[QUOTE=Spruce;1599521]A question I've been wanting to ask for quite some time now....how the hell did you glean so-ooo much knowledge about these instruments considering the fact that you are encamped in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, Europe???
Not exactly Loar Country...
Oz is even further away... and there is Gil and Duff....
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 from 1000's of hours (yes three zeroes) working on my drawings. When I read somewhere about Gilchrist how he traced F-5 shape from bluegrass records or magazine covers I laughed out loud as that was exactly what I did when I became addict - back in 90's internet was accessible to few and all I had was few xerox copies of mandolin instruction material and videotapes. I was even tracing Monroes Loar from TV screen (that was before flat screen TV's) trying to capture the flow of curves. My background is in the Math and computers (I've always liked geometry) and since '96 when I gained good access to internet (at University), I discovered MC and started downloading thousands of pics of F5 mandolins (I still have full archive of pics from most makers from A-Z with at least few pics for each and quite few of those I consedered great) and took them home for "analysis" (no internet at home back then) in Photoshop. During my 9 years of studies and work at University I spent most of my free time studying violins and mandolins and technology of their building. Mostly from pictures and forum posts and later personal communication with folks who knew more than I did. It all boils down to time and selection of information (lots of misinformation on the web).
I don't claim to be correct all the time but it looks like my impression from this mandolin has been similar to Darryl's (and he is THE master of Loars). I didn't want to sound harsh on Gary, I just described raw technical aspects when compared to Loar.
Perhaps yes, but ,IMO, it is HARDER than making fake Strad or other old violin. The violin makers have advantage that they use the same tools that old masters used and same forms, moulds and most of the old ways are well known and copyists use that to their advantage."Is it possible to build an F5 copy that would fool the 'experts'?"
Maybe "no", huh?
We don't know as much about exact process of making Loars and if you are emulating machine work by hand you're gonna fail in some aspects. Just like you would if you try to emulate handwork with machines...
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