Contemporary Pumpkin Tops?

Hey all, so I somehow (and very luckily) find myself in the midst of a custom build…well perhaps at the very beginning stages. I head to a luthier friend’s shop next week to pick my tone wood pieces and the big question that is coming up for me is “what aesthetic do I want?”

Love the orangery glow and brown stain backs of a teens Gibson and am aware of Dave Surette’s Girouard pumpkin top. But who else out there have you seen as examples of modern builders with pumpkin top finishes?

Love a burst and all, but I want to have something a little different and stand out. Also constantly drooling over the Honey Amber finish on a lot of Collins’ and Northfield’s Amber finish.

What have you seen out there from contemporary makers in the pumpkin top realm? This would be an A style with F-holes.

Pretty sure Max Girouard has done a pumpkin top oval A in the past.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jill McAuley

Pretty sure Max Girouard has done a pumpkin top oval A in the past.

---

Indeed. Aware of that one per my original post, it belongs to David Surette…and actually saw it in Max and Lauri’s shop just before the finishing (it was being finished just before a Girouard I had built in a previous life).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jill McAuley

Pretty sure Max Girouard has done a pumpkin top oval A in the past.

---

Looks like the Girouards have done an oval hole pumpkin top as well! (Just did some social media stalking on their Instagram)

Glad to be part of the contemporary pumpkin top clan. I asked for this finish from Max and Lauri in homage to my first good mando, a p-t A model I got back in about 85 or so. But my Girouard is an A-5 model, so it's got the F-holes. As you noted, they do also make a beautiful A model with an oval soundhole. There's a number of us up here in ME and NH now who've got Girouard pumpkin tops, and love 'em!
In terms of other makers, the Collings honey amber looks similar; to me, the Northfield looks lighter. But maybe some custom makers would be up for the challenge of trying the pumpkintop look? There's lots of old Gibson examples out there to use as models. Good luck with your new mando!

Could someone please post a picture of a pumpkin top?
I keep thinking of this guy from my childhood, but I don't think they put his face on mandolins.

Attachment 196326

Aaaah, MAS, now let’s see what we’re talking about, pumpkin top -sweet! :)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pumpkin+to...ages&ia=images

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Simon DS

Aaaah, MAS, now let’s see what we’re talking about, pumpkin top -sweet! :)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pumpkin+to...ages&ia=images

---

Thanks. I understand the attraction -- to the mandolins that is. (The country singer, Wilf Carter, sang a song about the bear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOc...annel=dvdman49. )

The Kentucky 272 is a pumpkin. Looks good enough to eat actually.

Weber Bitteroots have a pumpkin top, used to have before the change of ownership.

Dave H

Wasn't the Weber Vintage A a kind of pumpkin top-ish finish? I had one briefly and if I recall correctly the colour of the top definitely leaned towards the pumpkin end of the spectrum.

I think Fylde made one too, delicate orange/reddish with a beautiful pale blue-turquoise inlay.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Simon DS

I think Fylde made one too, delicate orange/reddish with a beautiful pale blue-turquoise inlay.

---

That sounds really nice. I am a sucker for turquoise.

This mandola (not mine) built by Michael Heiden is nice looking. Attachment 196346

I have a Lebeda F, (Jazzica, 89/01) that is entirely 'pumpkin' with brown tortoiseoid binding , though I've called it 'Cognac'.. ..

Recently had it re-fretted with Stainless steel .. :whistling:

I'm not sure whether Peter Sawchyn is building these models currently, but I had an F-4 style he custom-built with what he called a french violin finish.Attachment 196394

My Weber Bitterroot is a Pumpkin top, and I love it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ranald

Could someone please post a picture of a pumpkin top?
I keep thinking of this guy from my childhood, but I don't think they put his face on mandolins.

Attachment 196326

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Thanks. I understand the attraction -- to the mandolins that is. (The country singer, Wilf Carter, sang a song about the bear.
[url

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzOc...annel=dvdman49[/url]. )

---

Punkinhead might not have made it onto a mandolin, but Wilf made it onto a guitar:

https://flatwatertoys.com/shop/wilf-...am-scene-sold/