Ebony finger-rest installed on Eastman 615

[fidlplr1979]

I wanted to send some photos of my recent project, an abbreviated triple-bound Ebony finger-rest. I ordered this from Doug Edwards at Hill Country String Works and he custom made it for me as I requested a wht/blk/wht ivoroid binding. I use it more as a finger rest than a pickguard and it helps a lot to keep my right middle finger off the top.

[Folkmusician.com]

Looks great!

[Doug Edwards]

Good job

[addamr]

Nice.

Adam

[fidlplr1979]

Good job

Thanks Doug. Beautiful work, I love the triple binding !!!

[almeriastrings]

I like that. Looks really nice. Classy.

[fidlplr1979]

I like that. Looks really nice. Classy.

Thanks almeriastrings I think so too. I've done ALOT to this mandolin to get it up to par and I'm quite pleased with the results.

[Lane Pryce]

Good job. Looks real nice. What else have you done to your 615? Lp

[Limecat]

I see he sent you the drill bit too. Did the installation go easily? Any hints? I have one of his sitting on my workbench waiting for the day I get up the nerve to drill into my Eastman 515. Doug installed the mounting pins into the finger rest for me. Did you have him install yours too?

[Mark Wilson]

I agree - classy look. Is the block with the brass screws part of the fingerrest mount?

[fidlplr1979]

Thanks Lane, so i got this mandolin on eBay for a deal and it was in great condition but poorly set up. I put a CA bridge on, had David Houchens install EVO Gold banjo fretwire, new bone nut, finger rest, and a little mando-voodoo of my own. I've found that Eastmans can be very well made and good sounding once they've been set up right and some of the "noise" reduced or eliminated. They certainly vary alot from instrument to instrument. This one will easily compete in volume and tone with mandolins twice its price. I think it has Sitka spruce top which takes more time to get to open-up but after breaking it in for an hour or so it really begins to sing

[fidlplr1979]

I didn't need the drill bit so I didn't order it. The installation was not easy and I wouldn't recommend to someone without some woodworking experience. To answer your last question no, I didn't have him put the pins in because I didn't know how it would work with my mandolins fretboard extension. I suggest taking your time, learn how other people install theirs and pick a method that looks like it will work for you. Protect your top !

[fidlplr1979]

No, i glued on a piece of mahogany i had in the shop. Its attached to the ebony stiffener to give it the proper height and angle to the top as well as providing enough space for the brass screws

[Lane Pryce]

I'm not a fan of the narrow fret wire either. Lp

[fidlplr1979]

Lane when i made the switch to larger frets the tone really improved. I don't know why manufacturers use tiny fret wire when most players (imo) prefer the sound and feel of larger frets. And they just sound fatter !

[masteraviator]

Is that one of Doug's armrests as well?

[fidlplr1979]

Hah, no that's the old ebony chinrest that was original to my fiddle. My buddy Ray who is a luthier with Damman guitars carved it down for me. Id like to eventually replace it with a McClung from Doug