The Standard Mandolin (part II)

The Standard mandolin’s construction is now complete and this week I’ve had her strung up, in-the-white, prior to being finished. This is the first time that I’ve used a Western Red Cedar soundboard on a mandolin and I’m impressed with the sound so far. As with all of my mandolins, it has plenty of volume and sustain and the cedar seems to give extremely good tonal separation; chords really seem to come alive.

Here are a few pictures to whet your appetite. The cocobolo looks quite stunning so I’ve kept to it for the bridge and tailpiece cover.

As I said at the outset of this project, “time is the most expensive component of any hand made instrument” and having got this far with the mandolin, I now know the price that I’m going to have to sell it for. And that price is 750 GBP with a Hiscox case and I very much doubt if you’ll find a better deal than that for an entirely hand made, luthier built instrument of this quality!

Alan’s Model 1

On the guitar front (pardon the pun), I’m working on a new model 1 steel-string for Alan. You may remember that Alan is the guy who did that great demo of Sweet Georgia Brown on the hybrid archtop for me. This guitar is Indian rosewood with a cedar soundboard. I’ve just put together the rosette- a wooden one, but this time with the grain radial (inspired by my Aussie guitar making friend Pete!). It’s a bit trickier to make but I like the result and somehow it has a European look to it (well I thinks so!).

Koa

I’ve just got a commission for a Koa guitar- and managed to get this set of Koa direct from Hawaii. The photos don’t do it justice; the back has a really tight curl and once polished, it should look truly wonderful. I hope so anyway, as without doubt this was the most expensive back and sides that I have ever bought!!