New jbovier lefty f5 tradition

[DryBones]

Just got it today and so far so good! Satin Antique Carmel with JBovier solid cast tailpiece. Also using a King Brown over the tailpiece armrest. Sounds pretty good right out of the box, can't wait to see what happens in a few weeks/months!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0930.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0931.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0935.jpg

[cooper4205]

Good stuff, DryBones-

i like the change done to the inlay and script on the headstock, looks alot better. i hope you like it, if its anything like that J. Bovier 'dola I played it oughta sound quite nice!

[DryBones]

Cooper, Thanks! here is a closer look at the headstock. I had to put it down,my fingertips are sore! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Man, I need to trim those strings a bit!


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0929.jpg

[Mandolusional]

Nice and congratulations, nothing like seeing those scrolls rotated in the proper direction! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rick Cadger]

hey Jason,

that's a nice looking mando.

any chance of a pic showing a side view of the bridge, please? my new cheapie mando has the bridge adjusted very low compared to both my friend's Eastmans which are jacked up so high they lean.

wondered how the Bovier shapes up from that point of view.

[DryBones]

My Eastman bridge is high too. must be a neck angle thing. I'll try and get some comparison shots of both for you.

[Rick Cadger]

My Eastman bridge is high too. must be a neck angle thing. I'll try and get some comparison shots of both for you.
thank you. i look forward to seeing.

[Jim Nollman]

Beautiful color. It glows.

My eastman has strings high off the body as well. I like the sound of it. And the fact that i don't need a pickguard.

Tell us something about how the JBovier compares to your Eastman.

[MikeEdgerton]

Someone needs to know how something compares to an Eastman? I'm shocked. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[DryBones]

Beautiful color. It glows.

My eastman has strings high off the body as well. I like the sound of it. And the fact that i don't need a pickguard.

Tell us something about how the JBovier compares to your Eastman.
Let me break this puppy in before I do any comparisons. I do know that this one sounds better from day one than the Eastman did. The Eastman has opened up and sounds great now, I am hoping this one improves with time as well, not that it sounds bad at all right now. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[DryBones]

a couple comparison shots.

the Eastman Bridge: (I just cleaned it after seeing the dust up close so don't even start!)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/Eastman%20Mandolins/MD-505%20Classic%20Lefty/100_0941.jpg

The J.Bovier Bridge:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0943.jpg

[DryBones]

Side shots:

Eastman:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/Eastman%20Mandolins/MD-505%20Classic%20Lefty/100_0942_00.jpg

J.Bovier:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/JBWicklund/JBovier/100_0944.jpg

[DryBones]

a couple things. The action is lower on the JBovier, I can hold a golden gate pick under the strings almost up to the last fret but on the Eastman it gets loose about the 10th. the nut is a little lower on the Eastman too so I think I may try lowering the bridge a hair. Also, I have noticed that the top and back of the JBovier seem to be more arched than the Eastman. Not sure if this is an F vs A thing or just different makers.
OK, I have bored y'all enough with this. thanks for the interest.
edit: the neck on the J.Bovier is more of a U shape and the Eastman is a round V shape.

[Gibson A5]

Jason, how is the intonation on the JBovier? The picture looks like the bridge is set back past the F hole points. It might just be how the picture was taken and is one of those optical e-lusions. Nice looking mando (but someone put the scroll on the wrong side. You might want to get that fixed.) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Bill P.

[DryBones]

Bill the intonation is perfect. I am thinking the ff holes might be a bit forward compared to others. the bridge is not on the backside of the top slope at all. Probably not as nice as the lefty you are/have built but it fit my wifes budget! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Gibson A5]

Good for you Jason, my wife won't even let me buy one of my handmade mandlins http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Bill P.

[Tony C]

Hey, Jason, I just got my lefty A5 from Jeff the other day. Do you still have your F5? How has it aged?

[MikeEdgerton]

The last time Jason was online was October 24, 2017. I don't know if he's still reading the cafe or not.

[Tony C]

My A5-L came in a week or so ago. The action was low, and the g string buzzed a bit. I called up Jeff, and he told me that the bridge on the bass side needed to be raised. He instructed me how to do it, and after I did that, no more buzzing.

It's very easy to play. Even my fat fingers can get around nicely. Being a guitar and bass player all my life, I found the combo v- and c- neck profile to be at first strange (try playing a 6-string bass and then pick up a mandolin!), but I find that after playing it on a daily basis, it's getting more and more comfortable.

The tone is very nice. The volume is there already. And of course, the more I play it, the more it will open up.

I'm pleased with my decision to purchase the JBovier, and look forward to many years of enjoyment.