New "old looking" mandolins

[Bill Snyder]

This is the latest project out of my shop.

Sharp looking mandolin Mr. Gathright. You will need to post pictures of your future work as you complete it, or even some in progress pictures. There is an active group of builders that post here on the cafe. Glad to see another one here.

[Rhogan]

Very Cool! Like the strap too.

[Rhogan]

Here is a slide show of #s 69 a NONDISTRESSED VARNISH F5, 70 DISTRESSED VARNISH, 72 DISTRESSED VARNISH, AND 52 CUSTOM IN LAQUER,

[fiddler43000]

I have one of John Gathrights mandolins. In my opinion he is making some of the finest instruments available on the market today. Anyone that is looking for a great mandolin give these mandolins a look.

[Gathright Customs]

THanks, i will do that, and i must give credit to my 18 year old son, jake. I finished the mandolin in varnish as if it were to be non- distressed, and he and I put our heads together on the distress. Jake worked with a well-known custom electric guitar builder in Tennessee who builds custom relics. While there, he learned some really fine aging and distress techniques that he has been good enough to share with me. It really makes me happy and very proud that he has shown such interest and ability in this. It's really incredible what he knows at his age. I hope his love for it never dies. We are in the planning stages of an add-on to my shop, so that he can have his own space to begin his own custom business.

[BlueMountain]

One of the nicest distressing jobs I've ever seen. Good work!

[CES]

Dude, that thing looks OLD!

Great work, Mr. Gathright, and thanks for sharing with us!

[Jeff Hildreth]

The Oval hole F is a fine looking mandolin

For "aging" the buttons

try a very weak solution of regular old shoe dye.. such as Lincoln or Feibings... dilute with alcohol and "dip" or swab.. med brown works well over yellow.. but weak is the trick, then repeat if necessary

when dry... wipe off and lightly buff

wear protective gloves.. even though alcohol based hard to get off the fingers without bleach

[Scotti Adams]

...One more builder added to my very short list when I go to buy again. Great looking mando John...I bet your very proud of your son.

[Carleton Page]

So this is the first distressed mandiolin you have done? If so, that is amazing! I think it looks real authentic.

[David Newton]

I think it's neat that this thread has generated so much interest. I'm all over the fact that a worn instrument has so much going for it, the "mojo" factor. Historically speaking, the mojo is proof that the instrument is a great player.

I have two guitars, the one is a new "demo" of sorts, great sounding, but unscratched, the other was built roughly with no regard for looks. I want to play my demo model, but it feels unfamiliar, the other is the one I go for.

But what if the new "distressed" instrument was missing something, tone or ease of playing? Wouldn't that be some sort of fakery? Trying to appear like something that it wasn't?

If I picked up a distressed mando, tried to play it and the frets were all sharp on the end and unlevel, it would be so confusing...

[ronlane3]

John knows how to make 'em right. I miss seeing his latest mandolin.

[Gathright Customs]

In reply to Ctone, this is not the first distressed model mando to come out of my shop, but it's definitely the most heavily distressed. It was a custom build, and I followed the buyer's specs as closely as I possibly could. He seems to be well-pleased, so I guess all is well. Thank you for your interest in my mandolins.

[woodwizard]

Nice work John. First class stuff. Where is Foreman Arkansas? I live in Knoxville AR ... thats between Russellville & Clarksville. Keep up the good work.

[Gathright Customs]

Hello Woodwizard. Thanks for the compliment. Foreman is in the furthermost southwest corner of Arkansas. We're almost in Texas and almost in Oklahoma. Looks like were about three hours from each other. I do warranty repair work for
that well known company that makes the D-28 Herringbone, and they refer lots of people from your area to me.

[Gathright Customs]

Here is an earlier varnish F-5 from my shop.

[Andy Nichols]

Hey John , I sure like the color of the varnish F-5 . Andy Nichols

[Gathright Customs]

thanks Andy that is the one Jake plays or you might say he has laid claim to.

[ronlane3]

Hey John, Will you adopt me so I can "lay claim" to a couple

[woodwizard]

Hey John, it's good to atleast know someone in Arkansas that does some really quality work and repair even if it is 3 hours or so away. Others of your skills are much further I've found for me. Do you take in work on mandolins like fret jobs and repair work on guitars other than Martin?

[Satchel]

Wow...what a beauty!

[Joel Spaulding]

COOL! Never previously cared for "distressed" models. Distressed is now a category on my MAS wish list. This model and those offered by Brentrup and a few other individual luthiers have made me a believer. Enjoy the X$%@ out of that instrument, Mojo!

[Michael Gowell]

Randy - I enjoyed your slideshow of some of Mr. Gathright's instruments. An aside - I loved your photo of one F-5 and its strap, described as a "6 piece round braid strap, equestrian bark color." I want one! Can you tell us who made it?

[Rhogan]

Main Michael- I made the straps in all the pics of the slide show. Just email me at rhogan000@centurytel.net with your request, and shipping address. I'll get one made for you.
Here is a link to some pictures of my straps. Several of them are on my distressed Gathright. Thanks for asking.

[Bernie Daniel]

Beautiful mandolin for sure -- congrats to builder and owener.

I hope this is not going to be too OT. #But this is a distressed mandolin.

It has often been ventured that the Gibson DMM's sound better that MM's. #I have not proof that this it true but assuming it is for a moment. Since both are constructed from the same materials and by an identical process it leaves one to conclude that the "distressing process" has improved something in the sound generation process of the instrument.

As Mr. Gathright is participating in this string and as he is a premier builder who also "distresses" his mandolins I'd be curious to know his views on this question.

Does distressing do anything soundwise to Gathright mandolins and if so, any idea how or why?