# Instruments and Equipment > Videos, Pictures & Sound Files >  Post a picture of your sunburst

## man dough nollij

I have kind of a love/hate relationship with sunbursts. If it's subtle, and not too dark, I think they can be amazing. I especially like the red/yellow burst of old F4s, etc. Here's a picture of a couple that I really like, Ted's JM and its sister:

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## man dough nollij

Here's a (sold) Collings from Greg Boyd's. Done right, it makes 'em seem to glow from inside. Yum.

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## sunburst

Sorry, I'm in the witness protection program...

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## man dough nollij

> Sorry, I'm in the witness protection program...


Not anymore! Now everyone'll know what Sunburst looks like.

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## Uncle Choppy

I too have a love/hate thing with them.

I've never liked sunbursts with prominent reds in them (I never liked "clownburst" Les Pauls either!). 
I also don't like them with clearly defined "bands" of colour, preferring a more gradual tonal change. 

Still, each to their own. For my tastes I really like the brown-&gt;amber fade on my Lebeda F5:

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## red7flag

Love this sunburst. #I like the darker than tobacco rim. That picture was with a flash. In reality, darker, but not quite black.
Tony

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## man dough nollij

That is a nice one, Tony. Not to be negative, but here are the kind I think are really unattractive. I sometimes see builders put this kind of burst on a nice mandolin, and I cringe. It can make a $10,000 McGillicuddy F6 look like this Johnson/Savannah from the Mandolin Hut. (Sorry if I've offended someone who has one like this and likes it...)

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## Austin Koerner

A totally awesome sunburst, I think Steven Gilchrist redid the finish. I also reallllly like those "cherry-cola" 'bursts that Clark does. Actually, I will be receiving the first Clark two point with that finish next week. Woohoo!

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## jasona

Rate my burst...ok, I prefer the back of mine to the front.
Back:

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## jasona

...and the front

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## man dough nollij

I hope one of our mando-history mavens will weigh in on the historical origin of the sunburst finish. 

It seems to me that the oldest ones started out with a very subtle burst, and the black-rimmed type came later. To me, the burst on a teens Gibson looks like a subtle way to make the finish look a little classier and older. 

This 1915 F4 is the oldest one I could find at the Mandolin Archives with a burst. Did Gibson invent the sunburst? It looks like most of 'em before 1915 were blacktops or punkins. Yep.

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## man dough nollij

I spent some more time on the Mandolin Archive, and the first "black rimmed burst" I could find was this '23 Loar. I wonder if Lloyd was the originator of the dark sunburst idea?

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## sunburst

I don't know of any definitive info on the origin of the 'burst. It's been speculated that it was inspired by old violins, where the varnish tends to accumulate color and grime in the low areas, like the recurve and around the neck joint, while wear tends to lighten the color of the prominent areas like the center of the back and the back of the neck. (The tradition became _no_ varnish on the back of a violin neck because it wore off so fast anyway.)
The modern sunburst on a mandolin follows the contours in some places but not in others. It can accentuate the arch of the top and back and the recurve areas, but the usual mandolin 'burst goes against the natural wear patterns in places like the sides of the peghead.

A couple of points:
There are at least two common ways for luthiers to apply sunburst shading; 
1-rubbing the stain into the wood by hand with rags 
2-spraying the stain with an airbrush or small spray gun. 
The look will often be different depending on how the stain was applied, and combinations of the two can be used, the wood can be sealed before staining or not, etc..

It is much easier to get a good looking 'burst on figured wood like curly or quilted or birdseye maple than it is on straight grained spruce like the wood that is preferred for tops, especially when the stains are rubbed. It's easy to find examples of mandolins with better looking bursts on the back than on the front.

