Finish Worn Off by Strap

[Em Tee]

I have an A style archtop and my strap wraps around the base of the neck. I've noticed that the finish has been worn clean off by the strap near the base nestled under the raised fretboard on the archtop. Any tips on how to fix it? Does having the finish wear off in that spot on the archtop leave the top more vulnerable to cracks? Sorry if I am not explaining this well, still a bit of a newbie.

[mandroid]

Call it Beausage... sight unseen IDK , Assume you are removing the strap?

I have a 1922 A4 I have a Tonegard on the back and it holds onto my clothing and keeps the back off my body.


Playing, I sit in a chair..



..

[Em Tee]

I don't know if you can see that very well.

[mandroid]

Nope..

maybe a tech can topically apply some finish with a Q tip, then put on that strap button you avoided .

[F-2 Dave]

A lot of times, since the finish is applied after the fingerboard is attached, there is little if any varnish/lacquer in that spot to start with. I don't think it will hurt anything to keep using your strap there.

[Em Tee]

Nope..

maybe a tech can topically apply some finish with a Q tip, then put on that strap button you avoided .

I live in Miami. I didn't "avoid" a strap button. The nearest luthier is 10+ hours away. And the nearest good luthier is in Atlanta.

[Gary Leonard]

That looks to me like there was no finish there at all, rather than wear from the strap. Wouldn't you see wear on the neck also?

[mee]

I do see it but it shouldn't be an issue. Like F-2 Dave said, the finish was probably thin there to begin with.

[David Lewis]

If you look at sam bush's 'hoss' the strap wear on the scroll actually, at least to me, looks cool. So, I’d not worry about it. Honest wear adds a certain 'mojo' at least in looks.

[jesserules]

I have an A style archtop and my strap wraps around the base of the neck. I've noticed that the finish has been worn clean off by the strap near the base nestled under the raised fretboard on the archtop. Any tips on how to fix it? Does having the finish wear off in that spot on the archtop leave the top more vulnerable to cracks? Sorry if I am not explaining this well, still a bit of a newbie.

Is that the Pava? Nice instruments! The finish wear really doesn't need fixing, and it won't weaken the top.

I don't know if this will help, but here's Bill Monroe's mandolin -

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/image...ce_display.jpg

[Charlie Bernstein]

People pay long bucks for relicking like that.

When it's honest wear, there's nothing wrong with honestly living with it - especially when the instrument's a keeper.

[Em Tee]

It is the pava, yes. Great little mandolin, love the tone. And yeah, seeing Bill Monroe's mando does help. lol

[Ivan Kelsall]

Em Te - Is your strap a leather one ?. I ask because finish damage is well know to happen if you use a Vinyl strap,& some Vinyl ones are made to simulate leather. Is that the only area to show 'wear' ?. The finish on the lower side of the neck looks a tad 'blistery'. If your mandolin is a Pava,then it's a safe bet that there was indeed finish under the fingerboard in that area. I've used a 'trap under' config. like yours on my own Ellis "A" style for over 3 years with no sign of wear.

Check the strap - if it is leather,then it's simply wear as you describe. In that case,a good luthier would be able to apply some re-finish in that area - at a cost. If the finish has worn down to the wood,it at least needs sealing - IMO,
Ivan

[Em Tee]

Em Te - Is your strap a leather one ?. I ask because finish damage is well know to happen if you use a Vinyl strap,& some Vinyl ones are made to simulate leather. Is that the only area to show 'wear' ?. The finish on the lower side of the neck looks a tad 'blistery'. If your mandolin is a Pava,then it's a safe bet that there was indeed finish under the fingerboard in that area. I've used a 'trap under' config. like yours on my own Ellis "A" style for over 3 years with no sign of wear.

Check the strap - if it is leather,then it's simply wear as you describe. In that case,a good luthier would be able to apply some re-finish in that area - at a cost. If the finish has worn down to the wood,it at least needs sealing - IMO,
Ivan

The finish has been worn down to the wood, this is the only area with any wear from the strap, and I do believe the thread tied around the neck is synthetic now that you point it out. I don't have access to a luthier in my state, do you think it's possible to take on refinishing the area myself?

[Roger Moss]

Is that the Pava? Nice instruments! The finish wear really doesn't need fixing, and it won't weaken the top.

I don't know if this will help, but here's Bill Monroe's mandolin -

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/image...ce_display.jpg

This shows the beauty of a long, well - used life. Some people pay good money for this effect (affect). I'd let it go and mark it down as proof of constant use.

[dhergert]

If your plan is to keep your instrument for life, it doesn't matter. If your plan is to turn it over to your family after you're gone, it's not your worry. If your plan is to play the pickles out of the instrument, you've added value to it already. These and other thoughts are good and rational answers for some people...

