Mandolin with slightly sunken top

[Jerry Ryan]

What is the method for returning a carved spruce mandolin top back to original arch..or even close? It is slightly flat under the bridge. Just enough to see it sunk a bit. Wondering if this is even worth the effort. Removal and replacement of the back (even if I saw it off) is costly in time. I can't tell but my guess id excessive moisture when strung to tension was the cause.

Jerry

[harrison phipps]

What is the brand?  A photo would be helpful.  Thanks

[William F.Eden]

I have took the profile of the other side   Jerry    and made another base brace and glued it in throught the f. hole under the bad side and it worked just fine. You Will need a little help doing it  you will need two fine clamps like they use on Violins to get in the f hole and a sharp piece of wire to kind of skrew into the new bar to hold it while you work at it.       Now this is for repairing the top if the problem is under one side of the bridge...     Best of luck . Bill..............

[LARRY KLOSE]

Frank Ford has several good articles showing creative repairs for this condition.  Look at the big index on www.frets.com.   It looks easier with an oval hole but there's ways... .   

Larry

[Ned Knepp]

"Just enough to see it sink a bit."

How much is "a bit"?  Does it actually interfere with the action of the instrument?  

If you can't get some pictures up, we need you to give more information about the instrument. What type of sound holes does it have?  How is it braced? How old is it? Is this a new issue or has it been this way for a while?

Pictures would help a lot. 

[Jerry Ryan]

Doesn't show up in a photo. its a 2 yr old Loar F style. I can tell from the bridge seating being off and reflection on bass side primarily. Still plays. Owner says one day he noticed it. Cheap fix would be to add an internal brace and re-seat the bridge to 'fit'. I did read up on Frets.com as Larry Klose suggested, and saw a method of using moisture and internal pressure to 'lift' the flat spot before bracing. Just would need some new hardware for that jack/spreader fix. .....never have enough tools!

[Paul Hostetter]

Do you mean a "The Loar" brand f-style mandolin? If so, which model? Some were pressed tops, some were carved.

In any case, I suspect you may be out of your league for a real repair like this, which would involve removing the top, coaxing it back into a better arch, then bracing it to keep it that way. I've gone to this trouble for old Gibsons, but wouldn't consider it on a modern Chinese-made instrument. A new mandolin would be cheaper than the repair. Sounds like the wise route would be to keep playing it as it is.

[Ned Knepp]

Not that I'm an expert or that you need my support but that was my thinking too. I don't know how to do any kind of a decent job without opening the instrument. As long as the braces are still well attached a bit of flattening shouldn't make much differences.  

[William F.Eden]

Jerry this is a chance for you to learn how the job is done..If the Customer is willing to let you try and fix it  that is between you and him and nobudy else. I thought the reazon for you comeing on this site was to try and get some help with the way to repair  it. Try to not let money get in your way when you are trying to learn something .After you have the confidence that you can do this kind of repair you can charge good money for it. P.S. I fixed  a lot of things to learn how befor I started to charge money.And I am sure the rest have done the same.   As always good luck and enjoy your work...  Bill..........