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## Joe Parker

Here's my '06 Duff-JPP

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## Joe Parker

and the backside

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## Tom Sanderson

Nugget #147

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## Tom Sanderson

Nugget #244

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## Tom Sanderson

Nugget #260

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## Tom Sanderson

Nugget #260

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## chip

1922 Gibson F4

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## Michael Gowell

Nice thread - thanks to everyone who submitted a photo. #Among Martin guitar folk the coloring in the first photograph is the seldom seen (on old Marins) shading called 'amberburst'. #I like most bursts, with the exception of the 'archery target' design where a bright yellow center is surrounded by a ring of red surrounded by black. #Just my personal taste.

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## LeonEvans

Here's my Holst C-5.

Leon

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## LeonEvans

And here's the front.

Leon

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## Dan Adams

This is my Fisch; not a special sunburst by any means, and in fact, I'm not a big fan of the extreame dark edges. The burst isn't this dark in real life. What I find most interesting about this sunburst are the flaws in the sunburst. This is definitely a hand finished sunburst as evident by the small inperfections when viewed up close. I think these small flaws really accentuate and define some of the characteristics of a fine hand made instrument. Dan

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## Keith Newell

Here is two. I call them solar and lunar eclipse. The bright sun is require to tell the difference 
Keith

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## Keith Newell

Here is the back.

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## pickinNgrinnin

Hogan F5 by Adrian Minarovic:

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## RI-Grass

I'm a sucker for a good sunburst. These are all beautiful. What I found very interesting are the posts regarding the origin of the burst. If the theory is correct, and it does seem very plausible, then, whole generations of electric guitarists who pay the extra dollars for a sunburst are actually getting a finish that is supposed to elicit the feeling that the instrument has the patina of an old violin.
Doesn't quite jive with the shredder ideal. Classical meets death-metal.

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## buckhorn

this was my third try..nice birdseye and a great sound...not a perfect scroll either but boy is James Hall happy with it

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## man dough nollij

Another nice one. This is Poe #23

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## Capt. E

Here's my Weber Bighorn. I love the dark sunburst.

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## cooper4205

here's the 'bust on an F2 I used to own



and my current sunburst (sorry guys, I know it's a mandolin site, but I couldn't resist)

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## cooper4205

Here are a more bursts, these were built by Will Parsons, a local luthier and picker that I take lessons from occasionally.

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## cooper4205

And last but not least, the back of an F5 he recently completed for Darrell Webb

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## Squire

Lawrence K. Brown

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## Squire

Dudenbostel #32

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## Squire

closer

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## Squire

back

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## Squire

Dudenbostel #36

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## Squire

back

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## man dough nollij

Another nice one, from The Mandoline Store:

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## DryBones

This guy will do anything to keep warm down there! Now he wants pictures of "Sunbursts" to try and chase away the cold!

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## man dough nollij

Here's another nice red burst on an Eastman. Am I the only one that likes this style?

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## Ted Eschliman

Closer look at the Clark JM 'burst:

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## Austin Koerner

I love this thread. I think my _favorite_ sunburst has to be Dan's Wiens. Hope he doesn't mind me posting this!

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## Ace

Here are my 2 Gibson F5's. What is the consensus of the burst? Good, bad, or just so-so?

Thanks...
Ace

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## PsychoMando

RE: Why sunbursts?
I've heard that in the early days the sunburst finish was applied to cover up imperfections along the edges/seams of the mandolin.  I may be totally wrong on this.  Anybody else heard this?
Doc Simpson

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## lenf12

All beautiful sunbursts. Thanks for the eye candy!! If you take a look at my avatar to the left, you'll see the back of my '04 Duff F-5; birdseye maple, red spruce and a lovely 'burst to boot.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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## Payit Forward

> RE: Why sunbursts?
> I've heard that in the early days the sunburst finish was applied to cover up imperfections along the edges/seams of the mandolin.  I may be totally wrong on this.  Anybody else heard this?
> Doc Simpson


Actually, in the early days the sunburst was likely meant to be a very classy finish on quality Gibson mandolins. (sometime around 1913?)  A few decades later is when it became widely used by some manufacturers of lower priced instruments as a way to hide flaws and keep prices down.

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## Randy King

Here Is My Weber Fern!

