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Thread: mayhem in the music room

  1. #26
    Registered User bennyb's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    In my inexpert opinion, Todd's(aka Buck) post is entirely plausible. The tail block, kerfing and rib on the treble side separated from the back without leaving any attached wood suggesting a weaker glue bond. Might have been a result of low humidity stress "finding" the weak link to start the process.

  2. #27
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    Looks like a pure case of Mando suicide. It just couldn't take another butchering of Goldrush.
    The same “suicidal” thought occurred to me, can’t blame it on “Goldrush” though.

    “Buck” does offer a far less sinister possibility, and may well be right, we may never know...
    Did it fall or was it pushed? Where is inspector Clouseau when we need him?

    I had a ‘69 Pontiac Grand Safari station wagon I named Buck, great car cost me $375.00, I put a $700 stereo in it! The exuberance of youth!
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  3. #28

    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    OP wrote:
    "Not my room. A customer's"

    Well, advise your customer that that is what happens when you choose not to keep an instrument safe in its case when not in use...

  4. #29
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I would tend to agree with Buck, unless, there is an impact spot on the mandolin which is not shown or mentioned. I was thinking along these same lines, the treble side came apart quite clean and could indeed have done the damage from string pressure with the treble side loose.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  5. #30
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I do not agree with Buck for one reason there is also verticals
    Racking on the right side of the tail block in the picture above where the back is separated and if this separation would have been the issue the stress would not have caused that damage on the right side. I still think this was human induced or at the very least both of these combined for the final split a bad joint causing stresses that a simple drop exaggerated. Either way i think someone was involved. I don’t for one minute believe this just happened but with family and friends I would give them the benefit of the doubt.
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

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  6. #31
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    So, the big question... Is it worth fixing?
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


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  7. #32
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Hopefully an update will come soon from the OP and let us know what happened.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  8. #33
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I have a hard time accepting a side splitting down the middle as a result of a chain reaction beginning with a loose seam.

    I say dropped or crushed, most likely with the impact or pressure occurring at the tail of the instrument.

    I have seen the sides of a guitar split open like a pumpkin as the result of being dropped on the end pin during shipping. That's why it's a good idea to remove the end pin before shipping an instrument.
    Last edited by rcc56; Aug-06-2019 at 6:46pm.

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  10. #34

    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom C View Post
    What kind of wood is that?
    Looks like lacewood. Could also be leopardwood, but based on the way it cracked, I would venture lacewood.

  11. #35
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Unless the repair person is really good, I'd call it firewood.

    Re the current thread on "How to become a luthier," this looks like a minimum wage job.
    The cleanest way to repair it, maybe even the quickest, is to replace both sides from tail to point.

    I vote "no" on leprechauns, but it could've been gremlins or even goblins.

    Wait, I've got it-- a flying monkey snuck into the room, played it while he was flying, and dropped it . . .

  12. #36
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I would think if it sounded great before that the top and back and neck are worth salvaging. If it was a custom build I would get in touch with the builder.
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

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  13. #37
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Oh, it's repairable. Now that I look at it again, I think there's a good chance the treble side can be saved, and only the bass side replaced. It might take some doing to track down a matching piece of wood.

    Quite a few hours of labor to cut out the old side, clean up the glueing surfaces, cut and thickness the new side, bend it, fabricate and glue the linings, glue everything up, install and trim bindings, and finish to match.

    What do y'all think the odds are that one of the braces is split??

    Best done in a shop that is tooled up for building.

    A piece of advice for anyone who is approached to execute the repair: If the owner wants it done cheap, run away.
    Last edited by rcc56; Aug-06-2019 at 8:11pm.

  14. #38
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Looks like there is a small crack on the treble side also. It also looks like the end block was never glued to the back.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  15. #39
    Chu Dat Frawg Eric C.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    You can see the point of impact on the tailpiece, near the bottom screw. Both sides look cracked along the edge of the tail block.

  16. #40
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    As much as I like the spontaneous combustion theory I'm still going with blunt force trauma. I don't think I'd accept the theory that it just exploded unless there was video of it hanging there self-destructing. Then I would expect that video to go viral and we could all blame Gibson even though it isn't there mandolin.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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  18. #41
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric C. View Post
    You can see the point of impact on the tailpiece, near the bottom screw. Both sides look cracked along the edge of the tail block.
    There was some concussion on the tailpiece based on the marks there, but we don't know when that concussion was. If the mandolin had become un-hung, it would have hit the dobro first and flipped, hitting the mandolin top against the Strat's peghead, and probably would have shattered the top. The top currently shows no concussion damage.

    I think the instrument suffered some serious handling related concussion damage against the tailpiece, offsite while being played, and this caused the end block to loosen up... Then, mortally wounded but not showing visible damage yet, it was hung up, and the ribs split overnight with cooling temperature related string contraction.

    That or the owner installed a new expandable 12"x1" sound hole so playing could be heard over the banjos better. Or both.

    I have to add, it looks like an easy fix with duct tape.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
    2016 MK LFSTB
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  19. #42
    Registered User artdeco's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    The mando was one of my builds. The owner brought it by yesterday and I got a good look at it. It is firewood (lacewood firewood). Since he could not guarantee a non-human interaction and I could not guarantee it was not structural related, I offered him another mando and split the cost with him. He seemed happy enough. I think I'm going with the flying monkey theory. Thanks all.
    MLAtkinson
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  21. #43
    Registered User fscotte's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I'll go with the lack of glue on the bottom of the tailblock theory. Once that gives, the side rim can tear easily and violently.

    If it fell from that height, it's likely the bridge would be in a different position, shifted, or fallen over.

  22. #44
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    If that Lacewood firewood is available at firewood prices, please send over a cord or two. Sure is pretty.

    Whatever the cause of this calamity, it's a shame to have lost such a pretty instrument. Best wishes to the Luthier and owner as they work to replace it. I hope the next one is even nicer.

    And to the OP, thanks for posting this. It has been interesting following along the various theories. Hercule Poirot has nothing on this bunch of Mando-detectives! Great fun.
    Purr more, hiss less. Barn Cat Mandolins Photo Album

  23. #45

    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Id say splitting the difference of a new mandolin is beyond reasonable, but perhaps prudent business practice.
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  24. #46
    Scroll Lock Austin Bob's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    I could take a wild guess as to what happened, but other's have already done a pretty good job at that.

    I will say that it's a shame, it looks like a nice instrument. I also think that splitting the cost was a reasonable compromise that would have satisfied me had I been the customer. Like all good compromises, it leaves no one completely happy, yet offers some compensation to all involved.
    A quarter tone flat and a half a beat behind.

  25. #47
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Kudos to you for splitting cost! That shows me that you are of fine character, many would simply say “Gee, that’s tough!” And walk away. Stars in your crown “Art Deco”!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  26. #48

    Default Re: mayhem in the music room

    Quote Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
    Id say splitting the difference of a new mandolin is beyond reasonable, but perhaps prudent business practice.
    It is also smart business to turn a refund into a sale, IMHO.

    Plus, the customer receives a new instrument, rather than a repaired one.

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