My goldtop Redline Traveler in progress...

[Jill McAuley]

Here are the first shots Steve sent me of my new Redline Traveler - in case anyone missed his post about it in the other Redline thread, it's going to have walnut back and sides, Carpathian spruce top, gold top (Les Paul style), cream binding on top, and hopefully a cream pickguard, gloss finish, scalloped tailpiece, radiused fretboard. Needless to say, this is going to be an awesome wee mandolin!

Cheers,
Jill

[Ken Olmstead]

Yes it will be! Looks good so far. Why do I want to order another one? Congrats Jill, I will be watching the progress as you post!

[Jill McAuley]

Thanks Ken!
The rave reviews both yourself and Jim gave about your Travelers are what really got me thinking about getting one in the first place - it's like they say, happy customers are the best advertisement!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jill McAuley]

Steve sent me a few more photos of the progress of my Traveler - he's making another gold-top at the same time, basically identical to mine, so if anyone out there is interested in that one you might want to shoot Steve an email!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jill McAuley]

Steve is really outdoing himself today - here are a few more shots of today's work.

Cheers,
Jill

[Jill McAuley]

Steve sent me some more photos of my Traveler - it's really starting to take shape now!

Cheers,
Jill

[Ken Olmstead]

Those Mandolin Cafe hats are starting to become a Where's Waldo" type of deal!!

Looks good Jill! You are going to love it!

[Jim MacDaniel]

Keep posting updates Jill -- I 'm looking forward to seeing the gold top!

[SlotHeadSlim]

Jill,

I'm looking forward to seeing your Traveler. I just got back from Germany with mine. I'm pleased to say the Breedlove case fit nicely in overhead compartments. I ended up fitting the Breedlove case in a tennis bag to keep it from getting dinged up and to provide an extra pocket as a place to hold music and presents. The strap on the tennis bag was long enough to sling it over my back and have a laptop bag over my shoulder at the same time. Most of my playing was in the airport sitting around which made for a much nicer trip.

I am especially interested to see your pick guard with the gold top. That sounds like a very cool combination. Keep us posted.

Thanks,

Tom

[Ken Olmstead]

Hey Steve - in Jill's post #6 in the lower left hand corner is a shot of 7 bodies, 3 stacked on the bench and 4 lined up in the backdrop. What is the wood combination of the 2nd one from the right. Substantially darker than the rest? Ceder top?

[Steevarino]

Hi Ken,

Where's Waldo? Where's the Mandolin Cafe Cap? Where's the Curly Redwood Top...? You found it! Yep, that one is curly redwood. Mr. Mann, a fellow Cafe Member, brought a few pieces by the shop a couple of weeks ago, so I thougth I' try it out on a Traveler. Should really "light-up" when the lacquer hits it! Big waves of curl in it that remind me of the Pacific Ocean.

I do believe this one is still available, if you know anyone that might be interested. We bound it with tortoise celluloid shortly after this picture was taken yesterday, both top and back. I can't wait to hear how this one sounds! The neck goes on tomorrow, so it shouldn't be long now...

When I was a little kid, like from 3-6 years old, I used to tell people that I was born in a redwood tree. This freaked out my parents, because I said it like I really meant it. We used to go camping in the redwoods around that time, so I guess that's where it came from. Fond memories of trees you could drive through, family, tents that smelled of real canvas, the '55 Buick Century, dual exhaust . . .

[Ken Olmstead]

I can't wait to see the redwood! Maybe throw a couple shots up of that one as it comes along. Either here or on my thread, unless of course someone buys it and it demands its own thread!!!

[blockhead]

Hey Steve,

I'd be interested in that curly redwood if it's still available

[Steevarino]

Well, that could be arranged...

Here are a couple of shots of the Redwood Traveler. The neck went on Monday. Finish sanding happened yesterday. Just about ready for the Finishing Ritual...

[Jill McAuley]

Looking forward to seeing what that Redwood Traveler looks like once it's all finished up, Steve!

Hey all,
Here are a few more shots from Steve of the gold top's progress. Two photos of it (and a posse of other Travelers), necks on the body now, with a few coats of sanding sealer applied.

In the shot of all the backs, mine is the first one on the right. In the shot of all the fronts, mine is the second from the right.

Cheers,
Jill

[guitharsis]

Very nice, Jill. It's exciting to see it coming together and so quickly! You're building up quite a collection. The goldtop Traveler will be a great addition.

[Jill McAuley]

Yes, it is turning into a bit of a collection! I can't wait to take a group photo of them when the gold top arrives. Looking into my crystal ball, I definitely see a carved oval A in my future somewhere, but then I'll need to put the brakes on for awhile I think...well, maybe after the addition of a tenor guitar I'll put the brakes on....Thankfully my only costly vices are instruments!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jill McAuley]

Ok, here are the first shots with the gold paint on - I think they look awesome already! And check out that highly figured top on the one behind the sunburst - Steve is that that redwood topped one you posted pix of last week?

Cheers,
Jill

[JEStanek]

You need to practice your Shirley Bassey. Looks awesome.
3id9Ruka6GQ
Jamie

[Jim MacDaniel]

I love gooooooold...