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## man dough nollij

Here's a byoot from the Cafe Classifieds:

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## frankenstein

couldn't resist

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## Lawn Jockey

Poe Scout # 025

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## frankenstein

:Smile:

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## frankenstein

:Wink:

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## frankenstein

:Mandosmiley:

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## frankenstein

:Redface: 2 more..

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## Mike Snyder

My God, frankenstein, you don't actually own all of those incredible mandolins, do you?

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## danb

> I love this thread. I think my _favorite_ sunburst has to be Dan's Wiens. Hope he doesn't mind me posting this!


No sir, I don't mind.

Kaboom!

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## frankenstein

> My God, frankenstein, you don't actually own all of those incredible mandolins, do you?


Mike, i own the first three, shot inside, i tweeked the colors on the computer a little to get 'em close to what they really are like. we had a perfect cloudy day for photos yesterday but it came with the wettest day in four years..the 2 others are just nice examples..

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## frankenstein

hey Dan, that pickguard is hiding too much of that beautiful mandolin..

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## fredrob

Here is an A I finished earlier this year It is perhaps the loudest A I have ever heard

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## wannabethile

fred, that mandolin is absolutely gorgeous!  is that a fairy inlay in the headstock?  i love everything about that instrument.  the finish, the 'burst, the end of the fret-board...  thanks for sharing!

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## fredfrank

My Collings MT2V:

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## Jonathan James

this has to be one of the nicest sunbursts I've seen in a long time, from Chris Baird in the Classifieds (NFI on my part):

http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval

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## Yonkle

Here is Dickinson #10. Sadly it was lost in the fire back in August along with #11.  Jd  (forgot I even built it) Still not back in the new house/shop yet, really sucks not having a shop!  Also #8 one of my favorites sunbursts.  Jd

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## carleshicks

this isn't my sunburst but it is my favorite. My Master Model is colored almost exactly like it. I can never get the color to come out right when i take pictures.

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## Lawn Jockey

Larrivee A-33

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## MANDOLINMYSTER

74658 is awesome. my fav too

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## Elliot Luber

I'm not a big fan of sunbursts, but looking at some of these fantastic examples teaches me that it's not sunbursts I hate, but poorly executed ones.

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## Doug Edwards

A couple of my recent clocks.  Great practice and skill building.

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## man dough nollij

> I'm not a big fan of sunbursts, but looking at some of these fantastic examples teaches me that it's not sunbursts I hate, but poorly executed ones.



That's exactly what I was thinking when I started this thread. Good sunburst can be jaw-droppingly beautiful. Bad ones can be putrid.

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## PhilTod

Early Collings MT1

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## troika

2008 Altman :Smile:

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## Doug Edwards

I think this is the burst I'd like to duplicate for my first scratch build.

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## ellisppi

Here's my latest, the 2nd torch & wire special. I really like the sunburst on this one

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## man dough nollij

Holy COW! That's just incredible. Yep.

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## Sean Greer

> Here's my latest, the 2nd torch & wire special. I really like the sunburst on this one


Absolutely stunning!  Red spruce top?  Birdseye maple back?  Whatever the components, the sum total is gorgeous!  Must....fight....MAS!

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## Mark Walker

Here is the front of my Silver Angel - during finishing and after:

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## Mark Walker

And here is the back in the white, and finished.  I guess you could say the angel is surrounded by a sunburst!

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## D.E.Williams

Pulled this one off the Collings site...this is Sweet.
If I can't see the grain and figure of the wood through the stain, it's too dark for me.  This one is nicely balanced to my eye.  I like when the burst is subtly dark on the edges but lightens more quickly, yet gradually like this one.  Kind of like a reverse solar-eclipse.

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## Chris Biorkman

Perfection as usual, Tom. That burst looks a little more yellow in the center than mine.

