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View Full Version : Pics of Hester F4 in progress



red7flag
Apr-24-2013, 5:40pm
This is the first of many pics from Gail as the F4 is progressing. Would love your comments on the headstock. Her sister designed the inlay.


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red7flag
Apr-24-2013, 5:47pm
I should mention that the instrument is current in the white. The planned stain will be the traditional F4 red. The top will have a very understated yellow burst. You barely notice it. The neck will be more like the Loar era shape. It will be short necked, attached at the 12th fret. Gail's instruments sound very true to the original. Maybe she will step up and describe some of her approach. She is a cafe member. This is very exciting.

Mike Bunting
Apr-24-2013, 6:12pm
I eagerly await seeing more. While visiting Victoria a couple of years ago I was considering driving down to check out her shop.

stevedenver
Apr-24-2013, 6:23pm
that flower pot is simply amazing-like the truss rod detail as well

can you tell me more about the builder please?
have you played a completed instrument?

OldGus
Apr-24-2013, 6:58pm
Very special, I'm sure it will look and sound great.

Steve Sorensen
Apr-24-2013, 7:02pm
Beautiful inlay. Look forward to seeing more!

Steve

stevedenver
Apr-26-2013, 4:25am
id love a brief tutorial on how 12th versus longer neck attachment affect tone-
i know i prefer the longer necks, on both mando and guitar, because i play pretty high

i would imagine it transfers more to the top and less to the neck in terms of vibrations

usqebach
Apr-26-2013, 5:16am
I haven't seen anything from Gail in a couple of years. Glad to see she's still actively building. I'd love to see a full series on this build!

JEStanek
Apr-26-2013, 8:28am
I love the fern-esque leaves with the flowers. I really respect what Gail does and ALWAYS enjoy seeing what she builds. She really nails those F4 elements.

id love a brief tutorial on how 12th versus longer neck attachment affect tone-

In general, having a shorter neck free of the body pushes the bridge more towards the tailpiece of the body. This affects the tone and along with a transverse brace rather than tone bars, gives more of the Gibson teens oval tubbiness to the tone. The scale length on short vs long neck mandolins is the same. So an oval hole mandolin with a longer neck (14 frets to body vs 10 or 12) pulls the bridge towards the headstock on the body and gives a more modern sound or a hybrid between an F4 and an F5. Again... in general this is what I've learned from reading on the Cafe, not from any actual building experience ;)

Jamie

mandolinlee
Apr-26-2013, 8:29am
Glad to see Gail is still at it.
Have missed reading her comments and input on the 'Cafe.
Keep up the good work Gail.
Regards,
Lee
P.S. Really like the inlay, specially the part on the truss cover.
LHB

red7flag
Apr-26-2013, 5:25pm
First of all, Gail said that she will be sending me pictures all during the building process. I will forward them as soon as I get them.
Second, as far as the 12 fret F4 sound, most that I have played have a sweet tone, ideal for Irish music and duets. The F4s and oval As seem to sing and compliment more and the F5 seems to cut better. I notice a bit less tubbiness than the oval As that I have played. They definitely sound more like the oval A than their stylistic brother, the F5. I find that the F4s have an easier neck to play (smaller in and less rounded) that the oval As.

red7flag
Apr-27-2013, 10:30am
Here are more just sent to me from Gail.
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red7flag
Apr-27-2013, 10:32am
and more...

Marty Jacobson
Apr-27-2013, 10:46am
Beautiful work, as expected.

Don Grieser
Apr-28-2013, 5:33pm
Thanks for posting the photos. It's really fun seeing them being built. Congrats!

Skip Kelley
Apr-29-2013, 8:40pm
Tony, you made the right choice of luthier for that F4 mandolin! Gail makes an awesome oval hole! Great to see some of her inspiring work posted!!

red7flag
Jun-12-2013, 1:51am
Gail sent me these of the F4 in white as she is preparing to stain.

almeriastrings
Jun-12-2013, 2:48am
Lovely stuff. That is exactly the kind of 1-piece back that looks wonderful once stained and finished. Top plate carving is super-clean and exactly right. Will be worth the wait!

Ivan Kelsall
Jun-12-2013, 3:23am
That is going to look strictly phenominal. From Almeria - "... super-clean.." - in spades !. All the work done by Gail that i've seen on here is up there with the very best. The instrument looks amazing as it is. I'm a sucker for 'blondes' when it comes down to preserving the look of natural wood grain like that - i wish !!,
Ivan:disbelief:

Spruce
Jun-12-2013, 10:25am
I just love the look and vibe of that wide-grained spruce on an F4...
Beautiful work (as usual!)...

