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Thread: Refurbishing my old Stewart MacDonald (kit) mandolin

  1. #1
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    Default Refurbishing my old Stewart MacDonald (kit) mandolin

    I built a StewMac kit mandolin when I was in my teens around 1980. It has held up well over the years but it could use a refinishing. Solid spruce top with laminated mahogany sides and back, and I believe the neck is mahogany as well. At the time I used a StewMac wipe on finish. I believe it was varnish and it was a paste or gel consistency. I put a few coats on but it has always had an unfinished look and certainly no shine or thickness to the finish. I did nothing to fill the open grained mahogany. The neck has oils from playing and I'm sure I put down a handful of Johnson's Floor Wax coatings over the years. First it seems like I should clean out the oils and wax. Next I assume I would do some light sanding (then another clean) and I would like to fill the mahogany and I imagine stain the mahogany. Perhaps stain the top as well. I plan to use Tru-Oil for varnish. I don't expect I will play this a ton (have a 1919 Gibson A) but I want to finish the job after all these years and get it looking nicer.

    - It doesn't have the best sound and I expect I didn't thin the top enough. I'm assuming it is a little late for that? I'm not looking to turn this into a 50 hour project or to remove the back. (some thoughts of going at it with my random orbit sander but I expect that wouldn't go well!)

    - What is best to clean out the oils? Any recommendations for filling the mahogany?

    - It could use a better setup and a fret level. My thought is to have a pro do that after I finish the cosmetics.

    Thanks,

    Jim
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  2. #2
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Mar 2007
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    Default Re: Refurbishing my old Stewart MacDonald (kit) mandolin

    Tops can be graduated from the top side or the bottom. It's just harder to check the thickness with the mandolin intact. Keep in mind you may need to refit the bridge if you change the graduations from the outside.

    You actually did a fairly nice job on the cosmetic side of things. I'm not sure how much I'd even mess with it. I'd be tempted to just have it setup and the frets leveled.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  3. #3
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    St Paul, Minn
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    Default Re: Refurbishing my old Stewart MacDonald (kit) mandolin

    If you are really unhappy with the sound and want to gamble. The finish doesn't look bad at all. Nice instrument!

    This was from seven years ago....there may be something better now.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJgnJDPRTc8

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