Bluewave
This is the Blue Wave, a replica of Lloyd Loar’s famous F5 mandolin, with a few very small tweaks. I chose to not only modify the design to reflect my whitewater heritage, but to also dye it blue. It was one of the most daring decisions of my life in Lutherie. I had a great sounding, beautiful Curly Maple body with a Bear Claw Sitka Spruce soundboard, and a bottle of blue dye, so I took a deep breath and dove right in…
Made to exacting specs to replicate the Master’s work, and then modified to make it my own personal creation, my mandolin playing friends tell me it has a very good sound. Many thanks to the Mandolin Cafe crowd of intense builders and opinions thereof, and especially the detailed blueprints conceived by Mr. Minarovic to document and catalog several original F5’s into a single set of drawings to work off of. Loar’s work lives on into the next generation.
No pickup or electronics
This is the Blue Wave, a replica of Lloyd Loar’s famous F5 mandolin, with a few very small tweaks. I chose to not only modify the design to reflect my whitewater heritage, but to also dye it blue. It was one of the most daring decisions of my life in Lutherie. I had a great sounding, beautiful Curly Maple body with a Bear Claw Sitka Spruce soundboard, and a bottle of blue dye, so I took a deep breath and dove right in…
Made to exacting specs to replicate the Master’s work, and then modified to make it my own personal creation, my mandolin playing friends tell me it has a very good sound. Many thanks to the Mandolin Cafe crowd of intense builders and opinions thereof, and especially the detailed blueprints conceived by Mr. Minarovic to document and catalog several original F5’s into a single set of drawings to work off of. Loar’s work lives on into the next generation.
No pickup or electronics
This is the Blue Wave, a replica of Lloyd Loar’s famous F5 mandolin, with a few very small tweaks. I chose to not only modify the design to reflect my whitewater heritage, but to also dye it blue. It was one of the most daring decisions of my life in Lutherie. I had a great sounding, beautiful Curly Maple body with a Bear Claw Sitka Spruce soundboard, and a bottle of blue dye, so I took a deep breath and dove right in…
Made to exacting specs to replicate the Master’s work, and then modified to make it my own personal creation, my mandolin playing friends tell me it has a very good sound. Many thanks to the Mandolin Cafe crowd of intense builders and opinions thereof, and especially the detailed blueprints conceived by Mr. Minarovic to document and catalog several original F5’s into a single set of drawings to work off of. Loar’s work lives on into the next generation.
No pickup or electronics
F5 Mandolin
Total Length: 28 in.
Body Length: 14 1/4 with Scroll
Lower Bout Width: 10 in.
Tuners by Waverly ( the best, by many opinions)
Bridge by Cumberland
Solid Tailpiece by James
Headstock Design: Raven
Headstock Veneers: Mahogany