[Steevarino]

You guys crack me up! Jamie, I sat through the entire "Goldfinger" clip above. Reminds me of when I was in elementary school. I believe the movied before Goldfinger was From Russia With Love. Do you remember the old blue canvas 3-ring binders, back when it was either that or Pea-Chee folders? Well, I drew a picture of a real sweet looking bomb, dropping from the sky, directed toward the U.S.A., with "From Russia With Love" written on the bomb. My teacher sent me to the Principal, the principal told me to get rid of it. I said no, because it was the only blue canvas 3-ring binder I had. He sent me home, I got a good whoopin' and a new blue canvas 3-ring binder. Man, it was a different world back then, wasn't it? Seems I've been in and out of trouble ever since...

Yes, Jill, that darker topped Traveler on the rack (behind the sunburst Birdseye Maple job) is Curly Redwood that I got from Jonathan Mann. It really got "wavy" when the lacquer hit it. Lots of depth to it, visually. I can hardly wait to hear how it sounds, as this is my first use of redwood, for the top of an instrument, that is.

[Jill McAuley]

Two more shots from Steve today - these ones are after he sprayed a few coats of lacquer on...

Cheers,
Jill

[JEStanek]

Jill (and Steve) that whole rack looks great. I never thought I would jones for a painted topped mando but... wow... that's pretty hep!

Steve, I never had a blue 3 ringer get banned. Great story.

Jamie

[Steevarino]

Jill --

Don't hate me for this, but I went ahead and built "The Other" Gold Top Traveler before yours. I still have the pickguard thing to tackle on yours, and there just wasn't time this week. I was able to get this one put together today. I didn't think I'd make it, as I had another one to build today too (see last picture). I'm anxious to see what response I get from both of these mandolins, along with that Curly Redwood Top one (put together last night) at Merlefest, which is the direction I am pointing the truck (full of mandolins and reso. guitars, etc.) early tomorrow morning.

I don't have a table at the event, but if you are wandering around, I will be at the VFW Campground, Space 10, in a blue and white Flagstaff pop-up trailer (thanks John and Carol).

[Jill McAuley]

How cool to see what mine is basically going to look like! That is awesome! No worries about finishing it before mine - I thought you might do that what with Merlefest coming up and all, so it's all good with me. I LOVE it - can't wait to see my one when it's ready! Have a good trip tomorrow!

Cheers,
Jill

[Ken Olmstead]

Those look great Steve! Very classy Gold Top and I love the Sunburst!. The tailpiece looks REALLY nice as well!

Can't wait to see yours Jill!!

[Steevarino]

Ken --

I guess those pleated/clamshell tailpieces ARE the bomb for these Travelers. I was just thinking, the hole pattern is the same as the Gib-Co style tailpiece, so you could probably put one of these on your Traveler. Let me know if you do. They are only $10.00. Maybe next time you change strings on your Walnut Wonder?

[Jill McAuley]

Here are a few photos Steve emailed me of the now complete gold top Traveler. Fingers crossed I'll have it at the end of next week!

Cheers,
Jill

[Gerry Cassidy]

Jill,

Wow! How cool is that little guy?!?!?

Like others have said, I wasn't so sure I'd like a painted top, but that is just too cool.

I can't wait to hear what it sounds like. :mandosmiley:

Congratulations!

[JEStanek]

Sweet!

Jamie

[Jim MacDaniel]

Awesome design Jill, and nice work again Steve!

[instrumentality]

That looks AWESOME!
Now I am reconsidering my decision not to order the other one...

[Steevarino]

Hey Gianna!

I was so excited about Jill's idea to make her a walnut Traveler with a gold top that I did go ahead and make that second one. Pretty much the same as Jills, as I recall. Still available, too . . . . .

[Chris Keth]

Goldtops, not just for Les Pauls anymore!

I like that a lot. Very 50s.

[Jill McAuley]

Let the countdown begin! The Gold Top Traveler is on it's way, estimated delivery date: Thursday the 4th!!! Now I just have to get through Tuesday and Wednesday!

Cheers,
Jill

[instrumentality]

Yay!

[Jill McAuley]

Here are some nice shots Steve took before he shipped it off to me. Judging by the photos, it turned out even better than I imagined!

Cheers,
Jill

[JEStanek]

Jill, stop it. Seriously. S T O P I T . Those look so cool. It must be the walnut complementing that gold top, the beveled edges on the scratch plate or the.... I dunno what. That is a sweet looking mandolin and I have a good idea how cool its gonna sound. Lucky lady!

Jamie

[PatrickH]

The goldtop Redline Traveler pictured here ("The Other") is now mine! I called Steve yesterday and chatted for a while and could not resist the Les Paul vibe with walnut back. Too cool and too affordable to pass up.

And it didn't hurt that Steve is just one of the nicest, down to earth builders you can talk mandolins with (and resonator guitars).

You already have the pictures but I will post some impressions (and maybe a sound file) after I get it next week.

Patrick

[Jill McAuley]

Well I've spent most of the afternoon playing my new gold top Traveler. It looks awesome, which I of course already knew from the photos. I found the action a wee bit high for my liking so I lowered it a shade, but otherwise all else was well. Neck profile is real nice, very easy to move around on. The walnut back and sides have a softer, rounder tonal quality, as compared to my Aspen, which is quite crisp sounding - it's nice that the Traveler has a different voice, and I find that waltzes sound particularly nice on it. I'll try to post a video of it at some stage. This is going to be a fun little travel/porch/bring to work mandolin. We already logged some porch hours earlier!

Cheers,
Jill