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Thread: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

  1. #1

    Default Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    Here is a youtube link to Brad the guitarlogist repairing a Kay mandolin
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dAYOl4z0aA

  2. #2
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    Don't hate me, but I would rate it as average DIY job, not a real repair.
    The gaps everywhere in the glued crack look like he didn't know how to clamp it tightly (tricky part). Good restorer would glue it tightly and fill the missing pieces with wood and retouch wothout painting the whole with some dark paint. He also planed the neck flat without noticing possibly loose neck joint (of course the long screw holds the neck).
    Adrian

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  4. #3
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    A select few people do perfect jobs out of the gate on something like this. I would think he learned a lot in the process. With the headstock broken the way it was I would have been sorely tempted to cut it off and do a new headstock with a scarf joint but that wouldn't save the old wood from an old mandolin. Is there a preferred method for this type of repair?
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  5. #4

    Default Re: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    Quote Originally Posted by HoGo View Post
    Don't hate me, but I would rate it as average DIY job, not a real repair.
    ...
    No hate, seems like a fair assessment. The part that made me cringe was when he said wood putty, which might be ok for a decorative wall hanger, but I've never seen a satifactory result using that material.

  6. #5
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    I'm with Adrian, no magic there. On my worst days doing my worst alligator dentistry I'm pretty sure it was better than that.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  7. #6
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: Kay Mandolin repair by Brad

    IMO the first and most important thing in repair is actually REPAIR the thing, not just put it back into one piece looking like mandolin. This perhaps didn't need anything else than simple clean tight glue job and lighter stings. If the neck joint is left as is and secured with long screw the f-b extension could be glued back easily and the missing pieces of wood filled with reasonably fitted patches of similar wood and touched up with some shellac. Than simple fret levelling and setup.
    I think starting with clean break (no old dirt and glue to clean) I could do that all in less than 2 hours of time as quickie (not counting drying of glue or shellac and final setup) and without the mess of refinishing the neck.

    - - - Updated - - -

    IMO the first and most important thing in repair is actually REPAIR the thing, not just put it back into one piece looking like mandolin. This perhaps didn't need anything else than simple clean tight glue job and lighter stings. If the neck joint is left as is and secured with long screw the f-b extension could be glued back easily and the missing pieces of wood filled with reasonably fitted patches of similar wood and touched up with some shellac. Than simple fret levelling and setup.
    I think starting with clean break (no old dirt and glue to clean) I could do that all in less than 2 hours of time as quickie (not counting drying of glue or shellac and final setup) and without the mess of refinishing the neck.
    Adrian

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