Black topped mandos

[mzbanjo]

Does anyone else share my opinion that all a black topped mando does is hide some beautiful wood? I don't understand what the attraction is. And how much, if any, restriction of vibrations does this create (is the black the same as a burst but just a different color)?

piece
matt


p.s. I'm bored at work and just thought I would try to stir something up.

[davestem]

I agree with you. I think they generally look pretty ugly. I doubt it has much effect on sound, though.

[troika]

My Blonde Collings MF5 is a great example of superior workmanship. There's nowhere to hide ANY cosmetic flaws whatsoever. Even sunbursts can hide grain runout and other supposed "flaws". Blackface mandos can hide alot.
The Hilburn I recently saw posted was a beauty though.

[Spruce]

I think they (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?392) can be incredibly beautiful--if not some of the most beautiful mandolins ever made--and can put to use some of the ugliest (but sonically sound) wood in the wood pile.

Some of this wood you would not want to see in a blonde or bursted mandolin, with pitchpockets, runout, racing stripes, knot shadows, or even miss-matched tops.

"Even sunbursts can hide grain runout"

Sunbursts accentuate runout and do not hide it....

[John Flynn]

It's just a personal style choice. I love 'em. If I had the money to get a custom made mando right now, it would be a black top. The sunburst is a great finish idea, but it has been overdone to the extreme, IMHO.

[jim simpson]

I understood in the solid body guitar world that the best wood was used for blondes or other clearer finishes and the poorer wood was painted. I don't think that is the case in most of the better mandolins. I had an all black Japanese Kentucky KM-1000. You could see on the inside what a beautiful flamed back it had. It was almost tempting to have the sides and back stripped to natural but I sold it.

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

I once had a mando that looked fine on the sides and back, but the front was a terrible match in color to the rest of it. I had it refinished on the top with a black lacquer and it looked wonderful! Sometimes color correction after the fact isn't possible, so that was a good alternative.

[Django Fret]

I have a 1909 Gibson blacktop F-2 that is one of the sweetest sounding mandolins I have ever played. Being black certainly doesn't seem to affected it in any negative way, and I wish more of my non-black mandolins sounded as good.

[Professor PT]

I've always loved the look of the old black F-4's. I've also seen a Brentrup F-4 on the cafe here that is gorgeous. When it comes down to it, how spectacular is the wood on top anyway? It's not quarter-sawn or figured at all. I agree that the sunburst has been done to the extreme. That's why I bought my MK in the walnut finish. Now, I'd certainly make an exception for a Loar, but when I do buy a more expensive mando in the future, I'm sure it won't be just the same old sunburst.

[Bill Snyder]

Top wood is almost always quartersawn. That is why you see all the close, straight growth lines.
And for what it is worth, I think some of the black topped mandolins are very striking.

[ira]

not for me, but i know mando players - hey rabbi neal you out there??? who love em and ask for them regardless of how the wood looks. just a preference thing. its kinda like wanting that rigel blue or folks who like the mk cherry top. all in the eye. i'm not a plain ole sunburst guy but there are those who wouldn't get anything but.

[Spruce]

A nice '14 F4 and the aforementioned Brentrup...

[SternART]

My Lawrence Smart 2 point long neck oval hole....has a black top...... Lawrence does a transparent black, you can see thru to the wood with good lighting. Check out this beauty: http://www.smithfowler.org/music/mandolin/smart/

[Professor PT]

A nice '14 F4 and the aforementioned Brentrup...
It's kind of like deciding which twin to take out on a date, eh?

[JAK]

What is grain "run-out?"

[Russ(String-Alley)]

Why you getting down on the Black faced ones?
mammy....mammy! (sorry, bad pun) I like amost any color mando. I dont think its much of a sound factor. I've played some that sounded better than one in a natural finish.

cheers!
Russ

[mzbanjo]

It was partially out of boredom, I don't really dislike color-faced mandos. Just wanted to see what others thought. However, personally I am in favor of the look the wood. But some black-faces are very nice. the new tim o'brien model comes to mind (pictures of it at least).

piece
matt

[Mandodoc]

I love my All Black Rigel A Plus Deluxe, you can't ask you a sweeter playing, sweeter sounding (to my fingers and ears) mandolin. The wood looks good on the inside and I pretty much trust the Petes that they use good wood because they make a wonderful mandy. And the outside is very striking.
jon

[Mandobar]

one of my all time favorite mandos, brentrup 21L

http://www.mandobar.com/distrbrent3.jpg

[mad dawg]

I've seen some blacktop mandolins that look quite boring to me, and others that look awesome. Ironically perhaps, the ones that looked best to me were due to the use of beautiful woods in the sides that contrasted nicely with the blacktop.

[mad dawg]

...like this sexy beast from Dale Ludewig:

[Andrew Reckhart]

I have a "black top" Stiver. I had the finish done in a translucent "black-burst" finish so that you could still see the gorgeous wood that Lou used to build my mandolin. I'll have to post a picture for you guys . The back and sides really look amazing. The see through black actually seems to accentuate the grain better than a lot of sunburst finishes due to a much more dramatic contrast in tint shades.

[grandmainger]

Have a look at the latest Mando from Driftwood (#007) (http://www.driftwoodmandolins.com/Mandolin007.html).

Black faced, gorgeous everywhere!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif