Hello all. A few weeks ago I sent my 1993 Gibson A5L to Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustics to get some work done, and I just wanted to share my experience.
I had Steve do the following:
1) Install and fit a new Cumberland Acoustics bridge
2) Create and install a new full-sized pickguard (the original was pretty warped)
3) Full set up
4) Address the area around the truss rod screws where the lacquer was coming up
5) Dress and level the frets
I just got it back this Monday. Since I have the Loar shaped headblock on my A5L, he had to custom make the pickguard for a more slender point. It looks great and fits nice and solid. He was able to use the original hardware. You can see in the photos that the celluloid binding is just a little bit lighter on the pickguard than the mandolin, but I anticipate that it will age to match in time. It's very difficult to distinguish a difference in normal illumination.
I couldn't be happier with the work they all did. The truss rod cover fits flush now and the frets look good and are easy to play. Above all of that, the setup is incredible. It's very easy to play all the way up the fretboard now. He even worked on the nut to resolve a little bit of string binding. The bridge is also fitted perfectly and adjusted for easy action.
It was a great sounding mandolin before I sent it to him, but somehow they were able to make it sound even better, especially on the A course. I had a few problems with the A course being a bit "jangly" before sending it to him, but now it sounds much warmer, with more presence than before.
I know he gets a lot of praise for his bridges, but I just wanted to pass along how impressed I was with his other work too. You can really tell that they went the extra mile to make my mandolin sound, look, and play better than ever. I know where I'll be sending my mandolins when it's time for a refret!
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