First attempt at a burst on an F5

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Walter.

Big learning curve as I go. I went for a more organic rather than a traditional look.

[Denny Gies]

A nice, warm look. Good job.

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Denny! I enjoy looking at it when I put it up for display. The real test will come when I play it.

I will post some pictures when the hardware is on.

[Nick Gellie]

And here it is finished.

It is a real bluegrass cannon. I am thrilled.

[fidlplr1979]

That's beautiful Nick, I especially love the second one. I'm going to have something similar done by David Houchens when he finishes mine in a few months.

[Nick Gellie]

That's beautiful Nick, I especially love the second one. I'm going to have something similar done by David Houchens when he finishes mine in a few months.

Thanks. I wanted to get away from the dark Loar look. My next A-5 will be done in a similar sunburst. My inspiration is from outside my window.

[buckhorn]

you've got a great look going for you.. when it comes to a finish ya got to learn a whole other skill.. wood stuff comes so much easier to me then putting on the finish.....

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Keith. I am inspired by nature first and foremost. Our family is artistic and so I have found a sort of self-expression through the finishing process. Yes I agree finishing is a whole new ballgame.

Wait till you the next one. And there also those F4s which I am working on as you know.

[GeoMandoAlex]

Nick, The mandolin looks fantastic. Good job.

[William Smith]

Nick, The mandolin looks fantastic. Good job.

Yehhhhhh I'll go with that, Killer job for a first mando, Strad copy looks sweet also

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks to you both. Yip I am really proud of it. Of course I would have liked a more refined front in terms of colour gradations but I can tell you it is really nice to look at when playing it. The back of course is even better to look at.

I did study color application and blending before doing it. It took a while to get some nerve to start and finish it.

[Avi Ziv]

You did a great job, Nick! Thanks for sharing.

[Nick Gellie]

Finally two projects side by side completed.

The fiddle is a real cracker too after tweaking and moving the sound post. The best fiddle in the household now. Off to a session tomorrow with both of them.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Superb work Nick - by any standard !!. The colour you used is very similar to that of my First Lebeda mandolin & it's part of what attracted me to it. I have to admit a great liking for nice,warm single colour finishes that allow the grain to show through,
Ivan

[John Soper]

Beautiful, subtle sunburst!

[darylcrisp]

beautiful work Nick!

I love the organic colors and blend you did

excellent work man
d

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Daryl, I am working on an A-5 at the moment. It might end up being my signature burst pattern.

[Matt Harris]

Nick,

You mentioned coating with shellac. What was your finishing procedure here? French polish style, sprayed shellac, or something else? I really like the vintage satin appearance.

[Nick Gellie]

Matt

I used a 2lb cut of sprayed Shellac throughout with a couple of drops of Olive Oil. I just poured the contents into my Aldi spray bottle, picked a warm dry day, snd sprayed several light coats in a session. I then used 400 wet and dry sand paper in between coats leaving 24 hours for each set of coats to dry.

I didn't bother to do any final polishing just left the Shellac as is hence the satin finish look. The back looks more polished just from rubbing on my cotton clothes.

I plan to use the same process with my F-4 mandolin. For the final coats I will add some Sandarac and a couple of drops of Walnut oil. I will post results in F2 or F4 mandolin builds.

[Br1ck]

I'm with you regarding covering up beautiful wood. Don't do it. Great job.