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That back/sides set was sourced in the US and sent over to China for the build. At the time, Northfield were charging $1K extra for 'special' top/back/sides sets (customers could even choose) and...

I have traveled to the fender and Gibson Factory in Dalian China. The tone would they use is primarily from Argentina, although they do get a fair amount from Burma. Most of it is kiln-dried, which...

This should be an exercise in foregone conclusions. :cool:

After poking around online, I see that my memory was faulty. The zigzag grain pattern that I remembered from way back is a characteristic of Elms not Chestnuts. In fact, it's called 'ulmiform' after...

You're welcome, Timbo. I believe Ricky had that Loar refinished right after he purchased it in, I believe, 1974. The giveaway is the reversal of the grain, kind of a negative appearance, that is the...

"Ricky's Loar" is a broad field, as Ricky owns several. Pictured is Ricky's first Loar #76778. Part of the somewhat unusual appearance of the top grain may be due to the fact that John Paganoni...

The European spruce was introduced as ornamental tree and I doubt there were any serious attempts to plant it out in forests of US back in late 18th or very early 19th century (so the trees could...

Norway spruce is a common name for Picea abies, the primary European spruce that was introduced to N. America early on, and was thoroughly naturalized by the 1920s. Even if Gibson had used it, it...

Here is the brochure that specifies Norway and spec sheet that calls for Adirondack...

I do all of the above on my mandolins routinely (at least tha latest five or six where I started building in exact "Loar sized" mould)
It makes sense to me - in most cases it's aesthetics! The guy...

Wikipedia says upon his death in 1974 he donated his Strad to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bingo!
Actually the top binding strip is not running over the crosspiece but the crosspiece is sitting up on the top of the spruce nad binding, like they forgot to apply the crosspiece(s) in usual...

We have better materials now. You can see grain run out in the majority of guitar tops and mandolin tops from the early 20th century. There were not "tonewood" suppliers per se, and makers bought...

The motivation for replica instruments from the owners perspective is to get close to his/her dream guitar/mandolin without having to sell the farm to afford it. From the builders perspective it is...

How does the mandolin in question sound? I imagine quite good. I think there's a similar discussion about this in the Red Diamond thread in General Topics right now, but I've always wondered if you...

Could we keep the "copyright infringement/fraud/counterfeit"-topic out of this thread please.

Not only professionally am I interested in the legal part of this topic. But I don´t think that this...

Gary: This is a gorgeous instrument.

First off I would like to think Darryl for taking time to do me a favor. I know he is in the middle of moving and has just been through the aftermath of a tropical storm. Thank you also to Scott ...

I like your style :cool:

If anyone is interested in seeing some great distressing and you happen to be on Facebook check out Bruce's E-Stamp Guitar Reproductions.
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Quilted figure is found in big leaf maple, and on average, big leaf is one of the softer and lighter (less dense) maples.
As for sound, that is up to the builder. A builder who likes soft maples...

I just learned of Ruhland mandolins from the ads in the classifieds for his latest batch. Got in touch with him (Matt Ruhland) and lined up a visit. He had four mandolins from his latest batch (16 -...

Same engraver but a different tailpiece blank

To be honest the naswer is very likely, YES. I must admit that I laid my hands on very few vintage F5 Gibsons to say the truth I could count them on fngers of one hand... Most of what I know comes...

I don't want to be the bad one, but without need to enlarge it was clear it's not real thing after seeing the second tumbnail.
Mandolin that was closest to Loar in construction details IMO, was...

Yep. Picea rubens is Picea rubens wherever you are, and Picea abies is Picea abies wherever you are.