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Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

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Ken Mitchell

Post subject: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 12:44 pm

Cocobolo

Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:58 pm
Posts: 316

So... a very musically talented and inquisitive stuent of mine asked me a question that I can't answer, and I suggested that we post it here.

Has anyone ever built - or know of - a mandolin that is braced instead of hollow body style? Does it become something else if braced, and not a mandolin anymore?

Any info would be of interest,
Ken

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

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Jim Kirby

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 1:02 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:44 am
Posts: 2186
Location: Newark, DE
First name: Jim
Last Name: Kirby
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

Historically, mandolins were braced, flat-top instruments. Gibson was the "different" one, when they started.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

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John Cavanaugh

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 1:29 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:49 am
Posts: 141
Location: United States
First name: John
Last Name: Cavanaugh
City: Saint Paul
State: MN
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

The latest (I believe) issue of American Lutherie has an article on a brand of mandolins that were manufactured in Michigan in the late 1800s/early 1900s, including diagrams of the bracing patterns. They were flat-top, bowl-back instruments.

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John Cavanaugh
Saint Paul, MN
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Haans

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 3:10 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081

Most arched mandolins are "braced". A4/F4 mandolins have a single transverse brace, and for all practical purposes A5/F5 mandolins have "tone bars", essentially braces.

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Ken Mitchell

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 4:33 pm

Cocobolo

Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:58 pm
Posts: 316

OK! There's some answers! Thanks, guys... I'll pass this info along to my student!

Ken

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

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jfmckenna

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 4:39 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6262
Location: Virginia

I've got a Washburn that is over 100 years old that is built with pliage and bracing with a flat back. It's loud too.

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cphanna

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 6:34 pm

Koa

Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:08 pm
Posts: 1958
Location: Missouri
First name: Patrick
Last Name: Hanna
State: Missouri
Country: USA

I built a "flat top" mandolin with an induced arch of about 15' radius. It is x-braced. It is loud and mellow. I am currently building another.

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DriftwoodGuitars

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 6:44 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:54 pm
Posts: 135
Location: Santa Rosa Beach, FL
First name: Chris
Last Name: Alvarado
City: Santa Rosa Beach
State: FL
Zip/Postal Code: 32439
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional

I built a flattop mandolin for a client a few years ago that used a scaled down version of X bracing. Turnout out to be a very smooth sounding instrument.

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Chris Alvarado
www.ChrisAlvaradoLive.com
www.Driftwood-Guitars.com

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cphanna

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 6:50 pm

Koa

Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 10:08 pm
Posts: 1958
Location: Missouri
First name: Patrick
Last Name: Hanna
State: Missouri
Country: USA

Here are a couple of pics of the mando referenced above. Not so pretty on the inside, but pretty to the ear. It was an anniversary present. I helped a friend build it for his wife. Thus, the simplistic horn where the scroll would normally be. This was easier for him to build. It's a fine sounding instrument.

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klooker

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 7:25 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:31 pm
Posts: 1682
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Looker
City: Worthington
State: OH
Zip/Postal Code: 43085
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

And now for something completely different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2CUProLGyM

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

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dzsmith

Post subject: Re: Braced mandolin - does such an animal exist?

Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 8:05 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 8:35 pm
Posts: 2660
First name: D
Last Name: S
State: TX
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

klooker wrote:

And now for something completely different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2CUProLGyM

Kevin Looker

that little sucker is loud! Nice tone too.

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