Hi everyone, I now have my 2 first mandolin builds constructed in the white. One is an F5 with an Engleman top and the other an A5 with a European spruce top.
I don't want to get too much into the technicalities of tuning the plates or top deflection, but after checking the tops on these builds by hand pressure, I can detect the deflection on the F5(engleman), but the A5 seems very stiff and barely moves.
I carved them pretty much the same in terms of target graduations etc, so the general thicknesses will be very similar.
How much deflection should I notice by hand, if any at all? How will this affect the instruments?
Do I accept that the stiffer top will just sound different and maybe brighter, or maybe take down the recurve a bit more until I can feel more movement?
These are my first builds so I'm not trying to make them sound like Loars or anything else, but at the end of the day they sound like a mandolin, then I'll be happy.
Thanks Mike.
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