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Thanks, everyone. I had one glowing report via a private message, but the rest seem ambivalent, so barring any opportunity to try one, I'll turn my focus elsewhere.

They never got back to me. But I understand. It's common for emails to scroll off out of sight in my inbox and disappear, too.

Due to issues with the high notes, I have moved back to GHS A260...

Sorry, I was just referring to how I've seen them marketed.

Looking around I've noticed a few "wide body" or "bell" versions of the A50. Today I found this quote on GBASE:

"In the late 1930's-an era of very slow mandolin sales-Gibson experimented a bit...

Well life went haywire again and I missed your last post until now, fscotte, so I haven't done the test bracing.

I did find that those heavier A and E strings and my instrument took a little...

Yeah, not bad. It has a bit of that scratchiness like a fiddle.

I bet it's been done. Almost nothing in this world is new (except maybe for the music of
Valerie June.) Yakety Sax seems almost bluegrassy to me. I bet a BG band could back a good sax player and...

I was reading about FONs and logos and such. I came across some info about Gibson. Apparently they over-produced in the early 1920s and then there was a corporate shakeup in 1924. (Or 1925? It's...

I got the following additional information from the seller:


"I found a number stamped on the inside on the neck, its 8509. I also found a crack inside on the lower side,it has been patched and...

That's the only picture I've got.
The seller is at work right now, but will look for the numbers when she gets home. I'll let y'all know what she finds.

I've asked about the FON. I'm not a collector, so originality of the bridge and tailpiece are of secondary importance to me except as they affect the value. If the bridge works well, I'll probably...

This mandolin has come available "near" me. It is within driving distance, but farther than I'd like to drive without knowing more about it first. The seller inherited it and knows nothing about it...

I'd kind of hate to mar the finish, but I wonder if there's some other way I can think of to accomplish this. What if I glued the stiffener to the masking tape? Would it couple adequately across...

Excellent. Yes, I was unsure about the exact meaning of the terms and that's a good explanation. It's the ring that I want. I want my string to go PING instead of PLINK. Maybe sustain isn't...

And lose me the low end, the drones, the resonance, etc. I could buy a Pava or a Collings. I've seen them barely under $2000. But the Pava I listened to sounded like a great bluegrass mandolin...

Have done that. A lot. I'm doing it now with the new, heavier strings. As I said, there is a small improvement, but not much.

So I shouldn't even try? That would not be me. Besides, I bet most people playing more conventional arch top mandolins would think mine far from perfect. I have adapted my ear and my style (if I...

How would one achieve that on an already built one?


Mine is a flat top and has lots of sustain over most of the fretboard. I said my problem is lack of sustain at the high end of the high...

I have not. Do you mean that the contact with the high frets might be insufficient to get a clear note?

Thanks, I'll give it a try.


There are two parts to the cost of those really expensive mandolins: extravagent materials and the time required to perfect them. Materially, my mandolin is made...

Yes. My mileage does vary. Two of my favorite songs have phrases that go up there. The "problem" is more pronounced above the 12th fret, but I think that's more of an indicator. It's acceptable...

I can easily believe that it is technique. But I've seen a recording of a very good player hitting that last high note to end his song while demonstrating a Big Muddy mandolin and it goes plink,...

I have a Big Muddy mandolin. This is a flat topped instrument. It is well made, though not fancy and is something of a cross between a guitar and a mandolin. I really like the sound and the...

We're all different, including teachers. It's possible that your second teacher is trying to make it easier and intends to introduce the pinky in the future, or it's possible that he doesn't or...

I think if you buy a factory made instrument from a company like Weber or Gibson or Collings, you should expect a reasonably good setup, but maybe not ideal for you, personally. A luthier friend of...