Electric Mandolin

I've been enjoying mandolins so much, I thought I would try making an electric one from a kit.  This is a Saga kit that is set up for a solid color finish on the body.  I thought I would try using my analyne dyes out and make a blue burst on it.  To do that, I needed to sand off the sealer that was on the body from the manufacturer.  That was a real mess!  If I had to do it over, I think I would do a solid color.  The finish didn't turn out all that good but it was a learning experience.  I'll most likely sand off the clear coat and do a french polish on it now that I have a better understanding of how it's done.

 The headstock is a combination of the classic Fender Telecaster and F style Mandolin design.  I think it turned out pretty good!

Mandolin Restoration Project 1/12/2011

Trying my hand at French Polishing.  This is one of the last body sessions...

 

These are older.  After a few body sessions, I couldn't wait to see what the new hardware would look like...

Mandolin Restoration Project: 2010

I started getting interested in the mandolin several years ago.  So I picked up a cheap one from a web music store and was never happy with the quality or the way it sounded.  Ultimately in November of 2009, I found one on a Craigslist.  The previous owner told me he bought it from an estate sale along with some other folk instruments.  Based upon some information form forum members at the Mandolin Cafe, it's a decent quality kit that someone put together (see the post here).  Most likely, it is a Roger Siminoff kit.

The good:
The top is carved solid spruce and the neck, back and sides are maple.  Ebony fingerboard and rosewood veneer on the headstock. Mother of pearl inlays and truss rod cover.  All the makings of a great instrument.

The bad:
The machines had been replaced and were a rather cheap off brand.  The previous owner had made a bridge that wasn't very good.

The ugly:
As you can see from the pictures below, the finish was all scratched up and cracked (checkered).  The headstock had a section that was cracked off and hanging by the binding only.  Unfortunately, the previous owner smoked so it and the case wreaked of smoke to the point of almost being unplayable.  The frets are badly warn and there are many gouges in the fingerboard.  Regardless, the thing sounds great.

Here's what a mandolin looked like when I got it in November of 2009...
Lots of scratches...

Broken Headstock...

 The ashtray...