Left Handed A Style Mandolin

[aneumann01]

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. I'd like to know if any mandolin builders on this site build left handed mandolins. I'm looking into having an A style built just for me. Something I can grow old with if possible :0). I'm not looking for anything exotic.


Spruce top w/F-holes
Mahogany back and sides
I'd like at least 12 frets I can reach comfortably :0)
An excellent maple bridge.
Scalloped Tail Piece
A plastic nut is fine but bone would be nice
I'd prefer it not be smothered in paint.
Neck should be Mahogany. Truss rod is debatable. We can squabble over it during the ordering.
*Inlays aren't necessary, but I'd like to know what inlays are available for the final decision* Tone, Volume and Structural Integrity are the priority.


This mandolin will be played live at cafes, festivals and under shady trees excessively :0) When asked where I got it from, I will brag a lot about it being hand made for me. :0)

If any ones interested in taking a wack at this when they have time in the near future, I would love to know how much it would cost. I'm broke right now as most people are but around the beginning of march, I won't be. That's when I'd like the work to start.

[Jim Garber]

I assume you are looking for a carved top instrument. I wonder why you want mahogany back and sides. That is moderately unusual for an archtop mandolin. Also, if you are looking for a custom made one why settle for a plastic nut. I am sure that it doesn't up the cost all that much to have a real bone one. And I know of no makers (including Pac Rim ones) who smother their mandolins in paint.

Also: I think many A models can be converted easily to lefty playing by replacing nuts and bridges (and pickguards, if you want one) providing they are built symmetrically.

I have not played on in person but Howard "Sonny" Morris might be the guy for you. He makes what looks like nice instruments at very reasonable prices.

[aneumann01]

You really think I could get away with converting a righty to a lefty? I could do it no problem as long as it sounds right. There are so few options for A style lefties out there and I'm not sure why because they're awesome.

[Jim Garber]

Most people, even those who are left-handed, play right hand instruments. That is the way of the world. Still you could contact some of the larger companies and ask if they make left handed instruments. There might be a surcharge or there might not. I would check with Weber and Collings or whoever else you can afford and like their instruments.

[epicentre]

AUDY RATLIFF
AUDY RATLIFF
AUDY RATLIFF
The man is left handed. Builds wonderful right and left handed mandolins. Has a price frame for just about all tastes. Builds A - F, oval holed and ff. Builds to suit, custom.
YOU WON'T DO BETTER. Check out his web site.

NFI.

[Willie Poole]

I second the motion on a Ratliff....a great person to deal with....An A can be converted but if the fretboard has a "Florida" extension on it may look kinda funny so look for an A a model with a straight across fretboard ending....

Willie

[sunburst]

An A can be reversed with no problems (there are no scrolls, points and such). Internal bracing does not have to be symmetrical, and makes no real difference in which way the instrument is strung up. The fingerboard extender may look "funny" if it is asymmetrical, a pick guard on the "wrong" side might be a problem, but otherwise a reversed A becomes left handed as soon as the nut, bridge and strings are done accordingly. (Side dots can be added to the other side of the fingerboard.)

[aneumann01]

Thanks guys! I will definitely contact Mr. Ratliff when I get a chance, but for now, I think I'm going to play Frankenstein with a particular A style I found online. It's a beautiful specimen. Solid spruce top with maple back and sides. I'm kind of excited. I know I can convert it myself. Experience with precision machining comes in handy when playing doctor on instruments :0)

[Philippe Bony]

I suggest to order a "lefty" bridge...

[Lefty Luthier]

I suggest Googling "Custom Left Handed Mandolins" see who pops up first and give them a call.

[aneumann01]

Lefty I did a little googling but the fastest way to find an answer is usually to just ask it here. :0)

[aneumann01]

Phillippe, that's mounted with a left handed wrench isn't it? Bahahahaha :0)

[buckhorn]

got a lefty F5 hanging in the basement waiting for hardware ....i think i have a bridge for it too...wish i could post pics but everything was deleted because of a wonderful virus....had some photos on a disk but still hate to loose 'em......lets all hunt those virus guys down and...............

[aneumann01]

Well I can finally stop biting my nails. I ordered the mandolin I was drooling over. It's a delta ridge. This company that deals in orchestra instruments wanted to try their hand in the folk instrument market so they had their own line of mandolins built. They had only so many built and stopped because the market sucks for expansion so they're going back to deal strictly in orchestra related supplies. It's an A style Deluxe. When I get that "have to have it" feeling about instruments, I'm always happy with what I got. Everything else was just "okay" but the Delta Ridge jumped out at me so I'm very excited!!!!!

[Jim Garber]

Is this the one you ordered? Delta Ridge A-Model Deluxe Mandolin. Looks decent and all solid wood for that price. I never heard of that brand but it looks nice certainly for the price. You may need to have it set up properly to play optimally once you receive it.

BTW is it a left-handed one?

[aneumann01]

Yeah that's the one I got coming. The Delta Ridge is a house brand for Southwest strings. They had these built for their store. They wanted to make a serious attempt to break into the folk instrument market but the market is so saturated their line didn't sell well so they ditched the idea and put their mandolins on clearance. These guys expect nothing but the best when they deal with builders. The only reason I got a deal on it was because they're getting out of the folk market. It's not a lefty. I'll have to shake a little fairy dust out and make it one. I could take it down to the local music shop but the old man ain't going to do anything special to it. He's gonna file the narrow slots wider for the G and D strings and turn the bridge around. I have the same needle files he has right here at home and my hands are alot steadier. I've been in his shop on a number of occasions and watched him drop instruments. There's no way I'm letting him near my new mandolin. LOL I'll probably do what he would do for now and order my self a new nut and have the guys in e-town cut the slots in it for me when I can.

[MikeEdgerton]

Turning the bridge around isn't going to help the intonation. The bridge isn't all that expensive, I'd get a left handed bridge. I'd also do the nut right. Beyond that the only problem you might have is that the dots on the side of the neck will be on the bottom instead of the top. There's no other magic involved.

[Paul Hostetter]

Steve at Cumberland Acoustics sells left-handed bridges for Gibsons. Here's a normally intonated mandolin bridge. As you can see here, flipping it end for end accomplishes nothing.



What you need is this:


As mentioned, most A-style mandolins are braced symmetrically, and all you need to do is adjust the nut and replace the bridge top.

PS: the darker violet bridges are standard.

[aneumann01]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have lefty bridges. I have left handed mandolins here. I can use one of their bridges for now until I get one later. When I said I'd do what he would do, I only meant the nut. LOL

*I sincerely mean Thank You for bouncing ideas around with me. It's been fun. I love this site*

[marcodamusician]

Hey aneumann01, how's the mandolin play and sound? It's such a great price that I'd be tempted myself. I'm sure I could find a luthier to make the adjustments for a southpaw. Do post back and let me know your thoughts on this lovely instrument.

[Philippe Bony]

I suggest to order a "lefty" bridge...

I wasn't kiddin, aneumann01.

[marcodamusician]

Guys and Girls, I can't tell you how nice it is to have found a few more lefty musicians. Is it just me or do you all get tired of people telling you to "play right"? I get that on the ukulele forums and I suffered for years playing a right-handed guitar until finally switching. Why is it that right-handed people do this? I think from now on my reaction is going to be "why do you learn how to play left"?

[sunburst]

I play with both hands.

[marcodamusician]

sunburst, you'd be the first. i've never met a lefty/righty guitar or mandolin player. It's either one or the other. Sure, you can be ambidextrous but we all favor one side over the other.

[Bill Snyder]

I think you misunderstood John. We all play with both hands.