Hester tribute loar a5 pair

**Gail Hester** · Feb-19-2008, 12:27am

Here they are with four coats of oil varnish and about four to go. The flash makes the bursts look more abrupt than they really are but otherwise the pictures are accurate. The actual Loar A5 is pictured in the background.

**craigw** · Feb-19-2008, 1:15am

Stunning Gail! I hope I get to see them later this week.

**Caleb** · Feb-19-2008, 1:44am

Absolutely awesome work!

**sgarrity** · Feb-19-2008, 10:25am

WOW!! I feel a seriuos MAS flare up comin' on......

**Mario Proulx** · Feb-19-2008, 11:40am

As Mr. Bill would say, "that's what you want right there; just a little button sunburst"

Well done!

**Nolan** · Feb-19-2008, 3:17pm

Mercy! #
Gail, your work is perfect.

**jimbob** · Feb-20-2008, 9:57am

You sure do work fast ! Those look great !

**Kbone** · Feb-20-2008, 10:35am

Very nice work indeed..

**Gail Hester** · Feb-21-2008, 3:12pm

Thank you everyone for posting such nice comments.

Here's the first coat of French polish going on the A5 with Carpathian spruce.

**Gail Hester** · Feb-21-2008, 3:17pm

...and one more.

**Spruce** · Feb-21-2008, 5:13pm

Bummer.....
The original sported a 2-piece back...

**Gail Hester** · Feb-21-2008, 5:32pm

I know Bruce and we’ve had discussions about that but I waited for over a year for you to send me the perfect match and it never showed up.

I could have sawed this one in half but sorta hated to go that far.

**Spruce** · Feb-21-2008, 6:07pm

That's some beautiful work there, Gail...

**Gail Hester** · Feb-21-2008, 8:16pm

Here's the back of the other one (red Spruce top).

**jasona** · Feb-21-2008, 9:45pm

Beautiful work!

**Spruce** · Feb-22-2008, 11:31am

Can we see a shot of the area where the neck meets the body? The buttons?
Love to see your take on it....
Thanks!

**Gail Hester** · Feb-22-2008, 1:34pm

I'm not sure what angle you want but here goes...

**JEStanek** · Feb-22-2008, 2:50pm

Finest kind, Gail. I like the look of the one piece better myself. Beautiful.

Jamie

**Paul Hostetter** · Feb-22-2008, 4:14pm

Another big cheer from the Peanut Gallery! I'll be interested in the consensus from players about the tonal differences of the two tops - after Wintergrass, and hopefully a year or so down the line, if they're still near enough to one another to enable a comparison.

**Mark Walker** · Feb-22-2008, 5:03pm

Originally Posted by (Hans @ Feb. 17 2008, 10:19)

Nice Gail, looks like you've got a lot of work before Thursday. Will be interesting to compare the spruces. Backs are red or sugar?
Hoping I can make it...have had the flu on top of bronchitis for a couple of weeks. #

Hans, I hope you fare better than I've been! #I had the flu about a month ago, and still have a nagging cough! #My wife thinks it's going into pnuemonia! #

Our band (For Heaven's Sake) is supposed to record a demo CD this weekend too. #Hope I can stop coughing long enough to sing a little harmony!

Gail - GREAT looking 'almost identical twins' there! #Keep up the great work!

**Spruce** · Feb-23-2008, 11:16am

Hi Gail....
I wanted to see your take on the offset buttons...
Here's the original:

**Gail Hester** · Feb-23-2008, 1:02pm

Gotcha, here's a shot that shows that. Ignore the oil, they're not cleaned up yet.

**Dan Voight** · Feb-23-2008, 10:28pm

Very nice Gail. Great color.

**Gail Hester** · Feb-23-2008, 10:45pm

Thanks again Paul, Bruce and everyone.

I strung them up last night and didn't have much time to take pictures so these finished shots were hurried since I was trying to get to Wintergrass today. The new finish is still a bit smudged from handling. #Here are the fronts.