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Hi everyone,

This is not a guitar by any means, but I'd like to have your expert input if possible.

This is an electric mandolin I'm building. Something very wrong happened during both the gluing and cutting of the final contour.

Result, the center seam is off-center making it horrible to look at if a do a transparent finish...

Besides painting it opaque and/or starting over...any other ideas?

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CNC is a tool, not cheating

Looks okay to me!
When I do something like that,
I leave it,
and move on.
Then I try not to do it again !

Is the squared off end of the fretboard the intended final shape? Maybe you could come up with an asymmetrical shape for the end that make it less obvious that the center seam is not centered on the fretboard. Googgle "mandolin fretboard extension" under images for some potential ideas.

Would you consider a centerline inlay with its position biased to the left of the seam so it would end up being centered on the top? Structurally, it would be like a backstrip inlaid into the back seam of guitars. A centerline inlay in the top is a feature of the top-of-the-line PRS Santana electric guitar so it wouldn't be unprecedented. Maybe you could come up with an inlay that echoes the look of the fretboard. For example a wide center strip made of the same wood as your fretmarker inlays flanked by thin strips of the same type of wood as the fretboard.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

The center seam being off is less noticeable, to me, than the f-holes being different distances from the sides. Unless that is just from the camera angle?

Short of taking the top off and making a new one, I think the taking idea of asymmetry in the rest of the mandolin would fool the eye of most viewers. Along with the asymmetric fretboard end (a very good suggestion IMHO) you could do something similar with the tailpiece and pickguard. If it were me I'd do a mock-up in PhotoShop or some similar program to see what worked best.

I understand you feel horrible looking at it because you see your mistakes, but overall it seems like a good looking instrument, and I think if you present it well most people will see what looks good and won't notice what's "off" about the glue-up.

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Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

There are quite a few asymmetric tailpiece designs out there including one that can be bought from Allen Guitars.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I have fixed problems like this by doing a wood burn in a strategic place that would bring the elements back in balance. In your case I would do a wood burned design or some text on the side that is too close to the edge. I would put my wood burn just to the left of the f hole on the right. This will balance the elements visually.

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Michael F Smith
Goat Rock Ukulele
http://goatrockukulele.com

Finish it and move on.

plus as mentioned to my eye "F" holes are pretty odd looking.

But -it is what it is -- there are certainly more unusual things being made and sold.

Live, learn, be happy! $.02

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Then don't use a transparent finish.

The top of your headpiece is asymmetrical, so I like the suggestion of some asymmetry at the end of the fret board. That being said, I might just do as Haans' suggested and move on.

The center seam is slightly off but I would not worry about it. The fret position markers though, those are way off center

Plus 1 on finishing and moving on. While building mistakes look huge because your are looking at them With the entire instrument put together with strings, tail piece, bridge it looks like you would have a great looking instrument.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Thanks for your honest opinions guys

And the fret markers isn't a mistake...the guy is a guitar player, that wanted it like this.

So, in your opinion you would still do a transparent finish, with the center seam visible like this?

Maybe some kind of dark dye?

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CNC is a tool, not cheating

The off center seam is not going to affect the instrument's function, the question is do YOU like the look? There are plenty of great (and not so great ) instruments with 'flaws' like that in the world.

Sent fra min SM-G920F via Tapatalk

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

It seems like this may be a commission --- if so, the sound board needs to be replaced.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I don't see the position of the seam as a big deal, but the way it shifted the f holes is IMO. If it is for a customer, I'd replace it.

Funny how camera angles are...

In person, the f-holes don't look too much off center...i think it's just the photo.

I'm going to dry fit the neck properly first, then I might do a center line with abalone or a wood strip...

What do you think?

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CNC is a tool, not cheating

Hey Daniel, cool build!
The pickups and bridge may be enough to break up the line and make it less noticible.
Try placing your harware on it.
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

It is fine. Finish it in a burst or tinted amber. It is not a conventional design so it will not be noticed once the pickguard, bridge, strings are on. The way to test these things for yourself if you are doing an original design or even a traditional one is to stand back and look at the whole thing, let your eyes go around the instrument and if there is a hesitation and you find yourself stopping to look at a detail, then it IS a problem.

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Ken

It doesn't look too bad in the photo....its only noticeable at the fingerboard end. I'd do a sunburst. That would shade the area under the fingerboard but still see the nice grain in the middle of the body

Here are some updates!

I ended up gluing a strip of walnut burl to correct the awkward center line.

The f-holes look off-center, but it's actually just the camera angle.

What do you think?










And a small mock-up before the center strip:

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CNC is a tool, not cheating

Look's great!

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I think it looks better without the center strip.

Cool piece of walnut. What are your plans for the headstock and what sort of pickguard are you going to put on it?

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I'm actually open to suggestions...

For the pickguard i'm still debating about using wood or plastic. Probably i'll make one out of the same wood as the inlays...

It will be a floating pickguard like the F5 mandos.

Suggestions?

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CNC is a tool, not cheating