View Full Version : two Silverangels(distressed)
I just finished these two and wanted to see what you all like better, the satin or glossy oil varnish.
last one , the headstock.....
They are both made from 100 year old red spruce, the sound is really nice. They both seem to have everything, highs, lows, mids, volume.
Professor PT
Oct-22-2005, 2:13pm
I like satin finishes, but that other one looks very nice, too. Hey, you always need a back-up anyway, right?
sgarrity
Oct-22-2005, 2:28pm
Nothing beats a nice satin finished mandolin! But they both look awesome.
LKN2MYIS
Oct-22-2005, 2:29pm
They are both gorgeous.
My taste runs towards the satin.
Dano Reible
Oct-22-2005, 2:36pm
I love the gloss. Accualy I think it is the contrast I like so much. The dark is so much darker and I think the detail in the wood comes out more but they are both wonderful.
What does a Silverangle cost??
That headstock is quite nice also.
Antlurz
Oct-22-2005, 4:08pm
I like looking at the glossy ones, but all else being equal, ten years down the road, assuming they both get lots of use, the satin one will likely look better, comparatively. It will hide the little inevitable dings and scratches a lot better over the long haul.
Ron
DryBones
Oct-22-2005, 5:08pm
I say they would both look nice in my livng room http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Scotti Adams
Oct-22-2005, 6:10pm
..both of those look real nice Ken..I really love the color of the burst on the shiny one..
Jason Kessler
Oct-22-2005, 6:48pm
I'm a might partial to satin finishes myself, but those are both purdy in the extreme.
Lane Pryce
Oct-22-2005, 7:48pm
The finishes are both excellent although the satin is more to my likens. The peghead inlay is absolutely stellar! Lp
BlueMountain
Oct-22-2005, 9:20pm
Definitely go with the gloss, as it makes the curly maple look really wonderful, but they are both beautiful. A SLIGHTLY satin finish can be okay--you know, that sort of old Loar look, or an old violin look. But for works of art, such as you make, stick to the gloss, so we can stare deeply into the glories of the grain. Sometimes a satin finish simply looks like it's unfinished. I have a Larivee OM-3 guitar with a "satin" finish which was horrible--it looked like the third spray coat of lacquer before sanding. Well, about three hours with buffing compound and wax and it turned into the sort of satin you do--rich looking. The sides and back turned out to be highly figured koa, but that was hardly noticeable until I worked on it. Boy, it took courage to use rubbing compound on a new instrument of that quality (still the finest fingerstyle guitar I've ever played).
phiddlepicker
Oct-22-2005, 9:25pm
I'm partial to the satin finish myself. If you need someone to try them out and give you feedback I'd be more than happy to make the sacrifice. lol
steve V. johnson
Oct-22-2005, 9:42pm
If I guess right, can I have one?
<GGG>
They're both magnificent. I like the satin, m'self.
stv
Roydw3
Oct-22-2005, 10:58pm
I love them both...the gloss looks wonderful (I like the darkness of the color)...and the satin makes me think it is a classic even though it is brand new (I would like it to be darker or more of a richer brown color)...I am amazed. I would love to purchase one of these...do you take golf clubs and fishing poles in trade (ha ha ha)or maybe let me work it off...or $20 a month...ok seriously, I am saving for a custom mandolin and these have moved to the top of my list (I have loved some of your other models too but these really speak to me). Thanks for sharing
CraigF
Oct-23-2005, 9:30am
Satin - It has much more character.
Mark Walker
Oct-23-2005, 10:42am
Okay Ken - I'm going to throw a curve I've not seen yet. I think a 'distressed' look mandolin should look, well, 'distressed and old.' Thus they look better with a satin finish. I think the gloss finish on an 'old-looking' mandolin is incongruent with the 'look' you're promoting. Of course everyone has their own preferences, and - you making people custom-made instruments - you'll get some who prefer distressed with a glossy finish. Regardless, I know they'll both sound exceptional! (I know - my first Silver Angel was gloss lacquered and my current one is satin oil - and both kick tail sound and tone wise.) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
picksnbits
Oct-24-2005, 7:51am
There's your answer, Ken. Keep doing both. Market the glossy one as your "vintage" finish and the satin as your "distressed" finish. The vintage would have less distressing and look like a well cared for old instrument. BTW, I like the satin.
That's exactly what I had in mind, the glossy being a well cared for older mandolin and the satin, the older and a little more battered look. Thanks for all the replies.
mad dawg
Oct-24-2005, 10:28am
My thinking is in alignment with Closet' and picksnbits, but to be sure, I think I need to see them in person. Shall I PM my shipping address to you? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
PCypert
Oct-24-2005, 11:31am
Satin
Paul
J. Mark Lane
Oct-24-2005, 11:45am
They are both gorgeous, and I see no reason to "choose" -- I want both. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Honestly, I have a beautiful satin Pomeroy and I love the look. But I have a beautiful gloss varnish, French polished Stanley, too, and I think it is just incredibly gorgeous. My own view is that if you are going for a "vintage" type look, then that must mean really that you are looking at the Loars for inspiration. In that regard, my feeling would be you have to go with varnish, and you should probably French polish it. Chris Stanley's mandolins never see a spray gun. It's all done by hand. The look is very very vintage. And with a little time, it should look more and more like the source of the inspiration.
I don't care for using a satin finish to try to approximate a "distressed" or vintage look. I like a nice satin finish in its own right, as Don Paine does. For something that wants to look like a Loar (or any vintage Gibson), I think you should finish it the way the originals were finished, and let time take care of the rest.
Just my opinion.
But those are truly beautiful, Ken. Beautiful in their own right and need no reference to anything. My only possible "critical" comment would be that I just never liked those tailpieces. I prefer a traditional looking tailpiece, especially on a traditional looking mandolin. But obviously, that's a simple switch.
Nice work! Any more recent ones with those spectacular paintings on them?
Mark
Walter
Oct-24-2005, 1:23pm
I like the satin. -Great headstock inlay. Beautiful work.
flairbzzt
Oct-25-2005, 10:40am
I'm a satin fan- for tone even more than looks. From what I hear and now see, yours has both.
jugband
Nov-04-2005, 5:18am
I just finished these two and wanted to see what you all like better, the satin or glossy oil varnish.
It would be the satin for me. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
I think I like the way the sunburst is done better on the glossy one, though.
I prefer the gloss. After some years of playing it will probably lose some of the gloss and just have a nice warm glow and depth.
I love all the color in the headstock inlay. Is that blue Paua?
I have a very glossy varnish mando, and it needed some varnish repair done due to some shipping damage (it's the Sawchyn S-5 pictured elsewhere in this thread). I finally found a violin repair shop that could do the work, but the repair guy had a really hard time matching the high gloss. He said that violins are never that glossy.
Brad B.