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Hello all,

Do any of you have or know where to download a 1:1 a Gibson A series snakehead headstock pattern?
Like the headstock in this photo:



thanks,
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

I would try Roger Siminoff...

Thanks... ok... looking for a free download or pattern, first.
chris

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Take scale This photo scale it to size and print it.

Thanks Alain... I figured I would have to do that if no one had a pattern.

I used a different photo and altered the scales a bit and this is what I came up with.





Hope you're not ophidiophobic! I still can't figure out why folks pay more for these snakehead headstocks? Oooieee!

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Actually Chris, they are mostly paying for two things; closeness to 1923, the supposed magical date of the holy grail of mandolins, and more important (for builders), the truss rod, which is the major contributor to the tonal change in A models, and also the contributor to narrower necks.

Haans, I really appreciate your willingness to impart your experience. Is the magical date (1923) you speak of for both the f and a.... and, in your experience, are these Loar era models any better sounding than today's?
thanks.

_________________
Chris Oliver
Infinity Luthiers
...in the shop.

live every minute...

Seems as though the closer you get to 1923, no matter what you've got, the price jumps. 'Course if you have a F with ff holes, you have 150-200K in your hands.
Do they sound better than modern extremely well built instruments? Well, yes and no. They sound 90 years old, but I believe that in 90 years, some of the instruments built today will sound better. You have to remember that then as now, a new Loar would have sounded pretty stiff and would likely take a real pounding for about 3 years or so to make it sound like anything. Loars were built relatively thick, and some builders today are building right next to the edge of collapse. That will get you a very resonant mandolin, maybe thin sounding, but those instruments will never sound like a Loar...FAT.