Show your wear...

[Tom Wright]

Is the mojo better when it wears all the way through the top or is there an optimal gouge depth?

[Mark Wilson]

It's mojo unless the rest of it is pristine. Then it looks like crumpled fender on a shiny Corvette
I dig the look of some play wear. I'm glad my A5 is not pristine. I can play it without worrying over it.

[pops1]

When a customer brought his mandolin in for repair to a hole in the top from playing I said I could put in a new piece of wood. He said now he just wanted to stabilize it and leave the hole. Guess he liked the mojo from all the years of playing, he was halfway thru the brace too. That was many years ago, he is still playing the same mandolin.

[108 Mile]

This is my Duff....That isn't pick wear, It's fingernail plant. The varnish is gone from most areas as well (It's early life was spent in Hong Kong) so I think the humidity was very high. But I love the looks of it.

[Demetrius]

This is my Duff....That isn't pick wear, It's fingernail plant. The varnish is gone from most areas as well (It's early life was spent in Hong Kong) so I think the humidity was very high. But I love the looks of it.

That was clearly well loved...

[pops1]

Here you go Dem, pickups stuck on when in an emergency before they were permanently placed inside. Not a speed neck, just wore it off. These were taken a couple years ago, top is about the same, but neck is a little more worn. Hard to see, the ebony guard has groves from fingers brushing, not planting. It has had a lot of playing hours.

[Demetrius]

Man that Brentrup looks awesome...

Here you go Dem, pickups stuck on when in an emergency before they were permanently placed inside. Not a speed neck, just wore it off. These were taken a couple years ago, top is about the same, but neck is a little more worn. Hard to see, the ebony guard has groves from fingers brushing, not planting. It has had a lot of playing hours.

[dang]

I had a Gibson A-9 that I wore a spot on from planting my pinkey finger, since then I have always favored lacquer finishes - merely because I am rough on anything lighter.

This is why I got a bar mando:

[Demetrius]

What beautiful mandolin is that? Is that a lacquer finish?

I had a Gibson A-9 that I wore a spot on from planting my pinkey finger, since then I have always favored lacquer finishes - merely because I am rough on anything lighter.

This is why I got a bar mando:

[dang]

What beautiful mandolin is that? Is that a lacquer finish?

Thanks Dem, that is my Weber Bighorn. Customized with block inlays, abbreviated fretboard, and an F style headstock. I got it all the wayback in 2004. Most of the scratches came from a few gigs where it was noisy, and I had a lot of whiskey... there is also a spot where my Schertler pickup left a dimple in the top when I accidently pressed it in too hard. It does have a lacquer finish, I can’t imagine how scrached it would be if it was varnish... I bought a Collings MT2 and had a pickup put in so I reserve my Weber for playing at acoustic gigs or at home.

[MikeZito]

Hey Dang - can we see a picture of the whole mandolin? It sounds sweet!

[dang]

[MikeZito]

Oh man, Dang - that is SWEET . . . and that is your Bar Mano!?! You're killing me!!

Nice, nice nice!

[dang]

Oh man, Dang - that is SWEET . . . and that is your Bar Mano!?! You're killing me!!

Nice, nice nice!

Thanks! And no, I have a Collings MT2 that is for the bar (which is also a pretty nice mando), my Weber is reserved for home now... I was trying to say the scratches were the reason I got something else for the bar.

[MikeZito]

I have a Collings MT2 that is for the bar (which is also a pretty nice mando), my Weber is reserved for home now... I was trying to say the scratches were the reason I got something else for the bar.

(laugh) Okay, now I get it . . . I thought maybe your 'good' mandolin was a 1924 Lloyd Loar F-5 - so your big step down would be a customized Weber Bighorn.

Scary thought!