Traditional MOP TRC for Gibson F5 Goldrush

**Benski** · Mar-21-2009, 3:19pm

Greetings. Anyone know where I might find a classic, traditional bell-shaped mother-of-pearl truss rod cover for my Gibson Goldrush that wont require drilling new holes (e.g. matches the stock TRC)? Any leads would be appreciated. Thanks and regards, Benski

**MikeEdgerton** · Mar-21-2009, 3:23pm

Contact First Quality Music (www.fqms.com). They won't have them on their website but if you call them they should take care of you. You'll have to prove you own a Gibson mandolin.

**Benski** · Mar-21-2009, 3:43pm

Hi Mike. Thanks for the reply. I spoke with the good folks at FQM and they've apparently been enjoined by Gibson from selling the classic Gibson bell-shaped TRC. This is apparently a relatively new thing. They do have a differently-shaped on that appears on their website, and the holes line up, etc. They can also engrave them for you...but they just can't be bell-shaped...go figure...I guess Gibson's lawyers needed something to do.....I mean, how many replacment TRC's get sold in a year across the whole country...a hundred? Hardly seems worth the notice of some legal department.

What makes it sillier is that, unless someone can correct me on this, I dont think Gibson sells them either!

Oh well...unless someone has a lead for me, I'll guess I'll just go get a MOP blank, get out my trusty jeweler's saw and cut myself one.

**Hans** · Mar-21-2009, 4:05pm

Ahh, yes, the old bell shaped truss rod cover harassment! I've been covering mine with tape.

Hope you can find a pearl blank large enough.

**MikeEdgerton** · Mar-21-2009, 5:26pm

Did you call them or just converse via e-mail? The Gibson ban happened while Bill Sullivan was still alive. It's not new.

Beyond that, never let it be said that we aren't here to help. Check the first few on this list, or more specifically this one. I'd ask them for some dimensions or tell them what yours are.

**Benski** · Mar-21-2009, 5:39pm

Hi Mike...no, I gave them a call. As always, they were very nice on the phone. I've dealt with FQM many times and they have always been polite, accomodating and helpful. In this case, they were a little apologetic, but it is what it is. Thanks for the links..I'll check them out and let you know how it goes.

Hans: is that another use for duct tape??

Cheers!

**woodwizard** · Mar-21-2009, 5:59pm

Guess I got mine from them for my Goldrush before they 86ed the bell shape ones. I had a choice of the mop or the abalone. Chose the Abalone one for more color. It was a tick higher than the mop. There are still a few people around that will hand make one for you but they aren't advertising it I bet.
Good luck. I Know of one fella locally that might make one for you but you probably would have to give him the right spacing dim's or send your original to him for measurements. Here's what mine looks like that I got from FQM.

**Benski** · Mar-21-2009, 6:59pm

Well, obviously you have good taste as well as a discerning ear. I think those Goldrush's are really special...I know I love mine.

I've met a number of folks who got a bell-shaped MOP TRC from FQM - or elsewhere - before the ban. Amazingly, Gibson remained in business dispite the catastrophic loss of revenue and the sanctity of their brand name has remained intact. Thank the Lord!! Hallelujah!!

It reminds me of the fact (and Mike Edgerton will likely remember this) that some years ago, the then Governor of New Jersey banned "runny eggs" for fear of salmonella (not that there was any epidemic of salmonella or anything like that actually occurring, mind you) ...I kid you not..diners were not allowed to serve soft boiled eggs, and sunny side up eggs unless the yolk was cooked thru were actually deemed illegal. That hairbrained edict lasted a few months and the Gov. ultimately had more than a little "egg on his face" when the ban was resoundingly overridden in the NJ legislature. Seems to me that this is the same kind of overthinking that just makes an otherwise great organization like Gibson look just plain silly.

Anyway, thanks for the empathy...I'll just make one for myself..will take me a whole 2 hours top to bottom, if that. I trust that Gibson will remain solvent nevertheless.

Question for all you lawyers out there: does a shape ever go into the public domain?

Cheers!

**woodwizard** · Mar-21-2009, 10:09pm

Thanks Benski ... I really think mine's special too... right out of the box I could tell. All I need is a good oval hole now. I'm stll saving for one.

