2004 Arches A-Style Mandolin

S/N: 6

This is an Arches A-Style mandolin made by Chris Baird of Moab Utah dated September 20, 2004. The A style has a teardrop shaped body with f-holes, a carved top and back and a snakehead headstock. The fingerboard and bridge are ebony with a cast brass Allen tailpiece. The scale length is 12 ¼,” the nut width is 1 ¼” and the bridge spacing is 1 11/16.” The neck depth at the first fret is 13/16” and ⅞” at the seventh fret. There are twenty two frets on the ivoroid bound fingerboard with abalone dot markers at the third, fifth, seventh, tenth, twelfth, fifteenth and seventeenth frets. 

The headstock has a headplate of burl pearwood with ivoroid binding and black-white purfling. The Arches logo is inlaid abalone and the tuners are chrome plated with pealoid buttons. The top and back are bound in ivoroid with black-white purfling. The finish is a hand rubbed amber burst with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. 

The instrument features an attractive top and back carve with a lively, well balanced tone. The neck carve is slightly larger than normal with a soft “V” profile. It is a well played and well cared for mandolin. It has an ebony strap button installed on the treble side heel. There is a filled hole for a previous strap button at the base of the heel. The finish has been thinned down on the neck, giving it a silky fast feel. The tuners have been replaced, there are light marks on the back of the headstock from the previous tuners. There are a few scuffs and marks, particularly around the edges and on the back of the headstock. There are some press marks and scuffs on the back, mostly near the neck block on the treble side and some pickwear on the top on either side of the fingerboard extension.  

This instrument does not come with a case, however if so desired, an appropriate case can be sourced.