F5 Mandolin

For whatever reason, whenever I see someone's pictures of their mandolin, it's always outside leaning against a tree.  Just to satisfy that unwritten apparent requirement, here ya go...

F5 Mandolin

I'm done for now.  I've polished the mandolin using Meguires show car glaze. Apparently this is the thing to use. It's looking good. Got some strings yesterday and got it all strung up.  I'm real pleased with the way it turned out.  It sounds great too!

F5 Mandolin

I've finished re-fretting the mandolin now.  Here are some photos of the job.

Another french polishing session adding a final glazing coat...

Items left to do:
1. Buff the finish
2. Make the nut and fit it on the mandolin
3. File and fit the bridge
4. Install all the hardware
5. String it up

F5 Mandolin

I'm trying to get back to working on the F5 Mandolin.  I spent some time this past weekend leveling the finish so I could put on several glazing coats.  In that process, I decided that I would go ahead and re-fret it myself.  I purchased the fret wire quite a while ago so I basically have everything I need to do the job.

Here are some photos of the job...

Heating up and removing the old frets

All the frets are removed

I leveled the fret board using successive grades of sand paper.  This removed all of the fingernail divots and scratches from years of playing.

Cut new frets for installation

You can see the nice new smooth surface of the fretboard in this picture.  There are several chips in the fret board that need filling.  I'll post pictures of the repair shortly.

Fitting the first fret

Once the new frets are in place, I'll do one more glazing session and then time to make the new nut and bridge.

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...