Adivce on Ode

[atbuckner21]

Good morning everybody. I had originally posted this is the general section, but Kenny suggested I pose the question in repairs/buidlers. I would love some advice. I have a 1976 Ode A-5. I love the mandolin so much, but I am a young guy (tight funds) and to really allow a setup I would need to have the fretboard removed and a new truss rod would need to be installed. Would it be crazy (either from my perspective or from the trader's) to try and trade this for a Pava or a Collings A-style or some A-5 comparable? I would appreciate any advice on the subject, and I don't mean to sound like I am not satisfied with the Ode. Just want some wiser minds to assist. Thanks for your time and help
Here are some photos of the mandolin if that helps to put your eyes on it. I know there are a lot of folks on there that know mandolin history so much better than I, as well as values. I hope this is not a waste of anybody's time. Thanks everybody

[sgrexa]

As I said in the other thread, is there something terribly wrong with the neck that would make a truss rod install necessary? You live in the vicinity of some very talented setup people (Lynn Dudenbostel in Knoxville comes to mind). You would be surprised what a talented setup person can do to a mandolin in a matter of minutes. The results are sometimes astonishing, often with very little effort or expense.

Sean

[atbuckner21]

Sgrexa, I have already taken it to the luthier here in TN who does repair for Dudenbostel (Jim Grainger at Custom Fretted Instruments) when he gets to busy. He has shaved down the bridge and done everything he can to lower the action (which is good, but is setup bass high to allow for lower overall action resulting in strange string depth) and he advised that it would need an adjustable truss rod installed to get the action/string depth balanced across all 8 strings. Thanks

[Pete Jenner]

Here is a thread about Ode mandolins if it helps.

[atbuckner21]

Thanks Pete I appreciate your help!

[Timbofood]

Never a waste of time here, we don't have anything more important to do than talk about mandolins in the first place
If you like the mandolin, the repairs would likely be less than the cost of the cost of the instruments you mention, even if you trade it, the cost of the repair to the subsequent owner will still need to be addressed.
When some of the, far wiser, luthiers here check in, you will get better information than mine.
Never feel like any questions here are a waste of time. It keeps the little grey cells working.

[Pete Jenner]

Thanks Pete I appreciate your help!

No worries.

By the way, cutting a channel for an adjustable truss rod with the neck attached to the body is a job I wouldn't tackle - I'm pretty sure it would require specialised jigs. Even if you put carbon fibre into a channel, you will probably find the cost prohibitive.

[atbuckner21]

Thanks guys It's a really special mandolin. I notice that whenever I play my other mandolin (Mid Missouri M-1) that the pick depth is so much easier to control because of string balance. I want that for me Ode Thanks so much for all the help!

[Frank Russell]

A few thoughts. Some Givens-built mandolins have been found to acquire a "hump" in the neck close to the joint, that sometimes requires a fretboard removal and shaving to put right. Not a huge deal, maybe $300 or more. I've had it done. The other thing to keep in mind is that if it is a Givens Ode, he ain't making any more of them. There will always be more Pavas and Collings available if you change your mind. I'd love to see you salvage the Ode, but I'm a big Givens fan. Matter of fact, I just sold my Collings MT here to a member to fund a purchase of a 1981 Givens A5 that needed a little shaving. Well worth the money I paid to have it done. It doesn't have a truss rod either. Good luck to you. Frank.

[atbuckner21]

Frank, thanks so much man! I really love the Ode and I am probably going to work on the neck. It still plays great, but I know to get it to where I want it, I will have to get the work done. I hope you are enjoying your A5. I am an A5 guy

[darylcrisp]

AT

if i were you i would email/PM "sunburst" here on the forum. i have saw some outstanding neck jobs he has done on old Gibsons and such. he could give you an estimate/idea of what to do.

keep us posted, thats a cool looking mandolin. whats the nut width on that?

d

[atbuckner21]

Thanks man! It's a standard nut width, I think that is 1 1/16 I believe? Thanks

[pops1]

If there is no truss rod now, does the neck have too much relief? If so you could pull the frets, plane the fingerboard flat and refret. You could also address this by using frets with larger tangs which would flatten the fingerboard with no modification.