Latest Standard Mandolin Completed
The latest Standard mandolin has been completed and now living with its new owner.
Below are some photos of the finished instrument for you.
Labels: Nava Standard Mandolin
I’M GARY NAVA, A PROFESSIONAL LUTHIER MAKING MANDOLINS AND GUITARS BY HAND, TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, IN MY ANALOGUE WORKSHOP. HERE ARE VARIOUS TALES FROM MY WORK BENCH.
The latest Standard mandolin has been completed and now living with its new owner.
Below are some photos of the finished instrument for you.
Labels: Nava Standard Mandolin
There’s been good progress made with the restoration of the Guyatone. Both the neck and fretboard have been reunited with the body and it’s beginning to look like a guitar again. One thing that struck me about doing this kind of work is, that the more time and care you put in to a restoration the less it looks like you’ve done any work!
Labels: Gary Nava luthier, Guyatone, Guyatone LG50, vintage Japanese guitar
Labels: Nava Standard Mandolin
Just finished shaping the neck of the next Standard mandolin and I think it’s looking pretty smart.
Adirondack (red) spruce top, figured maple back and sides, sapele neck and everything else you can see is Macassar ebony.
Labels: Nava Standard Mandolin
I have been searching t’interweb for information and various parts. I found this photo of an old Bell Musical Instrument Shop catalogue from the 60’s.
Bell were a music shop based in Surbiton, just south of London; I can remember having one of their catalogues when I was a lad and drooling over WEM amplifiers and Watkins guitars. The LG50 in this one, must be later than mine as the pick guard is larger (and would have covered the holes I mentioned in the first video?) and is made from pearloid. Interestingly the price is £25, around £800 to 900 today.
Unfortunately, the original tuners aren’t usable but I managed to source some very suitable replacements from Project Guitar Parts; coincidently these are sold as replacements for Watkins guitars.
Labels: Guyatone LG50, Luthier, Vintage Japanese guitar. Nava