#15

[Ken]

Just strung up yesterday. Front

[Ken]

Back

[Ken]

and the inlay.

[Avi Ziv]

Love the color!

Avi

[newbreedbrian]

very nice

[Jason Kessler]

Really beautiful.

[Bill Snyder]

Ken, did you draw up the plans for this mandolin or purchase them? It has a neat vintage look to it.

[Mark Walker]

Bill - I was wondering the same thing - it's definitely got a 1920's Gibson A-3 look to it, doesn't it? #

[french guy]

Ken , beautiful work , I love that color and want to do the same in the future . How have you done this color , is it a mix of red and blue or something different ?
ANother question : the fact that tuner are in a V position
the D strings are passing very close of the G strings's attachements , is it practical ? idem for A strings & E

[Ken]

Thanks to all for the compliments and interest. The plans for this one were purely out of my head, but the ideal was certainly the old Gibsons. My previous A models had more of a pear shape to them plus more of a snakehead style headstock. Some of this was changed as I went along too, I'd originally planned to join the neck at the 10th fret, but as it came together I opted for the 11th, just to give me that little extra room on the neck. You're right Jean, from a functional point of view this headstock is not as good as the snakehead, but I really wanted to get that paddle head look. The pictures were taken in the shade with a flash, in the sun the color is a lot more red. I used StewMac's Color Tone, straight red mahogany. If I'd had blue, I would have used it, I have the plum color that Gavin Baird gets on his mandolins in my mind. As far as tone the jury is still out. I x-braced this one, a first (on a mandolin) for me. I've been happy up to this point with using just the single transverse brace on all my other oval holes, but just wanted to try something different. Also was looking for just a little more definition in the low end. At two days old, the volume and balance are fine but overall the tone is quite dry, not very rich or sweet. Hoping that as it gets played in it will mellow; have spend part of yesterday and today beating on it. Depending on how it goes, I may replace the bone bridge saddle with ebony too.
Ken

[Chip Booth]

Very nice, I'd love to see more, larger pics.

Chip

[Ken]

Thanks Chip, yeah, the pictures leave something to be desired, between my computer skills and the software I have, this was the best I could do to get them small enough to post here on the board. Would be happy to email you some unshrunken ones if you'd like.
Ken