1990s Lou Stiver F-Style Archtop Mandolin

Here's a quick shot of a very pretty Stiver mandolin that was in for a K&K pickup and glorified setup. This guy's got a creamier, mellower sound than most bluegrass-style F-5 clones that makes it suitable for jazz-mando styles as well.

I'm chocking that up to the thicker carve in the middle of the top (it's pretty dramatic when you feel it) which is probably creaming that top-end off and boosting lower-mids response. It's still dang loud, though. Good stuff!