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## Jason Renzi

[QUOTE=man dough nollij;575515]That is a nice one, Tony. Not to be negative, but here are the kind I think are really unattractive. I sometimes see builders put this kind of burst on a nice mandolin, and I cringe. It can make a $10,000 McGillicuddy F6 look like this Johnson/Savannah from the Mandolin Hut. (Sorry if I've offended someone who has one like this and likes it...)




this is the exact mandolin i currently have...minus the pickguard...
 :Crying: 

i'm so ashamed...

but seriously, i really do enjoy it a lot...it stays in tune perfectly and has decent action...the only complaint i would have is it basically has no sustain and isn't very loud...

but i am saving up for an eastman or a loar...maybe six months or so...

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## ellisppi

Chris,
  The sunburst is a little yellower in the center probably but that first pic is a very electric bright sun pic, here's the same back in the shade. This is more realisitic but doesn't show as well of course. The back is hard sugar maple.

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## oldwave maker

Tom- is that type of figure called 'Mitosis'? heres some rural quiltification, down in the gravel yard:

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## man dough nollij

I thought "mitosis" was how mushrooms make babies...

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## wildpikr

Following Mark's idea...in the white and finished...

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## Mark Walker

> Following Mark's idea...in the white and finished...


Mike - that looks great!  Is that a 'distressed' finish?   That sunburst and grain combination is sweet!   :Smile:

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## wildpikr

Yup...distressed kinda like its owner... :Laughing:

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## Trey Young

Here is the front and back of my Elkhorn A-5, it has a satin finish...

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## thrax0831

I never met a sunburst I didn't like

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## Jim Hilburn

I continue the quest of how to get a picture of a sunburst that looks like it looks to the naked eye.
I thought that maybe if you took it in low light on a tripod the red wouldn't look overblown. Still to a little digital correction but I think it's getting closer.

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## Phil Goodson

Henderson #102

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## moledalin

I just found out I'm a sunburst freak- Here's a 53 EM150

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## man dough nollij

Here's another one from the classifieds (Eastman 815). My tastes have changed in top wood. I have come to like it when there is funky figure in the spruce, like this one. My Gallatin has a ton of "silkiness", and a little bear claw. Gives it some character.

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## shadco

Weber Vintage Burst

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## DLS1

Here's my new/old 615 Varnish. The only one like this they did ! The varnish has some checking in it but it just adds to the vibe.
Dave

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## Russ Partain

Stan Miller i have had about 2 years now.

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## Russ Partain



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## Brian Baker

Steffey "darkburst"

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## man dough nollij

Here's a new Ellis that's at Greg Boyd's. Anyone have $10K I can borrow? I'll gladly pay you back Tuesday.  :Disbelief:

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## Bradley

Ellis Number 87

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## Skip Kelley

Boy! Tom sure knows his stuff about mandolins! Those two are about the nicest I've ever seen!

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## Paul Statman

> but i am saving up for an eastman or a loar...maybe six months or so...


Wow - in six months, yet? An Eastman or a Loar? Now _that's_ a really tough call. I don't envy you, Jason!

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## man dough nollij

> Wow - in six months, yet? An Eastman or a Loar? Now _that's_ a really tough call. I don't envy you, Jason!


It's always good to keep your options open. For me, I'll get an Eastman. That is unless I happen to find a briefcase with $229,501 in it. Then I'll go the other way.

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## Truckadero

My Pomeroy F5 front

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## Truckadero

And back of the Pomeroy

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## man dough nollij

Yowza. I love these subtle ones that don't go to black at the outside. Yep. I don't know what these Clarks sound like, but from the photos I've seen, he's at the very top of the staining and finishing game.  :Disbelief:

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## man dough nollij

Here's another nice Ellis, recently sold by Carmel Music. I notice a lot of Ellis F5s showing up in this thread...  I like the way it looks like it's illuminated from within.

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## Doug Edwards

Waiting  on the finish to cure out.

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## Tracy Ballinger

Wow Doug, that's beautiful!

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## woodwizard

> Waiting  on the finish to cure out.


