Repairing a soundboard crack in a flat-top mandolin

[Jim MacDaniel]

I am thinking about buying a used flat-top mandolin with a soundboard crack for a very low price, but wanted to get a feel for what the repairs might run me (I was even thinking of taking it down to Frank since I'm just accross the Bay in Oakland). The crack is very clean, flat, and straight, and runs right down the center of the soundboard from the bottom of the soundhole to the top of the tailpiece -- and looks like it would be a fairly straightfoward repair job. (Please see pics.)

It is a relatively new mandolin (~2005 or so), handmade by a luthier in the UK, and sold for just under $1000 -- and looks to be in otherwise excellent condition. I've played a few of his mandolins before, which are pretty nice instruments IMHO, and I can buy this one for $200 -- but given its builder is relatively unknown, I doubt it would be worth more than $500 were it in perfect condition.

That said, any thoughts on how much such a repair might run in the Bvay Area, or advise on whether or not buying this one is a good idea.

[Bob Gaddis]

Well, it would be helpful to know what kind of finish it has, just to sorta strategize. If it's varnish, or oil or lacquer or French polish, as opposed to some sort of epoxy finish, the approach may be different. Being that it's a flat-top and priced at $200, I would fill it with superglue and let it ride. But, if you want to do it correctly and hope to enhance its value, you could try some hide glue after trial-clamping to see if it will pull back together. If it's a stress-crack(from some sort of impact) it may close back up. If it's a humidity-crack, due to the drying of the wood, it may not close up and will require splinting with some matching wood and cleating the interior, which may be difficult working through the soundhole. That's why the finish is important, so it can be touched-up correctly. The superglue fix will be cheap and make it playable, but probably won't be pretty. I'd probably charge $125-175 to splint, cleat and refinish, but it's hard to say without palpating the patient.

[Greg Mirken]

That was made by Jimmy Moon, in Glasgow, and his instruments are indeed very nice. Looks like it got dried out. It should be a relatively simple job to rehydrate and glue that up. I distributed Jimmy's mandolins here for awhile and Gryphon has had some. Have Frank fix that up for you and enjoy. (It's nitro lacquer, by the way, but no touchup should be needed)

Greg Mirken

[Jim MacDaniel]

Thanks for the feedback Boib & Greg. (And good eye Greg -- I forgot to put Jimmy's name in my post, but that is indeed one of his.)