Montana Lutherie

I just saw this blog post we did- it's been a year (!) but the info is always timely.

Any of the bridge issues below will rob your instrument of tone and volume and are responsible for more players going on a new string brand or gauge hunt because their instrument just doesn’t sound like it used to.

I know I’ve posted on this topic a few times before, however recently Bruce has gotten quite a few instruments in for miscellaneous work and noticed almost all had bridge ...

Thanks, Frank!

So here I am 3 weeks after I have received my own Ranger and I think it has fused to my body. I haven't been able to put it down and I think my wife is suggesting I seek help of sorts. It's absolutely more than I expected and in both sound and build. Thank you Webers. I'm even thinking about using it for some songs at gigs because of it unique sound. I will be taking it around Europe for the whole of July so hopefully I'll be able to send a photo or two of the Ranger ...

Here's a happy Ranger Player vacationing on the beach- the next one is the Ranger Travel Mando getting a tan : ) Thanks, Ben!!

Having trouble getting your action just right? The G and E strings play great but you get a buzz on the D and A? You get rid of the buzz on the D and A strings and the G and E are hard to play?

The picture above shows what may be the reason. Over time the string tension works on the saddle on a traditional style bridge creating a bow with the D and A strings riding lower, sometimes significantly. Flat or radiused fingerboard, the problem created ...

A little update as the first Cherry Ranger went out today- sounds fantastic! Just thought some might be interested in these woods that are a bit different.




Thanks, NP!

I love my Ranger! I upgraded to the walnut with radiused ebony fretboard. From the start I was blown away with how great it looked and sounded! You can’t beat its size and portability as ...

Any of the bridge issues below will rob your instrument of tone and volume and are responsible for more players going on a new string brand or gauge hunt because their instrument just doesn’t sound like it used to.

I know I’ve posted on this topic a few times before, however recently Bruce has gotten quite a few instruments in for miscellaneous work and noticed almost all had bridge issues: poor fit, leaning towards the fingerboard, some bases flipped bass for treble, and messed ...

This one will travel to France, soon- upgraded with an ebony FB & Peghead Veneer (think it's radiused, too) and buckskin color.


This one is Vegan- which is pretty easy to achieve with the ebony star in the peghead and micarta nut- looks cool, too!


Bruce has been picking wood and planning with two players for their instruments (one a two point, one an F)...great visits!

Here's a nice (and interesting) letter we received from a repair.
Mandos can sure get around:

My Grandfather Peter E Anderson was listed on the 1900 census as living in an apartment in Kentucky with three other LDS missionaries. Before he left the mission field to come home, he bought his wife Clara a mandolin. My father gave the mandolin to Pamela when we were newlyweds because she was the only member of the extended family that owned and played a mandolin.
Several ...

I'm posting a couple of pics of an extra long armrest for a Gibson, I believe. The player picked his inlay design and it turned out great! However my photography skills (or lack of) didn't catch the pretty abalone colors all that well.