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.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
MAN vs WOOD
I’ve been French polishing instruments for around 10 years
now and in spite of that experience, I still find it difficult to predict how
long the process will take. I just keep going, polishing and cutting back (to
various degrees) and one day the instrument turns around and says to me that’s
it we’re done!
Not quite at that stage with Mike’s mandolin, but getting
near.
So, in between polishing sessions, I’ve started the next
Archtop mandolin. I’m so pleased with the one that Jeremy now owns that I can’t
imagine changing the design but what I will do is refine my building technique,
maybe make a few jigs etc.
The next Archtop will have American Black Walnut back and
sides; I’ve had some lovely pieces of walnut in stock for years and have
finally had the courage to convert one piece of it into back and sides- mostly by
hand!
Hi, I make mostly mandolins and guitars, entirely by myself and by hand. Although I’m based in the Norfolk Fens, my instruments can be found all over the world. I made my first guitar when I was 14 and during the 1970s studied luthiery at the prestigious London College of Furniture. I’ve been making them ever since!
1 Comments:
Absolutely beautiful, Gary! Lucky owners!
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