Well Melvin, it sure seems like you can still do it!!
![[clap]](./images/smilies/smiley32.gif "adulations")
Welcome to OLF. I'd love details on the finishing, if you could share. It looks great!
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| Tucker F model mandolin http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=16497 |
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| Author: | Melvin Tucker [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Tucker F model mandolin |
I saw where my son Brad has posted some pic of a Guitar and thought you might like to see one of our mandolins. Its not flawless but, I've never made a flawless one. This is the first one I've built in 5 or 6 years. I just wanted to see if I could still do it. It has a really great sound. |
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| Author: | Dave Stewart [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Well Melvin, it sure seems like you can still do it!! Welcome to OLF. I'd love details on the finishing, if you could share. It looks great! |
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| Author: | LanceK [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Gorgeous mando! Melvin! Welcome to the OLF! |
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| Author: | WaddyThomson [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Wow, that's really nice! And another Welcome to the OLF! |
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| Author: | Mark L. [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
I have built a few f-style mandolins and I know how difficult they are to build, much harder than a guitar. Looks to me like you can still do it! The inlay is beautiful and I like the one piece back. Great work! |
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| Author: | Melvin Tucker [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
That you all for the good comments. Someone asked about the finish. It is just a basic sunburst that I have used for years. On this mandolin I dyed the mandolin Orange all over. If you want a yellow sunburst dye it yellow first. After that dried I started appling the tobacco brown sunburst with an air bursh. I used water stain here you can probably get a little darker stain using alcohol stain but, it is not as light fast as the water stain. I then applied about 3 coats of thin laquer (Lawrence Mcfaddin) for a sealer and dust coat. Let that dry a day and dust sanded with 320 or 400 grit paper, very lightly just to remove the fuzz, dust etc. Well, then I sprayed 6 to 8 coats of lacquer at 1 hr intervals. Let set for a week or two then level sand with finer and finer grits then go to the buffer. I probably sanded of somewhere around 2 or 3 coat before I buffed it out. |
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| Author: | grumpy [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Sweet! |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Simply beautiful.....I sure would be proud to own that if I played mandolin. Gorgeous work Melvin, and a sincere welcome here to the OLF. It's our pleasure to see such fine craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing that! |
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| Author: | psl53 [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Melvin, Great work, you haven't missed a beat. I'd love to see more mandolins builds. I'm tossing the idea of a mandolin build. Mark, I have heard that building an F style is more difficult that building a guitar, can you elaborate on what makes it a harder build? Grumpy, jump right in here, I know you play and build. Thanks Peter |
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| Author: | joe white [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
She's a beauty Melvin. Nice colors too! ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up")
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| Author: | KenH [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
I'm really interested in knowing how you applied the finish inside the curl at the top of the upper bout. I love the look of these F style mandolins and there is no comparison tot he sound they generate. Well done my friend! |
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| Author: | martinedwards [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
It's not flawless he says!!! It looks GREAT!! as to mandos being harder than guitars, the attention to detail in a smaller build is more focused. a 3 mm ding on a guitar will be noticeable, but on a mando it'll look HUGE!!! |
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| Author: | Brad T [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
I can tell you a few things that make it harder than a guitar. The binding (bending to tight curves and such) is a bear. Cutting the channel for the binding at the scroll is done freehand, too.  His tops and backs are carved by hand. F holes cut out freehand, too. everything is smaller, which makes it more difficult. Those are just a couple of things, but they add up to a lot of time, head scratching, and nerve racking freehand work. It's good for stress relief! ![[headinwall]](./images/smilies/headbangwalluf8.gif "Mad") 
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| Author: | Terence Kennedy [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Very nice! What did you finish it with? Terry |
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| Author: | Anthony Z [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
Gorgeous! Love that finish! |
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| Author: | Melvin Tucker [ Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
It is finished with Lawrence Macfadden Lacquer. |
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| Author: | Guest [ Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
psl53 wrote: Melvin, Great work, you haven't missed a beat. I'd love to see more mandolins builds. I'm tossing the idea of a mandolin build. Mark, I have heard that building an F style is more difficult that building a guitar, can you elaborate on what makes it a harder build? Grumpy, jump right in here, I know you play and build. Thanks Peter Melvin, The reason a mandolin is much harder to build than a guitar (flattop guitar anyway) is 1. carved top and back plates, the scroll spirals around rising as it goes with a cove on either side that rises to a ridge. (hard to put in words) The plates are also carved on the inside surface, just like a violin or archtop guitar. 2. routing the binding channels around the scroll, I use a dremel in a stew-mac router base and let the base rest partially on the scrolls surface and freehand to a pencil line. 3. The headstock has a lot of detailed curves where, again the binding channels are a bear to cut. A lot of freehand work there too. Overall, there is a lot more intricate detail involved on a much smaller body. I guess thats why handmade mandolins are so expensive, even a new Gibson will set you back several thousand. There is a friend of mine here in Bristol that builds mandolins fulltime and has quite a reputation among Bluegrassers, Ray Dearstone, check out Ray's website http://www.dearstone.com/ - 9k - I just like to have a project going all the time, be it a guitar, mandolin, or a fiddle. A mandolin will keep you busy for a long time! I've made seven so far. |
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| Author: | Guest [ Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
I'm sorry, my post should have been addressed to psl53 not Melvin. 
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| Author: | Arnt Rian [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tucker F model mandolin |
It looks great, Melvin! |
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