Question for our resident luthier

[Reeltarded]

Hey! There are at least two! I make Loar copies and pointed A's. People kind of stopped buying $13,000 mandolins. Awww.. I mostly convert shortys to long scale these days.

Randy Wood taught me to take a piece of red spruce and a chunk of maple and keep whittling til there ain't nothing left but a mandolin lol

Argentine Grey is my favorite color.

Oh, in case the Loar family is all pissy, I meant 'inspired'.

[Bob S]

Like Tom said - WOW.
Wish I had the patience. Not to mention the skill.
Well Done Sir!

[telentubes]

Here's some inlay for you Structo (did it a couple of years ago). I like it because it reminds me of a Dumble circuit (seriously).
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but there is binding involved, all done with a heat gun and Duco.

[martin manning]

Beautiful work! Is that NOS abalone? I heard it really smooths out the high notes...

[Reeltarded]

Hijack? Heck no! Go for it.

I love early century Gibson everything. I have something cool I didn't build that you would like.. brb!

100 this year:

[IMG:960:720]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj20 ... a06cab.jpg[/img]

[telentubes]

Love those inlayed tuners. How the frig did they do that!? Cast ivoroid, or are those ivory?
Also one of the coolest "torches" I've ever seen.

[Reeltarded]

I can't find my local pictures (which are much better!) but this is what my friend built and taunted me with the parts for 5 years. The fingerboard done and stuck to the build block just screwing with my eyeballs.

The fingerboard is finely engraved with beautiful hummingbirds and lillies, the bridge is of elephant ivory, and the whole thing is purfed and bound in the -45 style. Bee's Wing Lacewood, with a 100+ year old red spruce top.

Binding this bitch wasn't EVEN amusing! Crazy!

[IMG:480:319]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj20 ... c5c5d9.jpg[/img]

I wish I could find the good pictures. This is as finely crafted a presentation instrument I have ever played, or even seen anywhere.. although I have selected about 300 sq/ft of nice matching pearl blanks for a Les Paul custom that will kill it.. as soon as I get around to it.. heh. I have a plan.

[cbass]

Geez guys thats amazing work.Guess I won't post any pics of my crappy hillbilly guitar.You guys would probaly get a laugh out of it though.Or you could print it out and take turns spitting on it.

[NickC]

WOW! WOW!

Those mandolins are gorgeous! Magnificent!

I am in awe of the artistry, skill and craft involved. My hat is off to you gentlemen on such stunning workmanship.

[Reeltarded]

I love all instruments, ya hillbilly! -redneck here-

Handel tuners. They were made in a tube where the designs go all the way through, then the material is cut like cookies from Pilsbury choco chips, and finally shaped as they look there. It's a fired process. I am not quite sure what the material is, I think a natural clay kind of like kaolin. They usually get very brittle with age and fall off the pegs. I would think 1 out of 10-15 sets made it through the century intact. This instrument had it's hundredth birthday a couple months ago.

I prefer F-4 for my own playing because of the more classical sound, sustaining and deep bass like an acoustic guitar. I don't play bluegrass. I like swing tunes and blues. Anda uh anda uh anda...

[M Fowler]

Oh great showing pictures of beautiful expensive mandolins while I can only afford a Rogue mandolin and Lanikai ukulele

[Reeltarded]

My F-4 cost me about what your uke and mando cost you. Been a long long time.

You know, I have been collecting instruments for 32 years, and all that time a professional musician. You end up with things, things you can't talk about even.. maybe.



I have bought those extraordinary guitars in all the coffee table books as used guitars, not icons. While you were all busy building a family, I was wandering around drunk with extra cash building my own. heh

Old guy with a wood pile isn't much to speak of. Trust me. You think they do, but they don't. Guitars can't really love.

I shouldn't post this. Ok... it's ok.

[M Fowler]

I hear you and I shouldn't have laughed but I did!

[Reeltarded]

I'm sorry! I can't judge what to say or when to stop, so I say what I think I mean.

I need a manager, and an editor. My filter got plugged, so I threw it out a long time ago. heh

I am glad you did, it makes me sit and think. I like that part, I have much to think of. I have been pretty inhumane to myself. Probably TMI too, but you know. I have regrets. At least I have those. Humanity, it's in there.. I'm learning.

I love you guys. It feels like a brotherhood over here.

[M Fowler]

I love you guys. It feels like a brotherhood over here.

I couldn't agree more +100