Red spruce top

[Br1ck]

What changes can I expect from an adi top over time? I know adi takes a while to break in, and even after just a few days my new build has changed, but what change can I expect? I suspect what I'm hearing is just new strings settling in, along with minor nut and bridge tweaks.

[fatt-dad]

You should expect your ear to adjust to your new mandolin!

I remain torn on the whole, "Opening-up" process. Then again, what do I know?

Funny thing? I play one of my mandolins for a month or two, then re-find another one. Do they wake up? Are they different? Maybe? I just don't know. I just don't know?

f-d

[Eric F.]

Are you talking about your Arches kit build? I have an Arches Chris built for me in 2005 with an Adirondack spruce top. It's always been loud. I think it has developed a sort of "hollow log" sound to it. I don't really know how to describe it better than that. Maybe it's what people mean by "woody tone." At the same time, it hasn't lost any of its remarkable clarity.

[Br1ck]

Yes. I really like it so far, and doubt that will change. It is a loud mandolin, and really lit up the very first bluegrass lick I played on it. The top is alive. The strings behind the bridge were really vibrating before I strung a leather shoelace through them. I get a lot of overtones from open strings and I was talking on the phone with it in my lap and the top was amplifying my voice. Really some good wood working there. Talking about the wood, not my working of it.

I know most of the change is coming from strings breaking in, but I've never had an adi topped instrument and have read about long break in times. But certainly my reasons for building this kit was I wanted a better mandolin than my Michael Kelly, and I wanted a scroll, had no plans to spend $4000 and didn't want to go the Kentucky master series route, plus over the last few years bought fret tools, nut files, etc.

So with the goal of building a better sounding mandolin than I could buy for the roughly $1200 I have invested, I believe I exceeded that. Really pretty pleased. I also succeeded building a bright mandolin to contrast with my SilverAngel. I guess part of the fun is playing the heck out of it. I do still need to put finish on it, but I'm very slowly shaping the neck a bit at a time, playing it for a day before deciding to sand more or not.

But it's either obsess here or make my fingers sorer than they are now.

I bought a Cumberland bridge, Allen tailpiece, the last of the old style Schaller tuners, and a nice TLK rectangular case. Got the bridge and case off the classifieds.

I also got a fair dose of angst and an education in fixing screw ups. And I have a new found respect for anyone able to bind an F style mandolin, especially with ivory/black/ ivory binding. And I will never, ever think a fully bound $7500 F style is overpriced again.

[Eric F.]

I cut off my fingertip while slicing an onion, so I have respect for anyone who can build a mandolin, A or F, kit or from scratch. Enjoy it!