Randy Smith
Jun-12-2013, 7:01pm
Beautiful. The pics make me anxious to see more. Many congrats on having this one coming your way.

red7flag
Jun-13-2013, 6:22am
Here are some more from Gail, capturing the staining process.

Skip Kelley
Jun-13-2013, 6:49am
Tony, that's looking great! I bet you are excited!

red7flag
Jun-14-2013, 2:14am
Gail says that the tone is already spectacular. She mentioned that the color in the previous pictures is not the final color, but an attempt to show where she is heading. "Excited"? Is that why I am having trouble sleeping. I am just completing my first cd project. Hope to use this F4 on my next. I think the F4 sound will be perfect for the music I write: Irish, gypsy, waltz and bluegrass fiddle with bluegrass inspired arrangements. If you want a hear go to soundclick.com, type Southland Pickers in the search engine, select the first result and you will get the 12 tunes at about 85% mix.

red7flag
Jul-02-2013, 8:27am
When you look at these most current pictures, you can almost hear the sweet tones. The finishing has been delayed by high humidity in Washington that does not work well with the old style varnish that Gail is using. Gail says there is more warmth, yellow and orange, than the pictures show. Looks great to me. Am I stoked?...

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sgrexa
Jul-02-2013, 9:03am
Very pretty Tony and Gail. Those frets look giant! Are they guitar size?

Sean

Michael Weaver
Jul-02-2013, 9:05am
Wow that is beautiful!

Don Grieser
Jul-02-2013, 9:25am
Beautiful!

red7flag
Jul-02-2013, 9:29am
Sean,
I am not sure what size frets we agreed upon, but pretty sure not guitar size. Think we agreed on medium size. I will check with Gail. Thanks all for the nice comments. I am sure Gail really appreciates them. One more comment, Gail says those pictures represent about the half way point in the finishing process.

Gail Hester
Jul-02-2013, 1:18pm
Those frets look giant! Are they guitar size?

They do look huge but it's just the glare in the photo taken in full sunlight playing tricks. The fretwire is Jescar .078" x .050" which is a little taller and narrower compared to the common Stewmac banjo wire which is .080" x .048". Here's a better picture but excuse the varnish that's in between coats and leveling.

red7flag
Aug-08-2013, 9:38am
Here are pictures Gail just sent me. This is the very last process the French polishing. Can you feel my excitement?

Cheryl Watson
Aug-08-2013, 9:48am
Just gorgeous, and yes, I feel your excitement! There is nothing like waiting for a new custom instrument to arrive.

JEStanek
Aug-08-2013, 10:07am
Gail just nails the look, huh? I would love to play one. You're a lucky man.

Jamie

Eric Michael Pfeiffer
Aug-08-2013, 10:29am
Looking really good!

tree
Aug-08-2013, 1:12pm
Gail just nails the look, huh? I would love to play one. You're a lucky man.

Jamie

+1

For a week now I've resisted giving this thread a bump just to ask for more photos. Man, that's a sweet F4!

red7flag
Aug-08-2013, 2:52pm
Hopefully, I will be receiving the baby soon. I have posted all the pics that Gail has sent me. I will take a bunch of shots and post it in a new thread the day I receive it, in between playing it.

red7flag
Oct-03-2013, 2:29pm
Final pictures from Gail just prior to shipping.

red7flag
Oct-03-2013, 2:31pm
A few more. Gail has outdone herself.

usqebach
Oct-03-2013, 7:21pm
And that, friends and neighbors, is what perfection looks like.

Game over... She wins!

testore
Oct-05-2013, 9:07am
Very inspiring

Cheryl Watson
Oct-05-2013, 9:49am
So well done, yet so warm looking. Can't wait to hear it <hint-hint>

Ron McMillan
Oct-05-2013, 11:04am
It's a wonderful looking instrument. It made me want to know more about Gail's work, so I went looking for a website, but apparently there isn't one. That's a shame - and/or a missed marketing opportunity. Maybe Gail's got more work than she needs? With output as beautiful as your F4, that wouldn't surprise me too much :)

ron

Pete Jenner
Oct-07-2013, 9:14am
I think that's my favourite colour for an instrument.

amowry
Oct-07-2013, 10:54am
Beautiful!

SternART
Oct-07-2013, 8:39pm
:disbelief: Lovely!