I need wood

[LVH]

Dear all,
my name is Luke Van Hine and I am interested in building an old gibson style A-2 mandolin. I need wood though. I don't need anything fancy, just something simple that will sound good. I need enough birch for 2 sets of mandolin back and ribs. I'm not sure what type of spruce top they used but I need enough for 2 tops and I need wood for necks and headstocks. I can't spend alot of money but I want something that will sound good. I will be doing basic paddle head on one, and a snakehead on the other. Truss rod on the snakehead, but not on the paddle. They will both be blonde top with Cherry back and sides. Thanks to Bill Bussman for the advice. Maybe BruceSpruce could help me on this. Thanks in advance for the help. I have been playing mandolin since I was four and I figure it is time to make one. Top bound only. Thanks, Keep on pickin'

Luke Van Hine

[JEStanek]

Lets focus this discussion on inexpensive places to find wood that is tonewood suitable. I really don't see this as a Want Ad for Luke if we keep this in mind. Plus, it could be a good reference for other novice builders. Often tonewoods are available on e-bay. Then there is Roger Siminoff to consider. Here is an excellent thread asking the same thing you are, source of inexpensive woods.

Jamie

[Spruce]

Maybe BruceSpruce could help me on this.

Hi Luke...

Sure I can...

Go to the Orcas Island Tonewoods site and send me an email...

I've got maple for an A2 copy--which a lot of them were made out of of--but no birch right now....
And no mahogany for your neck...

But I can hook you up with the other stuff (including the "right" spruce) with no problem....

And to make this all non-commercial, let's just say that this will be at the special 13-year-old Cafe wanna-be luthier's discount... (wink wink).

[LVH]

Haha thanks Bruce, Just sent you the email(I sent it before i saw your post on this) haha But I can use maple instead of Birch(I said Birch in the email). Thanks a bunch.

[billhay4]

Luke,
You're hooked up with the man. If he sends you wood, it'll be just what you need.
Good luck with the instrument.
Bill

[D.E.Williams]

Good for you Mr. Spruce!

[grandmainger]

Luke,

If someone can come up with a spare set of ribs to match it, I have a nice birch back board I will not be using. I bought it from Bruce/Spruce a while back, it has a little figure, and is very close to the stuff that so many Gibson As were made of. It's a very nice piece of wood: 2-piece not bookmatched, 14'x12', very even colour, no defects.
If anyone has the sides for it, I'm happy to send the back to you with the special cafe discount ... I'm in Tokyo, so shipping will be a little high (around $50), but we can split it...

So, gents, anyone has a spare set of ribs for an A-style?

Germain

[LVH]

Germain, That is very nice of you... PM me and we can talk some more

[Jerry Haynes]

Luke, how much for the 5 window pickup? Had one of those years, many years ago. Gotta ask....where ya at ? Good to see someone so young interested in building! Jerry

[Charles E.]

If you have a chance to visit a tone wood dealer you can often find some nice ( unusual ) peices in the lower quality piles. You have to pick through it though and restack the pile. But it is worth the effort. You might look to your local hardwood lumber supplier and again go through the pile. If you bring along someone who is knows about wood it could be a usefull learning experiance. good luck and keep us posted with your progress.

[LVH]

Luke, how much for the 5 window pickup? Had one of those years, many years ago. Gotta ask....where ya at ? Good to see someone so young interested in building! Jerry

I apologize, But, what do you mean? Haha. Sorry I don't understand this question.

[JEStanek]

I think he means the pickup truck in your avatar...

jamie

[LVH]

Oh, that is Bill Monroe's Old pickup truck at Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. We had a Professional photographer take some pictrures of my brother and I near it. Turns out she was Mike Compton's Girlfriend For 11 years! IDK what happened Her name was mary. Speaking of that. Does anyone know if Compton Does the song "I haven't seen mary in years"? Haha. That would be funny. I do that song with my brother

[LVH]

Charles, IDK of any tone wood dealers in NC.

[LVH]

I thought about it and looked around some pictures. I decided that the snakehead will be an A junior. Sheraton Brown. It will have a blank headstock(solid black) I learned that gibson didn't use an ebony veneer but a veneer painted black. I will go with this method. What was the traditional Bracing? There will be no binding on this mandolin. Also no rosette. Was this Birch back with spruce top? it will be similar to loar era so it WILL have a truss rod. The other one will be a teens style paddle head. Pumpkin top with the Cherry(?) stained back and sides. Traditional Gibson Rosette.... The headstock will say "Not Gibson" in gibson style scripted inlay. I got this idea from Bill Bussman of Oldwave mandolins. The headstock is not to offend gibson or demote them in any way. It is just stating that it isn't a gibson BUT I want it to be as close to a gibson as possible. This will have top Binding. Does anyone know if they had bound necks and backs?

[Rick Turner]

Luke, "Gibson" is easily offended by just about anything...

Take it from me and a lot of others who used to work there! Big Joe???

[delsbrother]

Why don't you just put your own name on it? Then you could cover it up with black electrical tape.

[Timbofood]

A friend of mine had an F5 made from "parts" that he had inlayed "A Gibson" in the correct script. The "right" people got the joke, it just seemed to pass over most heads.
Good luck Luke! I play with a guy that does "remodeling" and he built a bar for a club to match some parts they had. All birch but with that old "A" style color, I swear it was like looking like a bar made of old mandolin backs!

[crazymandolinist]

Great to see someone your age wanting to build. Just wondering if you've read any good books on the subject? It really helps to do so. I've ruined too much wood going into things the wrong way and not doing research on every step before I go about actually doing it.
There are a bunch of good books out there. Most of them can be found on LMII or StewMac fairly easy.

[Jerry Haynes]

Luke, Where ya at ? I mean , where do you live? Are you close to
SE Ky? Jerry

[Spruce]

Just wondering if you've read any good books on the subject?

I'll tell ya, there's a huge education awaiting you by using the "search" function on these pages...

Every single topic of mandolin construction has been covered here in great detail, by some of the world's best builders...
That "search" button is pure gold...

Re: birch.
You don't need "tonewood" when it comes to birch, Luke.
Just go to one of those gentlemen's woodworking stores and buy a 30" x 6" x 1" thick board for a few bucks a board foot, and do an end-to-end "bookmatch".
That's what Gibson did.

May the force be with you, Luke...
(Sorry, couldn't resist)...

[Jerry Haynes]

I like that Spruce.....May the force be with you, Luke...
and a bunch of patience ! Still laughing !! Jerry

[Forrest Mandolins]

I been planning to inlay a ƒ5 copy peg head with the phrase: "another Loar copy" in gibsonian script, but haven't done it yet. Maybe someone will beat me to it.

[Rick Turner]

I knew a guy way back when who "42'd" a D-28 and then inlaid "C F Marvin" in the peghead perfectly...

[kestrel]

Ah, then I guess I'm not the only one who likes to take a wee nip at the Tiger's tail. This is the inlay on the first mandolin I built. I love having to explain it to novitiates:

Gene