The back. Two piece or one?

[akjed]

Can someone give me an overview on the difference between a mandolin with a two piece back vs. a one piece? Other than the appearance, is there much to discern in the sound? In the strength of the instrument? What's the deal? (sorry if this question's been posted before).

[Tobin]

Purely aesthetics. It makes absolutely no difference in the sound or anything else.

[colorado_al]

As long as the seam on the 2 piece is glued correctly, there is really no difference, though it certainly takes a larger piece of good wood to make the 1 piece back, so it can be a bit more expensive. There are some really beautiful 1 piece backs with birds eye maple or quilted maple. And some gorgeous 2 piece backs with intricate book matched patterns. On cheaper instruments, you might often find that the 2 pieces of wood used to make the back are not a matched set, but that shouldn't affect the sound much either, unless they are really poorly mismatched.

[fscotte]

One less glue joint that can come apart 80 years later.

[nkforster]

As long as the seam on the 2 piece is glued correctly, there is really no difference, though it certainly takes a larger piece of good wood to make the 1 piece back, so it can be a bit more expensive. There are some really beautiful 1 piece backs with birds eye maple or quilted maple. And some gorgeous 2 piece backs with intricate book matched patterns. On cheaper instruments, you might often find that the 2 pieces of wood used to make the back are not a matched set, but that shouldn't affect the sound much either, unless they are really poorly mismatched.

Actually, some expensive "premier dvision" instruments have slip matched backs. Gilchrists for instance. Some Loar mandolins have slip matched backs. Slip matching is when the two halves are clearly from the same board or log, but are not book matched.

Most of my backs are slip matched. If you buy your maple from a tonewood dealer, they are often "book matched" although much of the matching may vanish during the carving process. I bought most of my maple from regular timber dealers, and book matching wasn't an option, so they are slip matched.

This back is slip matched:





This one too:



And this one:



In the violin world 1 piece backs are sometimes associated with amatuer work - by using a one piece, the maker can avoid shooting the joint. It's more of a skill issue than a time one. I've made a few one piece back mandolins and I like the look.

Nigel
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/instruments/mandolin/

[Charles E.]

Nigel, nice looking mandolin. I have never seen ribs that extend past the neck joint. How did you set that neck?

As to the OP's question, I agree that there is no difference in sound between a two piece and a one piece back. It is a mater of personal taste and what wood one might have in their stash.

[nkforster]

Nigel, nice looking mandolin. I have never seen ribs that extend past the neck joint. How did you set that neck?.

It's the neck joint I was taught by my old boss, Stefan Sobell. Well, it looks the same, the construction is a little different. The sides are glued to the side of the neck, that's all there is to it. You just have to make sure the neck is at the right angle and pointing down the centre line. It's very strong. I've never known one move.

Here is an OM version:





http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/instruments/mandolin/

[yankees1]

No butt cracks on my mandolin backs !!

[Willie Poole]

Nigel, On that last photo wouldn`t installing the strap button on a two piece neck cause the glue joint to maybe separate?

BTW.. I love that design with the sides being glued to the fingerboard, looks great...

Willie

[nkforster]

Nigel, On that last photo wouldn`t installing the strap button on a two piece neck cause the glue joint to maybe separate?

BTW.. I love that design with the sides being glued to the fingerboard, looks great...

Willie

No. It's a screw, not a nail. And to be honest, if you try to drill a hole directly on that join your drill bit will always go to one side. The black fibre is much tougther than maple. You'd never see it, but it's slightly to one side.

[Jim Hilburn]

Rarely gets mentioned in these posts but one difference in most cases is that 2 piece is most often a quartersawn split billet while in most cases a 1 piece will be flatsawn. I'm making no case about one being superior or giving a different tone.
There is a Nugget mandola out there that has an 11"+ amazing quartered 1 piece so its possible but you need a good sized tree thats properly cut.

[Stephen Cagle]

I've always thought practical on this I think. To me it would be easier for the builder to build using one piece in stead of two. Again this could be a dumb comment. I do love the look of a two piece when they are matched up together with that said the builders I've worked with through the years (Audey Ratliff) will tell you I always go one piece. Certainly aesthetics and I've never heard a sound difference between the two.

[Eric F.]

I have a couple of mandolins with one-piece backs, a couple with two-piece backs and all I know is Nigel makes some gorgeous instruments.

[mandroid]

Book matched is Pretty..

[Brian Harris]

I've been reading about violin construction lately. The verdict: absolutely no difference whatsoever between 1 and 2 piece.