The only reasons to worry about honest wear on an instrument is if you like it always looking like new, or if you want to sell it looking like new for the highest value.

I personally fall in to the "I like it always looking like new" category, as I never expect to sell any of my instruments, but I do like them looking nice... So I'm sympathetic.

Finish work is not easy and doing it well requires experience and the right tools. Most of the time even having a professional touch up a small area results in a spot that is still visible to a serious collector. With that in mind, I'd suggest waiting to worry about this until you're going to be able to take or send it to one of the good luthiers that you've referred to, perhaps even sending it back to Pava. Perhaps by then you'll have other things you'd like repaired. In the mean time it might be worth moving to a leather strap though.

I have a prized, new looking 14 year old car that I accidentally backed into our other car about three years ago, creating a dent in the prized car. Because I wanted this car to look like new again -- with all original paint -- I had the dent repaired by a pro car paintless metal worker instead of having the dent filled with bondo and repainted. He did a great job and unless you knew exactly what you were looking for, you couldn't tell that it had been repaired...

A month later I backed this same car into our other car again, creating another dent in the same area. It's still there now and I see it every day, reminding me not to back into our other car.

As much as we may hate it, sometimes an imperfection here or there can be a learning experience.

Good luck in dealing with your strap worn finish area.

[Em Tee]

I am primarily worried about having the wood exposed. It's under the floating fretboard so you can't see it, I just want to make sure the wood is protected. We get a lot of hurricanes here, can go for months without electricity because of it. The humidity and heat gets intense. I am afraid of cracking the top with the wood exposed like that. I live in the swamps west of Miami (the everglades).

[dhergert]

I am primarily worried about having the wood exposed. It's under the floating fretboard so you can't see it, I just want to make sure the wood is protected. We get a lot of hurricanes here, can go for months without electricity because of it. The humidity and heat gets intense. I am afraid of cracking the top with the wood exposed like that. I live in the swamps west of Miami (the everglades).

Hmmm, understood...

Unless Pava is doing something different than most other builders, the inside of the mandolin is completely unfinished, leaving it all exposed to humidity. And this is consistent with just about any other wooden acoustical stringed instrument.

So yes, either high humidity or low humidity is a risk and needs to be considered, but I would think it probably isn't any worse of a risk due to the strap worn finish area of your Pava. If it were me with this kind of concern, I'd probably call the Ellis/Pava folks and ask them if they consider the exposed strap wood area an added humidity risk for their instruments. They may also have some long-term recommendations for keeping your mandolin(s) high-humidity safe.

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . do you think it's possible to take on refinishing the area myself?

Only if you're experienced! (And if you were, you probably wouldn't be asking.)

Repairing finish damage is trickier than just brushing or spraying something on. If your heart is really set on undoing the damage, take it (or send it) to someone who does it for a living.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hmmm, understood...

Unless Pava is doing something different than most other builders, the inside of the mandolin is completely unfinished, leaving it all exposed to humidity. And this is consistent with just about any other wooden acoustical stringed instrument.

So yes, either high humidity or low humidity is a risk and needs to be considered, but I would think it probably isn't any worse of a risk due to the strap worn finish area of your Pava. If it were me with this kind of concern, I'd probably call the Ellis/Pava folks and ask them if they consider the exposed strap wood area an added humidity risk for their instruments. They may also have some long-term recommendations for keeping your mandolin(s) high-humidity safe.

Well put. It's hard to see how humidity would be a reason for repairing the strap rash. Calling Pava for advice is an excellent suggestion.

[Ivan Kelsall]

If it's a Pava,then it's hardly ''well worn & old'', as she's only been building under her own name for 7 years. IMO -try to find a good luthier - you might even ask Pava or Tom Ellis themselves, to see if they can suggest one,but i'd at least get that patch of bare wood sealed against moisture. You may have to travel to get it done - but do it,it'll be worth it in the end,
Ivan
Florida luthiers :- https://www.4allmusic.com/selection-...thiers-florida

[Em Tee]

I am going to give pava a call after the holidays. Thank you for the advice. I appreciate it!

[Em Tee]

Took y'alls advice and got in touch with the company. Tom Ellis called me back and recommended I send it to the shop for it to be refinished. Gotta say, my Pava is a great instrument with an excellent sound and seeing how they treat their customers on top of an exceptional product - think they've made a brand purist of me. My next mandolin will definitely be an Ellis.

[dhergert]

Great! And that's the impression I've heard from every Ellis/Pava customer that I've talked to. I'm really glad you talked with them!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Tom's / Pava's customer service is almost legendary !. If you send it to them,when you get it back,it'll be like new all over again.
Well done for taking the trouble to contact them,
Ivan