Truss Rod covers

[Phillip Tigue]

I've noticed on a picture...somewhere, I'm not sure...that Hoss has a neat little truss rod cover. Almost looks like a piece of hammered tin or something...little design.

Anyone seen any others out there, besides the old black plastic look?

[MikeEdgerton]

I have an engraved pearl cover from First Quality with my name on it.

[AlanN]

Mine is pearl with fancy script 'Frank Wakefield'. And yes, there is a story behind it.

I'll try to photo and post.

[MikeEdgerton]

Alan, if I'd a known anybody was doing that I would have had Frank's name put on mine.... :))

Here's (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31011) a thread with a few.

[Chuck Naill]

I have an engraved pearl cover from First Quality with my name on it.



I am having a Gibson type tailpeice cover engraved by FQ. If it looks half as good as yours I will be happy.

chuck

[woodwizard]

Here's mine ... just plain purty abalone.

[MikeEdgerton]

All of the engraving on anything I've ever bought from First Quality has been excellent. I had them engrave some banjo parts for me as well.

[Elliot Luber]

I put in a mother of pearl cover to contrast an otherwise spartan headstock.

[8ch(pl)]

Two or 3 years ago a member posted witha truss rod cover that was engraved with a portrait of his little girl.

It was lovely.

[Phil Goodson]

Look at this (http://www.customscrimshaw.com/) link.
NFI

[Salty Dog]

I can vouch for Ed Weber's scrimshaw work. He made a beautiful ivory cover for BRW#61.

[Doug Edwards]

Here's my current TRC, sort of a 50/50 with the ebony and pearl.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I had Weber get a MOP truss rod cover made for my Fern. Brian England's 'Custom Inlay' outfit actually made it & it's perfect. Weber sent the CAD info.to Brian & his guys made it for me.
I've been thinking of having a TRC made for my newly aquired Lebeda. There's a shell called Black Tahitian Pearl (see small pic.) which looks very 'subdued' compared to white MOP or Abalone which i think could look very nice & understated,
Saska;)

[Mike Bunting]

http://www.luthiersupply.com/pearltrussrodcoverpage.html
Here's another source.

[David M.]

Here's one I made. It's some scrap rosewood veneer my boss had from an old furniture project and he gave me all of it. I think Jessboo also has one of these on his.

I've got some ebony that I cut into blanks and had intended to shape. Might still have them around.

One pic shows it on my Flatiron.

[Scotti Adams]

Two or 3 years ago a member posted witha truss rod cover that was engraved with a portrait of his little girl.

It was lovely.

You mean this?? It would be mine. Made by Ed Weber.

[mandroid]

the Ebony one that was fitted to my Lebeda has a little concave carved into the backside ,
so is a bit thicker , T-rod nut gets a bit of clearance.
thought about an inlay in it, never got around to that , just playing it was(still is) enough.

oh , and the TRC on the '22 A4 is a piece of Tin, or metal , nickel plated like the tailpiece.

.. as that was around the time of the introduction of the Truss rod , I expect the shiny cover was to highlight it's, featured, addition.

[tatwell]

Interesting thread, and really nice handiwork in the covers pictured. I made mine from the same piece of pet smart bleached bone that I used to make the tuner buttons and the arm rest. I have an inlay to install in the cover, but just haven't gotten around to doing it yet.

[AlanN]

Here's mine

[MikeEdgerton]

Ok Alan, what is the story behind this? :popcorn:

[Kevin K]

Yes Alan, share with us.

[AlanN]

Okay, since you've asked.

About 10 years ago, I visited with Frank in his flat. During the course of our afternoon together, I asked if he had any *other* mandolins lying around. He goes into a closet and pulls out a case, in which sat an F-5 from a well-known builder. I checked it out, and the day ended with me driving home with Nilent Sight on my brain.

About a week later, I called him up (he answers the phone, btw, in a little girl voice, to throw off any would-be ne'er-do-wells) and asked if he'd take $nnnn for the mandolin in the closet. Without a glance, he says 'Yes'. Deal done.

Some time later, I advertised (and sold) this mandolin on this here Classifieds forum. I got a very irate call from the builder, claiming I (and Frank) had no right to do that, that it was an endorsement deal, yada, yada. Frank said nothing about that, I certainly was in the dark about it. It was a bit dicey.

Before I sold the mandolin, I removed the TR cover and replaced it with a generic one (with the buyer's okay). So, there you have 'the rest of the story' (with apols to Paul Harvey - R.I.P.)

[woodwizard]

Cool story Alan... and nice looking TR cover

[MikeEdgerton]

Alan, I would think the builder had a beef with Frank not you. You bought it.

[Steve Ostrander]

So, if a builder gives you a mandolin, you can never sell it? Must have been in the fine print...