#3 finished - yea!

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:23pm

I just completed my 3rd mando. (Number 2 was the Greyhound A-5 from scratch.) This is a Siminoff customized kit - redwood top; walnut back, sides and neck. I did the rosette and finger rest. It has EVO frets and an internal K&K twin mando pickup.

It has a nice warm sound and plays very easy. I am very happy with it. Will post additional pictures after this post.

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:24pm

Without Finger rest

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:25pm

back

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:29pm

close up

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:30pm

scroll

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 8:31pm

headstock

**twist_of_nate** · Oct-31-2007, 8:38pm

That's sharp!

**BBarton** · Oct-31-2007, 8:41pm

Nice job!!!! Looks great.

**jac314** · Oct-31-2007, 9:21pm

Wow...I just came across your old post with the greyhound and now this - these are beautiful looking mandos. Keep up the work. - jeremy

**steve V. johnson** · Oct-31-2007, 11:15pm

Nice work! My taste runs to much more plain looks, but your floral bits in the rosette and finger rest evoke an earlier era very nicely. I love the look of it without the finger rest, tho.

Great wood colors, too. I do like redwood and walnut for top and b/s. I particularly like the grain in the binding in the scroll shot. Mmmmm...

Well done!

Thanks very much,

stv

**Terry Braund** · Oct-31-2007, 11:30pm

Thanks all for your kind comments. #Helps a lot to make up for those times when I was struggling with it and wondering if it would be a successful project.

I am also partial to the look without the finger rest - a bit fancy but yet simple. #I did the finger rest because I had a beautiful piece of old ebony that was the right size for only a finger rest and I was curious to see what could be done with it to tie it in with the rosette without getting too complicated.

The true colors are very close to the pics - just a tad more brownish (at least on my computer monitor.) #The pic without the finger rest is closest to true color for the top. #The pic of the back is very close.

**JEStanek** · Nov-01-2007, 7:21am

I agree with Steve about how nicely your floral elements (espescially, on the pickguard to complement the rosette) evoke an earlier era. That looks very sweet. The colors just exude warmth.

Jamie

**Skip Kelley** · Nov-01-2007, 11:52am

Awesome job! The inlay is very tasteful! I love the rosette!

**OrienM** · Nov-01-2007, 1:49pm

Beautiful! I like it a lot. This is one of my favorite wood combinations too...nice.

**F5G WIZ** · Nov-01-2007, 6:16pm

Very nice! Great job. The walnut is much lighter in color than I would have expected. Sharp.

**Bernie Daniel** · Nov-01-2007, 6:44pm

Beautiful work. Stunning. #I prefer it with that ebony pickguard (which itself is outstanding). Without the pickguard: its a fancy Italian suit but with the pick guard it's a tux for sure - enough said (my opinons of course). #

I really really like all the inlay -- overall impression is tasteful.

Is it X-braced?

Did you tap tune it?

How is the sustain?

Great job.

**Terry Braund** · Nov-01-2007, 7:30pm

Thanks all,

Yes, it is x-braced.

I did tap and contour the braces until the soundboard gave me a tone that I thought would be good (pretty much a guess on my part) and then when assembled checked the air chamber resonant note and was happy with that - but I didn't really "tune" it.

The sustain is quite nice IMHO. The mando has a nice warm tone with decent projection and richness. Its not a Bluegrass mando or a banjo killer but wasn't intended to be.

I may post a sound bite if I can get someone who can play decently to record a sample - or maybe I'll just record a few notes.

**elvisNoir** · Nov-01-2007, 9:38pm

Good Work! I really like the looks. It all works together–and I really like the soundhole work. You are a fortunate fellow. I couldn't come close to this thing.

**Michael Lewis** · Nov-02-2007, 1:05am

It looks pretty good from my side of the monitor.

**mandolooter** · Nov-19-2007, 7:42pm

yep...mine too!

**Gutbucket** · Nov-19-2007, 7:48pm

Nice! Reminds me of those early turn of the century Gibsons.

**Kirk Albrecht** · Nov-20-2007, 8:47am

Very nice work.

Where are you getting the pearl for your name script in the headstock? I too am in the beginning stages of a Siminoff F-5 kit, and would like to do some inlay. I have found good sources for stock inlays, but wonering where to get letters for a name.

Thanks for your help,

Kirk Albrecht