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Thread: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

  1. #1
    Formerly F5JOURNL Darryl Wolfe's Avatar
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    Default Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    OK. I have discussed this with Scott (and Dan) and we believe this will be a fun project. I hereby donate this mandolin to the Cafe and will serve as a sub-moderator over this thread. The object will be involve as many of our member luthiers and our equipment suppliers in a collaborative restoration of this instrument. When the instrument is finished it will be auctioned off here and the proceeds will all go to Mandolincafe.com. I will also provide some sort of signed label and a certificate will denote all of the participants and their part in the effort.

    All members are invited to join in with discussion here of the various aspects of the project and participate in certain decisions that will be made during the course of time. Each luthier that participates will be asked to donate their time and/or materials and pay for shipping to the next luthier that chimes in "I would like to..do such.." It is hoped that the individual tasks can be broken down to where nobody would really be investing more than 2-4 hours of time plus shipping to the next volunteer.

    The first task is for me to check a few things out on the mandolin so that there are no surprises later. Then we can proceed with determining the order of tasks. For example, I believe it will need a new rosette prior to a fingerboard. So, obviously the first task cannot be a fingerboard.

    I also think it may be appropriate to throw historically correct restoration out the window and invite some modern taste and variety. For example, it is really a straight A, but I have routed the back for binding. At this point anything may go. I think this might be the first thing we discuss and decide.

    Game On..........
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  3. #2
    Formerly F5JOURNL Darryl Wolfe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    I need to check the neck angle and verify the the top and back channels are the same. I believe the top channel needs to be recut (especially if we go with something other than a single piece of binding).

    Please note that this is a composite mandolin. The neck and body are period correct, but not from the same mando
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  4. #3
    Formerly F5JOURNL Darryl Wolfe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Part of the back
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  5. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    If it's going to be changed it might as well become a snakehead as well, my .02 worth.
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    Registered User mando.player's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    This will be a fun thread to watch. I've already subscribed to it. Radiused fretboard?
    Charlie Jones

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  7. #6

    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    This has got to be one of the coolest threads/projects/ideas if I have seen here! With all of the collective braintrust in our resident luthiers and supplies from vendors and folks- this will be an awesome, very unique mandolin. Thanks Darryl!

    Jeff Arey

  8. #7
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Excellent and I look fwd to following this one. Darryl, will you or Scott be the overseer and arbiter of taste or is it the individual luthier's choice? In other words, might we see a paisley finished harp mandolin?
    Jim

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    Registered User jimbob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge


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    music with whales Jim Nollman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    unique purfling around the oval
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    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    If the rules keep the mandolin in it's current shape I don't have anything to ask for but, if you could change the neck, what about making a longer necked vintage Gibson oval hole! That would be interesting. Alternatively, what about a virzi?

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  12. #11
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Pickups, and a volume knob that goes to 11
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  14. #12
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    I would like to be involved, please let me know how I can help. Fingerboard? Staining? French polishing? Fretwork? Set up? Darryl, please send me an email to let me know what I can do. I would love to give a little back to the Mandolincafe.

    Thanks,
    Will Kimble
    www.kimblemandolins.com

  15. #13

    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    So,If it isn't a restoration will it end up an old mandolin with new features or a new mandolin with some vintage parts? Are there certain parts or features that are pre determined to save? Could it end up an f holed mandolin for example with a new neck and raised fingerboard?

  16. #14
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Gotta be a 12 fret oval hole so we can keep the vintage Gibson wood and design intact. Could be a radiused fingerboard, banjo frets, adjustable bridge, James tailpiece, and so on. Just my $.02...

    Will Kimble
    www.kimblemandolins.com

  17. #15

    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    I'd like to "give back" some as well! I'll volunteer for the fingerboard installation. I just did an A-jr. and have replaced the board on a Loar. After the rosette and neck installation, get it over to me and I'll hide glue a new board (bound?) on it! I think it should be a moderate radius. Darryl, you can e-mail me at knoxdude@charter.net

    Lynn

  18. #16
    Hester Mandolins Gail Hester's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Me too. Darryl, just let me know what I can help with.

    I think a 16 inch radius works well on these since it's barely noticeable yet adds some playing comfort.

    I like to know what the graduations are before proceeding with a project like this so we may want to consider that along with an internal inspection.

    For Mike, I don't recommend a change from paddle head to snake head because that logo may not fit on a snake shape. Some of the early snakes had the holes through the logo and there were various changes to the logo attempting to get it to fit on the narrower peg head. The change would involve removing the overlay, plugging the holes, re-shaping, re-drilling and adding a new overlay with a smaller logo. The peg head looks to be in great shape so I wouldn't change it. But, if we want to do that I would be happy to take on that part or anything else I am asked to do.
    Last edited by Gail Hester; Aug-27-2009 at 2:07am.
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  19. #17
    Registered User grassrootphilosopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    This is a very interesting project!

    Though I am no luthier, I would like to chime in with regards to the overall procedure. I think it might be overly interesting for all participants if a documentation of the restoration will be provided. There is the collaboration Zeidler archtop guitar that many a luthier worked on and that Stan Jay has/had for sale. This is the kind of documentation I am thinking of.

    Aditionally I would like to see an "all hide glue" project.
    Olaf

  20. #18
    Ursus Mandolinus Fretbear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Great project, Darryl.
    I was wondering why an A-Jr. or A-0, which would have no back binding or name on the peghead, had that peghead inlay until Darryl revealed that the neck and body are not from the same mandolin.
    Last edited by Fretbear; Aug-27-2009 at 3:58am.
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  21. #19
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    I feel too inexperienced (and on the wrong side of the atlantic!) to help out with this, but for sure I wish you well, and will watch this with interest!

    Regards, John.

  22. #20

    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Amazing idea. I will follow this thread with eager anticipation of what will happen next.

  23. #21
    Formerly F5JOURNL Darryl Wolfe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Yes, as Grassroot suggests, I intended for the participants to pictorially document things here. Since Gail would like to check things out before we proceed, why don't we select her as the first participant. She can then maybe correct a few things, or maybe do the rosette thing. Her choice.

    I did check a few things out last night. The neck angle is a shade low, but workable. The binding route on the back is 3/16" high at the glue surface. The route on the top is 1/32" less at that surface. This could be corrected in the way the binding is scraped or by reducing the significant recurve in the back a shade. Just an observation, we will let the participants do their thing.

    Thanks Lynn. I vote for the fingerboard. Will lKimball, let us know what you suggest. I will pack 'er up and send to Gail
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  24. #22
    still Lefty & French Philippe Bony's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    What about a left handed one?
    (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Nice project indeed.

  25. #23
    Registered Mandolin User mandopete's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Wow, what a cool idea Darryl! This sure beats the hack outta watching America's Got Talent.

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  26. #24
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    It`s a great idea and I`m sure all of the builders a good at what they do but some have different idea about things like graduations and bracing so what if this mando gets sent to someone that doest agree with something that a person ahead of him/her did...I guess they will just have to accept it and do what they are assigned to do or have promised to do....I will keep close watch on how this progresses....Willie

  27. #25
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    Default Re: Mandolincafe Restoration Challenge

    Since this is a Cafe collaboration, would some visible acknowledgment of that be appropriate? Fingerboard inlay? headstock inlay? tailpiece engraving? incorporated in the sound hole rosette? I don't have any specific ideas about what the inlay would be or say.
    Scott

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