Hey, Just spoke with Marty this morning and although I have to wait a couple months or so # 24 is in the works for me.I can't wait to get it.I know what I'll be doing for a couple hours everyday(at least) when it arrives.David, Tom and Marty's videos will have to hold me over untill I get it.Quick responses to my questions and great to have suggestions for the right mandolin for me.......Kris
I saw that one on Marty's updated web site. #24 interested me with its big leaf maple back. Sounds really sweet. Can you or Marty share any other details about what he's building for you? Oh, and congratulations! Thanks, Scott
Thanks, Kris! For those wondering, here's the description of #24 so far: Redwood top, tone bars, Nouveau holes. Western Bigleaf curly maple back, hard maple neck and sides. Slightly deeper body. Long neck. Ebony fretboard with makore block inlay and headstock overlay. Satin oil varnish finish. This is a 3-piece redwood top. It is 30% lighter than the redwood I've used so far. Very stiff, and very lively. It should make for a monster mando when paired with the gorgeous quartersawn bigleaf from Bruce Harvie and a slightly deeper body. It will have old-school block inlays made of some extremely figured makore -- almost burl. The color of makore goes with the redwood nicely and will result in classy look that is not at all in-your-face.
The "Summer 2013" batch can be seen here. I feel like a kid strapped into the roller coaster car and heading upwards, click-clack...anticipation building! At least now I can stop thinking about this, that and the other thing and just wait. Congratulations to Marty for selling out current batch in a flash. And it looks like 3 of the 7 new ones are already spoken for!
Four, possibly five... I better take a couple weeks off from my day job, huh?
Or maybe this IS your day job.
Congrats, Kris! I was down at Marty's shop last night. (Thanks,Marty, I've been playing all day!) Some beautiful new babies being brought along, some lovely wood shapes just waiting to come together and make music! Can't wait to see this batch in finished state. From what came before, I KNOW it'll be exciting.
Thanks Mike, I am chomping at the bit already to get it.As we speak I am trying to start to post videos so I'll be sure to post how it sounds the second I get it....Kris
I'm a BIG fan of the sound of Marty's Nouveau F hole models. I believe I read your #24 is one, right? They just have an amazing sound live, even better than they come across on video (and that's pretty good!) I know you're going to be more than pleased.
Hi Mike, The #24 model is a Nouveau hole model, I 'm guessing maybe thats like the #21, not sure but I'm sure going to be pleased whichever way. Kris
Nouveau holes on Steve's #18, for which he is patiently waiting...
Wow, very cool. Thanks Marty
#24 is straight redwood, by the way, whereas that picture is of curly redwood. I think the tone with curly redwood wouldn't work as well with the deeper body planned for #24.
I know I ask a lot of stupid questions, but this stuff fascinates me. Is it just a difference in how the 2 redwoods resonate? Something you learned thru trial-and error as you've gained experience working with different woods? Like I said, it's just very interesting to me! Thanks, Marty. BTW, Kris, the projection on those Nouveau hole models is great. You're gonna love it.
So far I haven't heard any stupid questions from you, Mike. Curly redwood is curly because of the wavy nature of the grain. You're seeing reflections from where the grain is cut. Here's what the edge looks like before it's cut: Shearing across those wavy lines results in the shimmery pattern. When you shear across the grain, it is called "run-out". Generally speaking, one of the top properties we look for in tonewoods is the complete absence of run-out, or as near as possible. So curly redwood is, at least in respect to that one parameter, a lousy tonewood. Pretty much the worst imaginable, as run-out usually indicates a reduced strength-to-weight ratio. (Carving a top also results in "run-out".. sort of. It's not actually run-out, which is a property of the flat wood, but the grains are shortest - weakest - on top, where the top is thickest, and longest where it is flattest, and generally the thinnest.) But redwood can also be very light. So in order to be able to make a mandolin top that will last through the years and still make a good instrument, you must find a nice light piece which also has figure. Carved 50% thicker than a spruce top, the curly redwood only weighs 10% more. It is plenty strong, in fact, Steve's #18 deflects less than most of the spruce tops I make, because I over-built it a bit, due to curly redwood's unpredictable nature. It's still a fairly loud instrument with excellent projection and great bass response. Straight redwood gives peace of mind (curly is scary until you've had it strung up for a week or so), and the ability to push the envelope a little more, since we don't have to worry about the runout as much. Additionally, the top for #24, fully carved to the same dimensions and specs as the top for #18, weighs 30% less. This will probably result in a louder instrument without as much complexity. To add back some of the complexity, it will have a deeper body. It will sound different than #18, but they should both be good instruments in their own ways. #18 is more clean and up-front, #24 will probably be a little louder and will almost sound like it has a touch of reverb. I expect the treble end to be very similar between the two. In a few weeks, you all can grade my predictions... :-)
Very interesting discourse Marty. Thanks. That photo of #18 "in the white" just slays me. Possibly the most beautiful wood juxtaposition in a mandolin that I've laid eyes on. I hope I can get past staring at it to playing it! But, back to the subject... Does curly redwood have more risk of grain separation or cracking, especially with humidity swings?
Another question about #24......in the description you mention, "Ebony fretboard with makore block inlay and headstock overlay." Not having a clue what Makore was, I googled it and if I found the right description it sounds like you're building something really cool looking. What I found was that it is also known as "African Cherry." Depending on which description I read it's color is either pinkish and golden or various shades of pink, red, and brown. That would look stunning against the ebony fretboard. I hope you post pictures as soon as you can.
Looks awesome already, I'm sure when your not playing it you'll be looking at it.
Steve, I have a curly redwood mandolin which I carved way too thin over ten years ago. It has been under partial string tension the whole time, and it hasn't moved a bit.. and it's been exposed to all kinds of temperature and humidity extremes in our no-central-heating-or-AC house and shop. I think a properly carved top will be very comparable to spruce in terms of durability. Scott, I'm really looking forward to the makore blocks. It's going to be pretty sweet. Right up there with #15. :-)
