Description
New • SN: FX02
F-model • EVO frets
Elliptical sound port
Tonebar Bracing
This new Blues Hardware F-X mandolin is very interesting to look at and has a great voice. Using traditional figured Maple and Spruce with Jatoba fingerboard and bridge, Tom Sheehy has built quite an un-traditional looking F mandolin. Cherry wood bindings around the body.
Figured Maple back, sides and neck with Spruce top. Peghead has a stylized “V” cut out at the top. Bone Nut. Nickel tuners. Jatoba radiused fingerboard has inlays at the bass side corner, so they act like main inlays as well as side dots (see photos). Frets are gold EVO.
The top is interesting in that it has a stylized area where an F mandolin scroll usually sits – but Tom Sheehy doesn’t make his scroll with full curl, etc. Tom takes the outer shape of a scroll and has a lattice work ammonite type figure inset into the area – it’s quite attractive (check the photos).
Figured Cherry wood pickguard on the treble side and the elliptical sound port is at the edge of the top on bass lower bout. A Cherry armrest sits below the soundport. Tom’s handmade brass tailpiece is at the end. Jatoba 2-pc adj bridge. The Maple back has a wooden oval inset (see photos).
I should mention the “Elliptical Sound Port”. This is a major innovation to the traditional f” hole. This elliptical design is more pronounced 3-diminsional shape… almost like a open fish mouth. For those of you who understand why f-holes help vibrations find a niche in an instrument, you will probably see how it can be better to have the french curve be represented on the “X-axis” as well as the “Y-axis”… (there may be a test on this next Friday…).
This is a real good locally made mandolin, by our friend, Tom Sheehy. They always sound quite good and this one does, too.
This mandolin is set-up well and sounds great.
Comes with good Gig Bag.
