Pruitt #4 In the White

[Gibson A5]

Well I got my #4 strung up in the white this afternoon. #I kick myself for making this one left handed, it sounds too good to be just strung up. #My others didn't sound quite this good the first afternoon. #Of cource all I can play upside down and backwards is two finger cords and some simple melodies. #I'll keep it this way for a week and fine tune it, then I'll stain and put some finish on it. I'll try to sell this one. #If I keep making right handed ones I'll keep all of them, That's why I decided to try building a lefty.
Bill Pruitt

[Gibson A5]

Another

[Gibson A5]

Another

[Gibson A5]

Another

[Gibson A5]

Last one for now.
Bill P.

[Gibson A5]

Yes it's all from scratch. I had to make the bridge backwards with the offsets and this drove me nuts. Before I made every cut on this thing I had to think if it was in the right direction for a lefty. Spruce top, maple back, sides and neck. Truss rod, dovetail neck joint.
Thanks,
Bill P.

[Yonkle]

A beauty! I just started #6 (scratch) my back looks a lot like yours. Nice work Bill

[ab4usa]

Bill when it's time to sell it keep me in mind!

[DryBones]

or me! Arm wrestle you for it, Alan! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[ronlane3]

Very nice, I like the back.

[Gibson A5]

Wow! Thanks for the complements. Maybe I should build more Lefties.
I was playing it in the living room last night and my wife from another room yelled to me asking if that was the new one I was playing. I said yes, how does it sound?
She said "It sounds much louder than the others". That's a complement from her, as she only thinks "guitars" sound good and it takes a full group of instruments to back up a mandolin to make it sound good!
Bill P.

[Strange1]

I want one!!!!! Just what I need.... another LH inst that I can never sell.

Jack

[Brier]

Bill,
Wow a lefty! Great job.
Peter.

[DryBones]

Wow! Thanks for the complements. #Maybe I should build more Lefties.
Bill,
To be honest I bet there is a reasonable market for good quality lefties out there. Most of the PacRim lefties are not configured correctly (bridge and/or nut) excluding the Eastmans I have seen but a true hand built one of a kind custom lefty built here in the good old U.S.of A. should find a buyer or two. Of course I am sure pricing may play a factor in all that as well. So tell me, what's it gonna cost me to have you build me a lefty F4?? # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gibson A5]

Thanks all for the great interest. I am determined to build more leftys now. A lefty F4 sounds good to me. I might build one of those next and see if there is anyone is interested in buying it. I may become an exclusive Lefty builder. Though after I've built and sold 10 lefty style mandos, I'd have to go back to rightys because I'm sure there are no more than 10 lefty mando players in the world http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Bill P.

[DryBones]

yeah but we all want an F hole and an oval hole both in the F and A style so now you have to build 40. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[DryBones]

Bill,
The lefties here want to see more photos! Is it finished yet?

[Gibson A5]

No finish yet, it's still in the white. The lefty guy that was going to give me his comments when he trys it out, has been out of town till next week, so I have to wait till then. I have been doing banding and inlay on another righty I've built while I'm waiting. I'll start putting finish on the lefty some time next week. I'll post the pictures when I get it stained.
Thanks for the interest.
Bill P.

[Kip Welty]

very nice, i like it. i am a lefty, hard to find mando's. have any for sale ?

[DryBones]

get in line Kip.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gibson A5]

#4 just getting started with two coats of finish. One to seal so I could scrape the binding, then one after the binding scrape.
Bill P.

[Gibson A5]

The back.
Bill P.

[Gibson A5]

A little better shot of the back.
Bill P.

[DryBones]

lookin' good!

[ab4usa]

looks real fine. Did your lefty buddy have any suggestions?

[Gibson A5]

Alan, I didn't really know him, I got in touch with him through a relative that knew him. I'm not trying to brag, but he thought it sounded fantastic and couldn't put it down. He is the lead "Guitar" player for the bluegrass/gospel group "Glory Bound". The only improvement suggestion he gave me was the color. He said he just had to have it and gave me the price I wanted. I got lucky I guess on the sound it's a real boomer with a great chop. I'll be making more to the same specs since this lefty turned out so good.
Thanks,
Bill P.

[ab4usa]

Well good for you. I do like the color. Let me know when the next lefty's on it's way.

[DryBones]

how about that lefty F4? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[B. T. Walker]

Very nice.

[Gibson A5]

Thanks all. A lefty F4 will be in the works, but I have decided to do another lefty F5 first since there is so much interest. I try to post better pictures of the back of this one when I have more finish on it, they looked ok on my computer, but when put on the board they expanded some how and blurred the back.
Bill P.

[Gibson A5]

It's ready to compound, buff, and wax. #It looks better then the picture. #I got to figure out how to make and post better pictures.
Bill P.

[Kip Welty]

how much do you sell your custom lefty's for ? i may have one built here in columbus by ray sparks. is there some things you suggest I ask ray before contracting with him ?

[Gibson A5]

kwelty, I PM you, go read your mail.
Thanks,
Bill P.

[Gibson A5]

The completed Lefty with me holding it (gee, don't I look evil?).
Bill P.

[Kip Welty]

looks great, how did the back turn out ?

[Gibson A5]

Here's the back. A lot of reflections got in the picture.
Bill P.

[Kip Welty]

Very nice, already sold ?

[Gibson A5]

Kwelty, it was sold when in the white (because of the great sound it had). It's being picked up today.
Bill P.

[Kip Welty]

silly me, i did not realize this was the same manolin. i thought the first pics was a blonde type on mandolin, now i get it. very nice.