Just a note to let you know the shop is now shutdown until September, when we're set up at our new place. The exception are our used MAC instruments will still be available (have one you won't want to miss coming up soon). We'll miss the old school, but it's a bit big for us now, and we retain all of the memories of luthiers, players, vendors, dealers, and mandolins. So schedule your Mando's trip to 'The Mando Spa', as several of our players have taken to calling it, in the ...
Updated Jul-12-2020 at 4:28pm by Mary Weber
Thought I'd post this one. Bruce has been getting several inlay requests lately, not only on Rangers but armrests and truss rod covers.
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 ...
Here's a happy Ranger Player vacationing on the beach- the next one is the Ranger Travel Mando getting a tan : ) Thanks, Ben!!
These days shipping can be a big expense. We've noticed Montana Lutherie's UPS costs often are quite a bit cheaper than individual shipping costs. We can email you the UPS shipping tag to tape on your box, and you can just drop it off at the local UPS center. Then, the expense will just be tacked on your repair cost. Be sure to ask us about this service, when getting your repair ready!
We recently discovered a players can no longer obtain information on Weber instruments built prior to 2013 from the Weber company. Mary and I would be happy to help with any questions or concerns you have on instruments built before 2016. Also information on any Flatiron instruments prior to 1997 and Montana built Gibson mandolins. You can contact us through our Montana Lutherie web site, here on Mandolin cafe, or give me a call directly at 406-580-6053. Also-from Mary: Here ...
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 ...
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!
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.