Why a one piece back?

[Sven the Impaler]

I've seen one piece backs touted at a selling point. What are the pros and cons of a one piece back?

Thanks!

[sgarrity]

Pros...they're purty!
Cons....none

[OldSausage]

There's no difference it seams.

[JeffD]

I think its mostly aesthetic. And, luthiers correct me if I am mistaken, I think it is harder to get one large piece without blems or other problems, than it is to get two pieces that can be cut to make a back.

[Ryk Loske]

There's no difference it seams.

Very clever David!

Ryk

[Joey Anchors]

Looks

[stevedenver]

A fine point I guess too, technically it's one less glue surface to glue surface seam.
I this understand can cause issues when one piece expands/contracts contrary to another, and over time, and many repeated such movements, can cause issues.

[DavidKOS]

I recall in violin world, there are one and 2 pc. back violins.
Ultimately all that mattered was the tone of the instrument, and the back being all one piece or made from 2 matched pieces, did not seem to be a factor.

And yes, it is harder to get a single large piece of fine tonewood than to bookmatch a smaller piece.

[John Lloyd]

The difference is most likely in visual appeal, which in itself is subject to taste. 1- vs 2-piece back doesn't affect sound or playability one way or another as far as I can tell. That being said, I'd never try to talk anyone out of specifying a one-piece back. (None of my mandos have 'em; both of my violas do, but that was more or less accidental since they were well used by the time I got them.)

[Tobin]

All of mine have one-piece backs, and I'll admit to being picky that way. I just prefer it over a two-piece back. Not that there's anything less stunning about a nice flamey bookmatched back. But I just like one-piece backs, even if they cost more.

To my knowledge, there's absolutely no advantage in performance either way. It's all about looks. But since we're on the subject, can the experts tell me if it's true that one-piece backs tend to come from older-growth trees simply due to the size of the tree required to get a slab large enough for it? Whereas two-piece backs can be made from smaller/younger trees?

[bigskygirl]

Not sure of any tone difference but I do like the look of a one piece back and given a choice that's what I'd get.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Some think a book-end matched two-piece back is purtier.
Even some of the old Gibson teens mandos had one-piece backs - considering the number that have back-seam separations this was a good thing... doesn't seam to be a modern problem... yet...

[bart mcneil]

One of the strangest obsessions with mandolin owners is the concern for the looks of the back, which is seldom seen by the audience in a performance unless the player self-consciously turns the mando around for the audience to admire the back. Even we, as owners, seldom hold the instrument as to admire the back. It is kind of like turning your car over on its side so that all can admire the beauty of its undercarriage.

[John Lloyd]

It is kind of like turning your car over on its side so that all can admire the beauty of its undercarriage.

Not for a nanosecond would I put that past a couple of the hot rod enthusiasts I've known.

I'll admit admiring both the one-piece back on my primary viola and the bookmatching on my Eastman mando, and have even been known to show both of them off in the right company.

[DavidKOS]

One of the strangest obsessions with mandolin owners is the concern for the looks of the back

It isn't just mandolin owners - all sorts of instrumentalists - particularly electric guitarists - care almost (or more sometimes) for the looks of their instrument as for the sound it makes.

If I had the ugliest instrument imaginable but it played and sounded absolutely wonderful, I wouldn't care what it looked like.

Now, I admire fine wood and artistic craftsmanship as much as anyone, but merely cosmetic issues are not relevant to sound.

My Sakis mandolin is about the plainest bowlback you could get, no inlays, butterflies, trapezoidal binding, all of which are lovely, but is sounds very good and that's all that really matters.

Of course if I'm shelling out thousands for a fine mandolin, I may be a bit more interested in the cosmetic issues....but not over tone.

But I do understand being proud of a fine looking mandolin, so show us your backs!

[Tobin]

One of the strangest obsessions with mandolin owners is the concern for the looks of the back, which is seldom seen by the audience...

It's only "strange" if one takes the view that a thing of beauty exists solely for the purpose of flaunting it to the world for kudos and congratulations. I think it's perfectly normal and reasonable to want something to be beautiful, even if it's just for one's own personal enjoyment.

(That doesn't stop me from letting others see it, though.)

[OldSausage]

And yet I scarcely give a thought to how my own back side looks.

[phseely]

Two piece tops and backs are utilized for lack of larger chunks of wood...thereby cutting the cost...mandos with one piece tops and backs move/vibrate/propagate sound to produce a much deeper richer tone...check out Gray Mandolins...

[mandroid]

Why Not? you cant book match a single curly maple piece either ..

the builder skills is probably a bigger factor.

once the edges are glued together its One Piece, Either way,

[yankees1]

I will take a one piece back any day over a two piece back ! It's all in the looks !

[mandroid]

Especially if its My Back , not a fan of living out my life in a wheelchair.

[DHopkins]

How many people hold their mandolin up for the audience to see the back? I don't think I've ever seen it happen. I would prefer the sound to the looks. That probably true of most instruments. You want a 1945 Martin D-18 or one made last week?

[Spruce]

...can the experts tell me if it's true that one-piece backs tend to come from older-growth trees simply due to the size of the tree required to get a slab large enough for it? Whereas two-piece backs can be made from smaller/younger trees?

Old growth vs. second growth is not the issue, especially when talking slabcut one-piecers, like you see in a lot of Loars...

Imagine taking the first cut off the top of a log. When you hit the point when you can get a 10" wide piece, that's a one-piecer...
You can do that with a pretty small maple tree in a big hurry...

But, quartered one-piecers are a different story...
In that case, red-heart is the issue, and not the size of the tree.
It's a pretty rare day when you find a nicely figured Eastern maple (in any species) with 10" of white wood...
Same with Bigleaf...

So-ooo, slabcut one-piecers are not all that rare or even hard to come by, and shouldn't be priced higher by either the tonewood dealer or builder...

But quartered one-piecers are a pretty rare bird, and should be...

[Steve Sorensen]

Because,

and and

Steve

[Steve Sorensen]

and