24-2012, 12:36pm

I like. Nice mahogany for the back. The scroll is a nice, if unnecessary, tough a la Lyon and Healy. I'd like to hear it.
Bill

**Jim Garber** · Mar-24-2012, 1:02pm

I like that sort of Byrdland-ish tailpiece. What is the scale length?

**Jared Heddinger** · Mar-24-2012, 1:12pm

You say that those are D’Addario Mandocello strings, why do they look silver-ish?

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 2:13pm

I hope to have sound files up this week.

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 2:14pm

@Jim: 25.75"

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 2:15pm

@Jared: Because of my lousy photograhy shkills. Thay are bronze.

**JeffD** · Mar-24-2012, 2:20pm

Nevin that is beautiful. I love that scroll.

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 2:24pm

@billhay: I hadn't seen the Lyon and Healy, nery nice, not a traditional two flute violin scroll, but similar idea. I may steal from their A body design. I like that a lot. As far as unnecessary, i've long been a believer in the notion that the more mass you can add to the neck without compromising comfort, the better the sound and transmission properties. And I submit that in that sense, it is much more useful than the body scroll on an F model. And certainly as useful as the little breakable scroll on the headstock of same.

**billhay4** · Mar-24-2012, 5:21pm

Nevin,
I'll defer to your knowledge about neck mass and would like to hear more of your thinking on that subject.
I agree about the L&H body design. All in all, I think the L&H is the most beautiful mandolin ever made. My opinion only and there are some other candidates for the honor. None are Loar designs.
Bill

**Nevin Fahs** · Mar-24-2012, 10:58pm

Bill, you get no argument from me about the L&H. They're really beautiful, and I would imagine, given the company history, that they sound great as well.
As far as neck mass, I'm not claiming to have "knowledge" per se, but just my opinion based on research and personal experience. I first encountered that theory in discussions about the Gibson L-00, and how such a small bodied box can put out such a rich, full sound (I have a 1941 banner, and have never heard a guitar that sounded better to my ear. It's neck, as you may know, is like a baseball bat.), further research found many luthiers espousing theories about neck mass in relation to resonance in particular. While the majority of sound transmission to the soundboard is through the bridge, the fret is effectively a bridge situated on the solid part of the instrument, which has the ability, given good resonant properties, to excite the soundboard through the area in contact with the fretboard. Which is why I carve my tops so that the fretboard is in full contact, rather than using a fretboard extender, which would mute that resonance by reducing contact. . My "belief" in that fairly common theory may be nothing more than a matter of faith, voodoo acoustics, if you will. Whether it contributes to the sound quality or not, if it contributes to the overall aesthetics of the instrument, as longas it doesn't have a negative impact on the sound, why not, is my approach.