Distressing a mandolin...

[Timmando]

So to all those who have distressed their mando...any recommendations on what to do and what NOT to do? I recently had in hand the mando that Chris Davis plays onstage with Junior Sisk. http://www.cybergrass.com/node/215 The band was between sets and I bought a one hour one-on-one lesson from Chris. He plays an early 2000 Gibson F5G that he distressed...it looked like an old loar in his case. So I am considering distressing my The Loar 700. I do know it won't make me sound like him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=r3x0VDhbjVw

[journeybear]

Don't take the easy way out and tell it it's a banjo. That could cause permanent damage.

[f5loar]

Well I can tell you from experience those imported heavy lacquer mandolins like The Loar, MKelly,Washburn,Aria,Morgan Monroe etc. are not easy to rough up that glass like finish. If you desire to get down to bare wood good luck. Everybody (including Gibson) seems to have their special way of doing it and many don't tell the process for fear of the competition finding out.

[OldSausage]

My advice is to spend all the time you would have spent doing that transcribing and learning Chris' solos. You'll be a much better player for it.

[Timmando]

I figured I would take some steel wool to it to start...it is a nitro finish, but seems like a thick one.

I agree on the transcribing...currently in process.

[Keith Witty]

The Loar finish is excessively heavy. I do wish you luck in the endeavor.

[Spruce]

So to all those who have distressed their mando...any recommendations on what to do and what NOT to do?

I do a lot of antiquing (hate the "d" word) to various instruments, but mostly electrics which can stand to be subjected to hot & cold extremes...
Mandolins can be a bit more delicate, but still doable...
Basically what you are doing is an aging process that might occur over a 50-year span, in the time period of a month or so...

There are a lot of pet tricks and tips--mostly coming from violin makers--who are lightyears ahead of the folks doing antiquing in the mandolin/guitar world...

A big problem is modern nitro finishes. They are much less prone to checking, with plasticizers and whatever to keep them from crazing...
That being said, I've checked modern Terada Factory (Japan) finishes quite easily, so you need to find out if anyone has had any checking issues with The Loar lacquers...

If "yes", you can then ding the mando to your heart's content to give the checking a place to start.
I have a sock-full of bolts and other interesting objects that I use to get some interesting dents...
Don't over do it--just a few wacks.
Watch out for the F-holes!

Then take off the strings and hardware and put the mando in it's case, and head for the freezer.
Leave it in a day or so, then hit it with a heat gun, set on one of the low settings.
Shield the bindings! I use a wet sponge...
I'd also steer clear of the tonebar areas--ya never know.

Then, after cold, then hot, hit it with a can of compressed air held upside down, and this will really get the checking going...

You should hear it go off like popcorn, if the lacquer is indeed ready to craze...
It's quite fun...

Do your normal wear patterns near the armrest area, and back of the neck...
Then use this little trick to age the exposed wood...

You can age nickel hardware by using vinegar. Place the vinegar in a small bowl. Place this small bowl in a larger tupperware container. Place the hardware in the tupperware container around the small bowl, not immersed in the vinegar!
Seal the tupperware container and let it sit for a day or so.
This will give that dull, matte finishe on the hardware.

Read through this thread, and you'll find some useful info...

I wouldn't enter into this lightly...
You can really screw up an instrument in a hurry, especially where glue-joints are concerned...
And I won't antique an instrument unless it has a good gash or ugly wear to begin with...
Maybe find a Loar 700 with a big gash in it for cheap??
I dunno...

In any event, luck!!

Checking on a Fender AVRI Jazzmaster:


Body wear and dirt:

Checking on a modern Gretsch Terada Factory finish:

One of my Teles:

[Elliot Luber]

Just play the hell out of it. You'll get a natural distress the way it would get it from, say playing it alot.

[jso]

"Distressing a mandolin"
I'm a newbie here, so I know my opinion doesn't count for much. Even so, I have to ask...why?

[f5loar]

Those finishs on the imports I mentioned are dang near bullet proof. Steel wool won't touch it. It will wear down your knuckles first.
Why? Because Big Mon did it first!

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Check out this old thread: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...sed-by-Big-Joe

[Mike Bunting]

Those finishs on the imports I mentioned are dang near bullet proof. Steel wool won't touch it. It will wear down your knuckles first.
Why? Becausee finish Big Mon did it first!

I converted one of those Pacrim Washburns to electric and took the finish off. Once I got a toehold on it, I could pry off chunks big enough to make a couple of flat picks and thick enough too. I got bare wood, the colour is in the finish.

[TDMpicker]

Kentucky Ken does a fantastic job of distressing his mandolins.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?93532

[Spruce]

Even so, I have to ask...why?

Because I like the look and feel of an old Telecaster, but can't (and won't) afford the $80K pricetag?

I can only think of a few mandolins that I would like to antique however...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Please don't 'antique' the Schneider...

[Spruce]

No way...

[Richard Eskite]

I refinished a Loar 400 a while back.

I couldn't believe how heavy and hard that finish is. I mean, it's like 8 coats and really really tough. I eventually did it, but if I had to choose over again, I would have left it the way it was. It laughed at even my palm sander with 80 grit paper. I'm serious. The only way I could get if off was using a scraper and there was a HUGE pile of scrapings when I was done. Once I got it all off, I found it was actually concealing a few nasty spots where the neck and body didn't fit too great and they used a putty filler. This was invisible since it was originally covered with the darker section of finish. Probably best to leave it the way it is, but that's just me.

If you do choose to go forward, experiment on a part that isn't right in the front, in case you change your mind.

[Steve Sorensen]

Spending so much time doing finishing, I just find the idea distressing.

Steve

[Jim Garber]

I attended a workshop with Matt Flinner and he did a great job distressing his Gilchrist. I asked if he bought it new and he said he did and showed it to SG and Steve told him that he knew that that mandolin was seriously played. Excellent sounding, in his hands, of course.

[mandroid]

So I am considering distressing my The Loar 700

tell it you are shopping for an early 2000 Gibson F5G, a much better sounding mandolin,
and that should cause it distress.

[re simmers]

There's a Rogue mandolin at Musician's Friend that is $51.99. I would recommend buying it and try distressing it first. That would be the best $51.99 you ever spent if you really want to learn how to do it.

I would think the wood butcher has more experience than you or I can comprehend. Freezers, heat, lacquer popping.............I would try that on a very cheap instrument first.

Bob

[rico mando]

Would it not be better/easier to refinish it in a french polish . must be a way to get the shellac to craze early ?

[JeffD]

That is excellent advice. Get a very inexpensive mandolin, or better yet one that is not playable, and practice on it. See what affects you like and what you can do.

[rico mando]

The postal service offers free Distressing .

[Spruce]

Get a very inexpensive mandolin...

He did...