Anybody know of builders who are really comfortable with...

[Emonortem]

...building a traditional F with Englemann top and low neck angle?

I know Sim Daley used to do it well.

[addamr]

I don't know about Engleman, but Audey Ratliff's mandolins have a low neck angle.

Adam

[Geoff B]

I've done many instruments with Englemann spruce. I'm not sure what you mean by low neck angle, but it is something that is not too difficult to modify. Do you literally mean to make the neck closer to in-line with the body (like a 2 degree set, vs. 4 or 5 degrees?), or maybe mean to have a lower bridge, or smaller break angle over the bridge?

[juneman]

Hi, i have built quite a few mandolins with the lower (flatter) neck angle. X braced englemann at least in my builds seem to really favor the flatter neck set. You still want the string break angle at 15 degrees. Bridge height at optimum set up comes in about 9/16. The A5 i have currently for sale in the classifieds was built that way as was most of the englemann top mandolins i have built over the last few years . I personally like the look and feel of a mandolin with a flatter neck set. A lot of it also has to do with the carving of the top and how tall of an arch is carved.

Walter
"JUNE" Mandolins and Guitars

[Steve Sorensen]

Englemann + lower arching + lower break angle.

Add a softer quilted back/sides and you could get a mandolin as sweet, warm, and gentle as sipping a mug of hot cocoa while you're wrapped in thick down comforter on a snowy winter evening.

Steve

[yankees1]

...building a traditional F with Englemann top and low neck angle?

I know Sim Daley used to do it well.

On search , type in Wienman as there is a current thread on this new and upcoming builder ! I just ordered a F5 Engelman top from him !

[buckhorn]

I've built a couple of A styles with a low angle ( 2 to 3 degree) but not tried an F style yet.. Sure affects the bridge height thu.. I've made my own non-adjustable bridges using bone for the saddle just for this application... Keith

[Mandobar]

Larry Smart uses a lot of engelmann

[mandoglobal]

Tyler White of White Mandolins is building me an F with Engelmann top....and I believe he said his angle is under 6. Send him a note and tell him what you’re looking for. He’ll tell you straight. See the other post re White Mandos. NFI.

[Emonortem]

Fantastic responses, everyone. Thanks so much.

I will be sure to check out all those luthiers.

To answer some of your questions, yes, lower angle as in more in line with the body.

As I understand it this will definitely flatten out the break angle, as well.

It also does seem to lower bridge height...although I wouldn't mind if this lowered bridge height could be alleviated at least some with a higher neck set...but I don't know if that's a good idea. Not a huge deal.

I do like bridge height A little lower than some I see these days.

Again, great responses, everyone! I really appreciate it. Please keep suggestions coming if you have any more~

[mandroid]

Lost contact with builder , but I have a fairly low angle neck on a Mandola,

combined; top arch and bridge on top is not that high.


my Hodson D'Jangolin is down right flat.. it works..

[Geoff B]

Fantastic responses, everyone. Thanks so much.

I will be sure to check out all those luthiers.

To answer some of your questions, yes, lower angle as in more in line with the body.

As I understand it this will definitely flatten out the break angle, as well.

It also does seem to lower bridge height...although I wouldn't mind if this lowered bridge height could be alleviated at least some with a higher neck set...but I don't know if that's a good idea. Not a huge deal.

I do like bridge height A little lower than some I see these days.

Again, great responses, everyone! I really appreciate it. Please keep suggestions coming if you have any more~

Does that lower angle work better for your hands/ergonomics or is there some other reason? Otherwise it doesn't have to change the bridge height or break angle. You are right that one could modify the height of the neck set, and of course the top arching to keep things familiar to the right hand. There are so many factors, I wanted to make sure I understood first that the goal for you is to have a neck more in line with the line of the body, which it appears you do!

And to answer your initial question, I can do that!

[Stephen Cagle]

I PREFER A LOW NECK ANGLE AND THE POST ABOVE IS CORRECT. AUDEY RATLIFF'S ANGLES ARE LOW AND MY CUSTOM WAS BUILT WITH ENGLEMANN. GREAT MANDOLIN, GREAT ANGLE AND VERY COMFORTABLE TO PLAY! LOOK AT MY PROFILE. I HAVE PICS OF IT ON THERE AND YOU CAN SEE.