New best friend

[Ken]

This is one of my older mandolins, I finished this one in 1986, kept it as a back-up mandolin but never played it much. But now it is my new best friend. Since this one I built only one other f hole mandolin, all the rest have been oval holes. A couple of months ago, for no particular reason, I picked this one up to play just for a change of pace, and it was love at first sound. I really love that focused, woody low end response you get from the f holes that you don’t quite get from the oval holes. It’s a whole new world.

[billhay4]

Interesting design. I'd like to see more pictures, especially of the tailpiece and bridge.
Bill Hay

[mandomick]

Yea, has that Gretsch thinline electric guitar vibe.

[Jim Garber]

There is something appealing -- even charming -- about that one.

[Ken]

Thanks for the comments. Charming? I don't think I've ever heard that term applied to mandolins before but I'll take it as a compliment http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif . Bill Hay, here is a picture of a similar bridge on a different mando. The bone insert sits into a routed cavity. On this mando I actually went back later and made an ebony saddle, the bone was just too bright. As to the tailpiece, I'll try to get a picture soon. It is real simple though, verging on crude, or at least simple to the point of no style. It's sheet brass with the top section doubled and soldered together. The string pins are brass linoleum nails, tapped through drilled holes and then lightly peened and silver soldered to keep them in place. I originally polished it out and lacquered it, but at one point years ago removed the lacquer and let it tarnish.