Ratliff RA-5 Carved Top Mandolin (1996)
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Ratliff RA-5 Model Carved Top Mandolin (1996), made in Church Hill, TN, serial # 0510960590, sunburst lacquer finish, figurad maple back, sides and neck, spruce top, ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This lovely RA-5 is completely hand made by luthier Audey Ratliff, who has been building high-grade mandolins for 43 years now in Church Hill, Tennessee in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It features the classic Gibson inspired "A body, F-hole" design with figured maple back, sides and one-piece neck, a spruce top and ebony fingerboard. It is finished in a beautifully applied sunburst lacquer with nickel-silver hardware includer pearloid button tuners and a hand engraved tailpiece. The truss rod cover is a nifty pearl piece with an engraved F-5 style flowerpot on it. We have not seen this on other Ratliffs so it may not be original but it looks great! This is a nicely aged-in instrument that is still waiting to be seriously played by the look of it.
Overall length is 27 in. (68.6 cm.), 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 13 7/8 in. (352 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This mandolin appears played but very well cared for since new, showing some light scuffing and handling marks overall but no notable finish wear. The original; frets have some wear in the lower positions but still play fine. The fingerboard binding has shrunk up a bit and shows stress lines at the fret ends but remains solid. This is a very bright and punchy sounding A-style mandolin, easily competitive with many modern F-style instruments. Overall Excellent Condition.
This lovely RA-5 is completely hand made by luthier Audey Ratliff, who has been building high-grade mandolins for 43 years now in Church Hill, Tennessee in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It features the classic Gibson inspired "A body, F-hole" design with figured maple back, sides and one-piece neck, a spruce top and ebony fingerboard. It is finished in a beautifully applied sunburst lacquer with nickel-silver hardware includer pearloid button tuners and a hand engraved tailpiece. The truss rod cover is a nifty pearl piece with an engraved F-5 style flowerpot on it. We have not seen this on other Ratliffs so it may not be original but it looks great! This is a nicely aged-in instrument that is still waiting to be seriously played by the look of it.
Overall length is 27 in. (68.6 cm.), 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 13 7/8 in. (352 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/8 in. (29 mm.).
This mandolin appears played but very well cared for since new, showing some light scuffing and handling marks overall but no notable finish wear. The original; frets have some wear in the lower positions but still play fine. The fingerboard binding has shrunk up a bit and shows stress lines at the fret ends but remains solid. This is a very bright and punchy sounding A-style mandolin, easily competitive with many modern F-style instruments. Overall Excellent Condition.