**Ivan Kelsall** · Mar-22-2009, 1:28am

Try 'Bryan England's Custom Inlay' - www.custominlay.com They make everything you could want,
Saska

**MikeEdgerton** · Mar-22-2009, 6:38am

Originally Posted by Benski

...It reminds me of the fact (and Mike Edgerton will likely remember this) that some years ago, the then Governor of New Jersey banned "runny eggs" for fear of salmonella (not that there was any epidemic of salmonella or anything like that actually occurring, mind you) ...I kid you not..diners were not allowed to serve soft boiled eggs, and sunny side up eggs unless the yolk was cooked thru were actually deemed illegal. That hairbrained edict lasted a few months and the Gov. ultimately had more than a little "egg on his face" when the ban was resoundingly overridden in the NJ legislature...

I actually do remember that. Here's the story. I do believe you'll find that the good governor was one of the one's that killed it, not the one that instituted it. I think it started in the Department of Health and was actually taken back by the elected officials. It's OK though, Jim Florio while governor managed to do one thing that will be remembered by every New Jersey resident old enough to read a newspaper for the rest of their lives.

**Robert Mitchell** · Mar-22-2009, 9:24am

Hello, I'll agree that bryan england AT CUSTOM INLAY does excellent work and will do just about anything you need including engraving!! I have 2 of his bell shaped trc's.. Hope this helps...
Bob mitchell

**mandroid** · Mar-22-2009, 10:43am

MOP and Abalam , I think its called, is made in small sheets , to cut out to shape

either into a thing as big as that , or the little pieces to get inlaid.

so many Luthiers and perhaps your hand crafty own self can make a suitable piece..

**Ivan Kelsall** · Mar-24-2009, 9:09am

I had thought of making my own TRC from laminated shell sheet.The only problem is that unless you have the correct saw & blades to match,you can put the stuff apart.I priced up the cost of the sheet + saw + blades & it would be less expensive to have one made,unless you want to branch out into making MOP truss rod covers that is. If you can borrow the right sort of saw,then it will be less expensive to make your own,
Saska

**Benski** · Mar-24-2009, 5:52pm

First, thanks to everyone who offered suggestions. I did send some emails out to Custom Inlay as well as another guy who makes scrimshaw TRC's on manufactured ivory. Prices are coming back at $15-25 or so. I took off my current TRC and made both a tracing as well as a dimensioned drawing which I will be forwarding to them.

As far as making one myself goes, I used to work in a lutherie shop where we did replacement inlays on vintage instruments...so I still have my trusty jewelers' saw and etc...of course, we'll have to see if I still have my chops..I didnt wear bifocals then (sigh)

Story at 11..keep ya posted. Cheers, all!

Hey Woodwizard and Froderickskulldigger: what kind of strings are you guys running on your Goldrushes? I'm currently trying a set of the GHS Silk&Bronze..they sound good and play nice, but seem to slip out of tune more than my J74's. Trying a set of those JazzMando's next. What's your experience? Thx. Benski

**man dough nollij** · Mar-24-2009, 9:20pm

I think it would look cool to make one out of ABLAM, like this:

**Fred G** · Mar-24-2009, 9:30pm

Ben, I am using EXP75s, I really like the heavier E string. I got it about 8 months ago and it is really starting to sound great!
Frode

**mandroid** · Mar-24-2009, 11:35pm

hey, if that piece of Abalam didn't have that date stamp , I'd replace my screen background with it..

**man dough nollij** · Mar-25-2009, 12:14am

Originally Posted by mandroid

hey, if that piece of Abalam didn't have that date stamp , I'd replace my screen background with it..

How 'bout this one:

**Benski** · Mar-25-2009, 6:14am

OK..so the 75's get added to my contestant list!

And that ablam..nice!! The fern on my GR leans heavily towards the blues and greens so a TRC out of a sheet like that would be sweet. Which supplier did you get that from? Cheers, all. Benski

PS: I just sent that pic to my Dare phone...lets see what kind of wallpaper it makes.......

**hank** · May-03-2010, 1:58pm

Hey Benski did you find what you wanted on your TRC? I just got my new one for YellowBell from Custom Pearl Inlay that came out nice. I sent a photo paint cut and paste rough of what I wanted and David Nichols made it happen. The cut and paste SilverBell was one of their banjo inlay designs. David was a pleasure to work with and finished and shipped it to me very quickly.