Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

  1. #1

    Default Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Any tips for caring for an older mandolin? I'm not referring to the usual, such as keeping them humidified or in a case, but any recommendations regarding inspection of the instrument, nourishing the fretboard with lemon oil, caring for the sound body or cleaning. Just want to be all prepared for the new Vega-baby arrives.

  2. #2
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    1,466

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    I’m very much of the school of use your breath to clean it - as in breathe a must on it. Every now and then wipe it down with lighter fluid - naphtha or shellite in Australia. Put a bit of pencil lead in the nut. Check your bridge regularly. Also check your tailpiece. And make sure the nut isn’t cracked or chipped.

    That’s my tips.

  3. #3
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Hmmmm... lighter fluid? I have never used that on an instrument. I am not sure what the purpose is except to maybe remove some seriously oily grease. OTOH I would be very careful as naphtha is a solvent and could affect the finish. I am not an expert on this and perhaps some of other folks know better but in any case I would be careful. If you need to use that stuff test it out first on a small area.

    Also, that stuff is pretty unhealthy to breathe. If you really need to use it, do so sparely.
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  4. #4
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    1,466

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Agreed. I maybe use it once a year to get rid of those hard to remove. Always check against a out of sight part to make sure. But it dries instantly so there’s no soaking into.

  5. #5
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Upstate New York
    Posts
    24,807
    Blog Entries
    56

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Play them a lot, wipe them off before you put them a way. That's about it.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  6. #6
    Teacher, repair person
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Southeast Tennessee
    Posts
    4,078

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Ditto Jeff D. If you keep it clean, there's no need for naphtha. If you do use lemon oil on the fingerboard, a drop or two only on a rag once or twice a year will be sufficient. Much more than that can soften the wood.

    Do have it checked for loose braces when you receive it, and have it re-inspected every year or two.

    The biggest culprits for damage on these instruments are lack of humidity in the winter and over-stringing. 10-14-24-38 is about the heaviest these mandolins will stand.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Happy to hear about your new/old acquisition. Whether the instrument be new or old I treat them in the same fashion. After playing I always wipe them down with two soft clean cloths, one moistened followed by a dry one. They should be clean cloth, T-shirt material is ideal. Do this a surface at a time and only on finished wood surfaces, never on any bare wood or metal hardware, good solid pickguards are OK. You can wipe down the area between the sound board and strings with a dry cloth as well as the fret board under the strings with a single layer of cloth. This is sufficient to remove DNA, skin oils and the like. When I change strings, before restringing I'll clean the fret board. On rosewood or ebony I again take a clean cloth and applying just a few drops of lighter fluid (naphtha) to the board, work my way down the board cleaning the surface between the frets. You'll find this stuff evaporates almost immediately. Then, with another clean cloth, I apply just a few drops of linseed oil and work it into the fret board. I would advise against using lemon oil. It is very acidic and not good for your fret board or any finished surfaces. Don't use any polishes or waxes on the instrument surface as over time they can build up in tight areas and can affect the finish. That's all I've got. Best wishes.

  8. #8
    ===========
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    1,628

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    I'm with RCC - use the lightest gauge strings that you can . . . some of those old necks are not easily straightened if they get bowed.

    ENJOY the old Vega - you must be quite excited . . . and remember to post pictures!

  9. #9
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Upstate New York
    Posts
    24,807
    Blog Entries
    56

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeZito View Post
    I'm with RCC - use the lightest gauge strings that you can . . . some of those old necks are not easily straightened if they get bowed.
    My experience is that a vintage mandolin that is not structurally compromised (and is not a bowlback) can withstand medium strings, like D'Addario J74 11 15 26 40. And sound much better, IMO, than with lighter strings. Of course it is a judgement call, but if I suspected an instrument could not take medium strings, I would be wary of even purchasing it. That is just me YMMV etc. etc.

    Vintage bowlbacks, without question, get ultra light strings, like GHS A240 at 9 13 20 32.
    Last edited by JeffD; Apr-09-2018 at 11:59am.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  10. #10
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Rochester NY 14610
    Posts
    17,378

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Look at it this way: it's survived nearly a century already. I give my vintage instruments the same care I give my newer ones, and that's just to treat them carefully, keep them clean (but not obsessively), string them with the proper gauge of strings, keep them cased when not in use, and watch carefully for any changes, such as variations in string height, rattles or buzzes, finish checking, etc. I avoid extremes of humidity and temperature, and am specially careful to avoid sudden drastic changes in either.

    Buying a mandolin to play, rather than admire, means exposing it to the vicissitudes of playing. Instruments kept in environmentally controlled glass cases are well-preserved, but not much fun. They're not hothouse plants, and one that's been around for decades and decades, is a good bet to be around for decades more.
    Allen Hopkins
    Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
    Natl Triolian Dobro mando
    Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
    H-O mandolinetto
    Stradolin Vega banjolin
    Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

  11. #11
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    15,863

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Pretty much the same as a new mandolin.
    If you keep it in a good relative humidity range, keep it clean, and examine it regularly for problems and have them tended to promptly, it should be fine...unless there are built-in flaws, and in general, if present, those have presented themselves long ago in vintage instruments.
    As for keeping it clean, just an occasional thorough wipe with a clean, soft cloth (microfiber is good) is enough most of the time. A slightly damp soft clean cloth every few years, and naphtha if something greasy/cruddy/dirty gets on it. That seldom happens with well-cared-for vintage instruments, so you probably won't need to use naphtha.

  12. #12
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Upstate New York
    Posts
    24,807
    Blog Entries
    56

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    and one that's been around for decades and decades, is a good bet to be around for decades more.
    That is a good point. Unless it was found under a truck wheel, whatever got it through the vicissitudes (my new word) of the last 50+ years is likely to get it through the next fifty. Sturdy designs, test of time, all of that.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  13. The following members say thank you to JeffD for this post:


  14. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    2,811

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Naphtha is useful for removing sticky labels from book dustjackets, or for your Zippo. IMO it's overkill for a musical instrument.

    I've bought >100 year old violins that were covered in the crud of centuries. I found the best solvent was saliva, used sparingly in conjunction with a soft cloth. It might take several hours to get down to the original finish - in fact you sometimes go dry before you're done - but it doesn't harm the instrument in any way. The enzymes in the saliva definitely make the cleanup job easier than with plain water.

    I don't recall ever handling a mandolin that required that level of cleaning. Maybe I'm lucky?

  15. #14
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Upstate New York
    Posts
    24,807
    Blog Entries
    56

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob A View Post
    I found the best solvent was saliva,
    Wait are you a banjo player???
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  16. The following members say thank you to JeffD for this post:

    Bob A 

  17. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Essex UK
    Posts
    1,066

    Default Re: Tips for Caring for Vintage Mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    Wait are you a banjo player???
    Can't be, he ran dry before he was finished.
    - Jeremy

    Wot no catchphrase?

  18. The following members say thank you to derbex for this post:


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •