PDA

View Full Version : Modified Rogue RM100A Mandolin



Leroy
Feb-06-2012, 2:46am
Like many of the members here, I found it hard to resist the lure of a new mandolin delivered to my door for only $42.00. I figured, worst case, I'd strip it and use the parts for some other project. I was pleasantly surprised by what I received. The basic instrument was not bad, but needed interior work to improve the tone. I thought about it for a week and decided that I could do the needed improvements if I could cut the back off cleanly. After more thinking and head scratching this is what I did.

Click here Rogue RM100A mandolin (http://www.leroybeal.net/mandolins/rm100a/index.html) to view a photo album of the finished mandolin. I also decided to add electronics while I was at it.

81995

Click here modification gallery (http://www.leroybeal.net/mandolins/roguemod/index.html) to view construction photos and explanations.

81996

This is a vastly improved mandolin.

Cheers,

Leroy

Ivan Kelsall
Feb-06-2012, 3:28am
Nice work there Leroy !.I know that Rogue's are an inexpensive instrument,but even so,you (& other luthiers) must have nerves of steel to do that sort of work,well done,
Ivan

Kip Carter
Feb-06-2012, 8:19am
Leroy,
You didn't go into what you did on it in any detail or the results aside from how it looks. I see the back is totally different. Got pics of the modification process beyond what is here. Would love to see if you do.
Kip...

Leroy
Feb-06-2012, 9:45am
Leroy,
You didn't go into what you did on it in any detail or the results aside from how it looks. I see the back is totally different. Got pics of the modification process beyond what is here. Would love to see if you do.
Kip...

Kip,
did you follow the links to my website? There are lots of photos, with comments, showing pretty much everything I did. As for the back, all I did was saw it off, clean it up, glue it back on, and then paint it. Try this link.

http://www.leroybeal.net/mandolins/roguemod/index.html

Leroy

Kip Carter
Feb-06-2012, 9:52am
Duh.. my bad.. I clicked on the first link and never saw the second one. I swear getting old is a pain in the arse!

These are very nice!

The text sounds like you actually painted the back. What was your selection of paint for that. Amazing enhancement Leroy!

Thanks!
Kip...

Barry Wilson
Feb-06-2012, 10:00am
that was pretty cool to see the info with the pics. good job.

mandobassman
Feb-06-2012, 10:12am
Great job with the pictures and explanation. Would love to hear some sound clips with and without the pickup. I have a Johnson MA-120 that I've been tempted to do that to. It's not a half bad sounding mandolin the way it is, but could be greatly improved with some work to the tone bars and a re-finish.

Kip Carter
Feb-06-2012, 10:22am
Play for us Leroy!! Please!!!
:)
Kip...

Leroy
Feb-06-2012, 10:30am
The text sounds like you actually painted the back. What was your selection of paint for that. Amazing enhancement Leroy!

Thanks!
Kip...

I painted it using rattle can paint from my local hardware store. Black primer, then black granite stone paint. I've used this type of paint on a few instruments with good success. I would not use it on an expensive or vintage instrument, but for inexpensive and experimental ones it works fine.

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=79

I'm not much of a mandolin player, but will try to put together a short video of what it sounds like.

Leroy

Kip Carter
Feb-06-2012, 10:46am
Great.. a chord or two would suffice just to hear the difference. I just setup one of these for a friends son and he loves it (as is). I have another (the black one) to set up for my son's birthday. Would be interesting to see what the difference is.
Kip...

kkmm
Feb-06-2012, 12:36pm
I have used this kind of spray paint on concrete. It does give a granite look. Look very nice, but it would be certainly thicker than the finish that was on the mandolin.
I have a Rogue (bought new for 25$ + 5$ for new strings), that I am playing too. I plan to sand off the finish (to bare wood) on the back and re-finish it with the color I like. I would not do this to any of my other more expensive mando. But the Rogue is a good candidate for all "rogue" ideas.
And removing the back to do improvement on the inside is good too. I love the method the OP uses to cut the back off the mandolin.

Audio Artillery
Feb-06-2012, 1:17pm
Is that neck block made of MDF? And what's the top made of? Is it solid? A coworker of mine brought in some low-end mandolin he picked up that had a very prettily veneered plywood top.

Looking at the tone bars I think my inclination would have been to replace them. The way the grain runs out of the treble bar isn't helping anything.

Leroy
Feb-06-2012, 8:29pm
Is that neck block made of MDF? And what's the top made of? Is it solid? A coworker of mine brought in some low-end mandolin he picked up that had a very prettily veneered plywood top.

Looking at the tone bars I think my inclination would have been to replace them. The way the grain runs out of the treble bar isn't helping anything.

I have used this kind of spray paint on concrete. It does give a granite look. Look very nice, but it would be certainly thicker than the finish that was on the mandolin.


The neck block is solid wood. It looked like walnut, but could be an Asian hardwood. The top and back are 3 layers of maple that look to have been molded on a form. They are only 3 - 4mm thick and quite stiff. The tone bars could probably be left out altogether because of the molded construction. I left a token amount of wood just in case I'm wrong. Grain direction is of little consequence in this case.

I wanted the back paint to be thick and textured. It hides imperfections and adds a little non-skid to the back.

mandobassman
Feb-06-2012, 8:55pm
What differences in sound did you hear when it was completed as opposed to before? Was there a huge difference or was it more subtle?

Leroy
Feb-06-2012, 9:11pm
What differences in sound did you hear when it was completed as opposed to before? Was there a huge difference or was it more subtle?

There is a significant difference. Originally it's sound was good volume, pronounced treble, and a little piercing. Now it is still good volume, even well rounded tone low to high, and no more sharp edges to the sound. I'll try to get a recording of what it sounds like soon. I made a short video of it before I started the modification, but it got lost in a computer crash. I thought for sure that I had it backed up somewhere.

Leroy

Audio Artillery
Feb-07-2012, 12:05am
The neck block is solid wood. It looked like walnut, but could be an Asian hardwood. The top and back are 3 layers of maple that look to have been molded on a form. They are only 3 - 4mm thick and quite stiff. The tone bars could probably be left out altogether because of the molded construction. I left a token amount of wood just in case I'm wrong. Grain direction is of little consequence in this case.

Ah, yeah, 3-ply maple isn't going anywhere. Glad that neck block is something sane, I looked at that a couple times and thought not even Rogue would cut that corner :). They do make some impressively inexpensive instruments, I've got a Rogue resonator guitar that is great.

Leroy
Feb-09-2012, 1:47pm
I finally got around to recording a couple of sound samples. Forgive the playing please, I'm new to the mandolin.

The acoustic sample was made using a MXL 990 condenser mic connected to a Phonic Helix USB mixing board inputting to Audacity. The pickup sample was plugged directly to the mixing board. All EQ was straight up and no effects were used.

Click on this link (http://www.leroybeal.net/mandolins/rm100a/index.html) to go to my website and then the links to the sound samples. They seem to be pretty representative of live sound.

I forgot to mention that I changed to nickel wound strings.

Cheers,
Leroy

mandobassman
Feb-09-2012, 2:02pm
Pretty impressive, I think. I have a Rogue RM101A that I bought for my son to play around with. It sounds like total crap. Kinda makes want to give it a try myself. Can't hurt anything too much. If it completely fails, I can find another one for $40.

Earl Gamage
Feb-11-2012, 9:51am
The improvement in sound compared to Rogues I have heard is amazing. You made it into a real mandolin. Nice job.