View Full Version : Gail Hester Short Neck F4
red7flag
Sep-15-2011, 2:56pm
Here is a picture of the maple slab that Gail is considering for the short neck F4 that I have ordered. I will continue to add pictures that Gail sends me as the F4 progresses. I am so excited.76239
mandopete
Sep-15-2011, 3:03pm
Drooling, drooling!
Goodin
Sep-15-2011, 3:14pm
Looking forward to seeing this one!
mrmando
Sep-15-2011, 3:17pm
Tell her not to leave it out in the rain like that ...
Tom Glen
Sep-15-2011, 4:10pm
Congratulations on your soon to be new mandolin!! Gail does build fantastic mandolins and I am sure your short neck F4 will be another one of those fantastic mandolins! That is one beautiful maple slab. By the way, did you buy a Gibson F4 from Gruhn last year?
red7flag
Sep-15-2011, 4:27pm
Tom, Thanks for the nice words, Yes I bought a 20 F4 from George, that is what gave me the bug. I planned on keeping both but, financially was not a good situation. So that wonderful F4 is back at Gruhn's with the mando for Gail pending and will put those funds to help pay for Gail's work.
JEStanek
Sep-15-2011, 5:04pm
She makes a great F4 replica. Enjoy the build and even more the getting!
Jamie
Charles E.
Sep-15-2011, 5:58pm
Red maple? Very pretty.
Spruce
Sep-15-2011, 8:13pm
Nice authentic choice for the back....
How about the top?
red7flag
Sep-16-2011, 4:45pm
Spruce, your praise is indeed appreciated. As far as the top, I am not sure. Maybe, we can get Gail to chime in. I trust Gail's judgement in this area much more than mine.
Gail Hester
Sep-16-2011, 11:11pm
We'll be using a nice older Red Spruce top. I'll be sending pictures of a few that sound great and Tony can choose one, unless one really speaks to me and that does happen:)
it it turns out anything like mine, you'll be grinning..
red7flag
Sep-18-2011, 9:16pm
Just a funny coincidence, not only am I Tony but my initials are ASH also, both ordered short neck F4 from Gail...or maybe not a coincidence. Halloween is coming up...hee hee hee.
Just a funny coincidence, not only am I Tony but my initials are ASH also, both ordered short neck F4 from Gail...or maybe not a coincidence.
maybe not, as i spent between 1957 and 1968 living in charlotte, n.c....
probably meant to be!!
didn't know we call these axes 'short neck'?..
gail just it was like the way they used to make 'em in the 20's..?
btw, i'm beginning to experiment with different picks, getting a brighter tone out of it
with a square edge pick as opposed to the ones with a shouldered edge.
what do you you like pickwise?
mtucker
Sep-22-2011, 8:36am
didn't know we call these axes 'short neck'?..
gail just it was like the way they used to make 'em in the 20's..?
me neither... it's implicit when you say 'F4'.
Shortneck (opposite longneck) is a term used to describe fugly beer found in little bottles in the eastern part of the U.S. during the early to mid-1900's. ... usually brewed on a river adjacent to a highly polluting factory... Ruppert, Ballantine, Knickerbocker, Naragansett, Schafer, Schlitz, Genesee, etc...
;):grin::))
JEStanek
Sep-22-2011, 9:47am
Short neck refers to the neck body join on mandolins of the same scale lenght. A short one, like the teens oval holes, join the body at the 12th fret. The longer neck (like on the F5) joins at the 14th fret. These differences shoft the bridge more towards the tailpiece for the former and towards the neck for the latter. These shifts in bridge placement, along with a single transverse brace instead of tonebars give the A4/F4 it's tubbier tonal characteristics, in general.
Many builders are now making oval holed mandolins with the longer neck (e.g., Collings and Weber) that has a sound that is a mix of the F5 and F4 sound. These are referred to as long neck oval holes or hybrids.
Jamie
red7flag
Sep-22-2011, 4:02pm
Jamie, thank you for the clarification. One added sound quality that I notice is a sweeter tone most likely noticed on the higher strings, A & E. This is the quality that really draws me to the F4. I love that sound when playing Celtic, folk and melodic fiddle tunes. I prefer playing and recording most songs that I have written, which do not have a bluegrass flavor, on an F4, for that reason.
red7flag
Nov-04-2011, 8:48pm
Just talked to Gail today. She has picked out some red spruce for the top that has 12 rings per inch in the center and 7 rings per inch toward the outside. From what I have hear, this is the ideal top grain structure. Gail states that the wood has great sound. She said she has started the neck. We agreed on some final details. The neck will have a full Fla extention. There will be the standard F4 type pick guard. The neck width with be between 1 1/16 - 3/32. The headstock inlay will be a plant that her sister first drew. I think a poppy, in a flower pot. The finish will be the standard red F4 look, with simple white binding. The tuners will be Waverlys. Am I excited? You bet your bippy. I wish I had it now so that I could use it to record the CD I am recording of instrumental tunes that I have written. It would be perfect for the sound I am looking for (I will be playing the mandolin parts on the Ellis). Hopefully, the F4 will be done in time for the second CD that is already fermenting. I am glad that I am really busy now, the expectation would be killing me.