NICE! one piece back on that one Doug

Here's my old cherry burst

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## ninevah

Ellis #75 - Beauty AND Tone

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## Yonkle

I don't own it, but I built it, #6 I think? Wild back!  Jd

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## Yonkle

I was always fond of this one too, a little different color scheme!   JD 3 point #8 I think?

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## Tracy Ballinger

> I don't own it, but I built it, #6 I think? Wild back!  Jd


I see all kinds of pictures in that one!   :Whistling:

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## John Bertotti

Here is a look at the build coats on my soon to be finished Oldwave. All the red burst pics and posts helped a lot Thanks!.

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## man dough nollij

I'm a red burst fan too, Tracy. Looks awesome. Bill's going to build me a Mesquite/Cedar oval soon.

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## John Bertotti

:Smile:  So how red will your red burst be, man dough nollij?  :Smile:

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## man dough nollij

> So how red will your red burst be, man dough nollij?


I'm working with Bill Bussmann now to see if he can stain a mesquite/cedar oval in a similar shade to the old Gibby A models, with a wine colored back and a pumpkin top. There is some question of how mesquite takes stain. I think it might be too porous to take red stain evenly. I think Bill is experimenting on that as we speak. If he doesn't think it will look good, I think I'll go with just natural wood colors. I can't wait!

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## Portel



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## Tracy Ballinger

How long before you have your new baby, Lee?  Gonna have it shipped home for when you get there?

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## man dough nollij

> How long before you have your new baby, Lee?  Gonna have it shipped home for when you get there?


I don't know. Since I'm stuck here till mid October, and will be travelling for a month or so, I haven't talked too much with Bill about specific times. Going to hang out in Australia and NZ and maybe some S. Pacific islands for a little while to thaw out. I may go down to NM and pick it up from Bill. It'd be really cool to see his shop. 

I'm having a way different time with my MAS than a lot of folks. I got on Bill's list for the oval last year, and at the same time got on Andrew Mowry's list for a two-pointer in a couple years. I'm no hurry. It's kind of fun, getting to make a couple of high-end purchases, but spread out over a couple of years.

 :Mandosmiley:

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## Joe Parker

'07 Duff

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## man dough nollij

Ken O's new Brentrup Stealth V8:

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## man dough nollij

Another off-the-charts Ellis:

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## John Bertotti

I uploaded my Oldwave A to the link below. Check out this red instrument!

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## hank

I really like the look of John Gathright's bursts.  :Coffee:

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## man dough nollij

A Condino and a Monteleone. Yowza.

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## hank

Mr. Monteleone's horizontal burst is the first I've seen. That's taking the classical look outside of the box.  Very interesting and nice effect.   On the other hand Mr. Condino's graceful curving lines defy all classical ornamentation but the burst on the top and back. Both functional art at it's finest.

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## D18dave

I really like the Monteleone  burst as well.  Very appropriate for his style.  

Here's my first attempt at a subtle sunburst:

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## John Bertotti

Here is my Oldwave Oval A fianlly at it's new home here with me.

http://gallery.me.com/reesaber#10011...or=black&sel=0


I think the red turned out great! I just love a good quilted maple! Let me know if the link doesn't work. 
Thanks 
Bertotti

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## Ivan Kelsall

My 2001 Lebeda "Special",
                                  Ivan :Cool:

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## Scotti Adams

#47

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## Patrick Hull

Some really beautifull stuff.  Dave, great job;  unbelievable for 1st attempt.  Scotti...love the darker burst !

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## jessboo

steve's burgany brust

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## man dough nollij

I saw this one on the "Information on a Flatiron" thread. Very nice, subtle burst.

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## JEStanek

Lee, the wood may help that a tad too, eh?  Gorgeous!

Jamie

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## frankenstein

Pretty sure this is the same instrument, it's up for sale.. Sure is purty.

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## Joe Parker

Gilchrist #612

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## Jim Hilburn

This one isn't done yet. It's between lacquer coats. But then you don't have all those pesky reflections to deal with.

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