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If you have to ask…. Lol

I call it an “FO”. Traditional transverse brace. Not really a hybrid, built after the example of Gilchrist using hard maple for the back & neck.

Will Kimble

Mo!

Fine margins. I do feel fortunate. Best to ya Robb!

Oh yeah, one more bit. BA in Music from CCM. MBA from Xavier, don’t tell anybody. Just finished paying off my student loans last year - and I am 53 years old.

No formal luthier training. No...

Couple more things to add - been building mandolins full time for 20 years. Been rebuilding flathead Ford transmissions for 13 years.

I think the key to being able to make it is to be able to...

By the way that means I work 7 days a week - not 3 on mandolins and 2 on transmissions.

I make a little money. Happily married to a nurse who makes good money and has health insurance. Normal life with two kids, two cats, and a mortgage that is ALMOST paid off. Not much possibility...

Think it’s Gavin Baird, thought of it on my drive to the shop. Thanks

Trying to remember the name of a builder, possibly pacific NW, I remember primarily oval hole Fs with an original headstock design?

Thanks,
Will Kimble

I spray a coat of shellac to seal, brush on the Z-spar (or Captain’s Varnish or whatever it’s called these days), then French polish. Usually 7-8 brushed coats to build up to a level surface. Not...

I’ll go ahead and put the target on my back. I use varnish because of the sound. Fire away.

Ooh, thanks tree!

I don’t use Epifanes but I can tell you the brush is important. I use a 3/4” Kolinsky Sable brush. I will post a pic if I can figure out how…

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Honestly I don’t mean to be fussy. I have so much love and respect for Bill Collings and still have friends there. I would be embarrassed for them to think that I thought…. I mean I built my...

I was not involved in the design of Collings mandolins.

Cool news, looking forward to a visit!

I am glad you are digging it, I REALLY liked that one!

Btw they were Gotohs that Mike Compton gave me, came off one of his Gils. I put ebony Waverly buttons on them.

I’d like to have those tuners you took off if you’re not going to use them, lol

Made me think of a funny pickguard story - I told the guys at Collings they were gonna need pickguards for their varnish mandolins. Steve McCreary said “Bill really doesn’t like pickguards, I think...

Well Loars had big pickguards and offset necks. Guess it depends what you’re trying to do. As far as pickguards getting in the way - they absolutely get in the way of fingernails that dent and...

Just wanted to add if you are using a Loar-copy full sized pickguard with bracket then you need to offset the neck or it will hang over the edge of the body. Not that I have ever done that, lol.

Thanks for the kind words everybody, just wanted to clarify a couple points - I made a batch of F5s for Nathan Livers to choose from. Nathan plays mandolin in Michael Cleveland's band Flamekeeper. ...

Thanks everybody!

will@kimblemandolins.com
513-382-5337