Making the Archtop’s top-plate

Here’s the latest video! In this one, I run through the process of making the top-plate for Archtop #4. I’m using some fantastic Sitka spruce for this one, fine grain and dead on the quarter.

In parallel to working on the top-plate, I’ve been making the tailpiece. The tailpiece is from the same piece of Macassar ebony as the head overlay; so a nice match.

Whenever I use a tailpiece jack-socket, I like to fit the tailpiece once the top has been glued to the rim and before the back goes on. This way the tail block can be supported whilst drilling the jack's 12mm hole and you don’t get the drill bursting out of the back surface. It also means that the top’s overhang is trimmed at the this point too.

Octave progress

Made some good progress on Dave’s octave e-mando this week. As you can see from above, the body, neck and fretboard are now all one! The ebony and wenge are going to give it a dark, stealth-like look; very cool.
Below is a sequence of photos to show the neck joint going together.

Archtop Mandolin Completed (and For Sale)

I’ve just completed the walnut archtop mandolin and am so pleased with the outcome. I’ve got an old Gibson T-shirt that says “Tone, Feel, Appearance” and I’m pleased to say that I think I’ve fully fulfilled those criteria. It is also the first time that I’ve used JJB soundboard transducers and they seem to produce an impressive tone even through my cheap and cheerful amp.

So below are number of photos for you and the full spec. I’ll sort out the obligatory video over the next couple of days!

 13 7/8” (352mm) Scale length with 30mm nut width

American Black Walnut back & sides

European Spruce top

Body fully bound in Ebony

Bird’s Eye Maple neck with carbon fibre stiffeners

Compound radius Ebony fretboard with wide gold EVO frets

Nava handmade tailpiece

Nickel Gotoh MA-40 tuners

JJB Soundboard Transducers with endpin jack

A light open-pore shellac satin finish

D’Addario EJ74 strings (011, 015, 026, 040), bone nut & saddle

Price: 1360 GBP (including Hiscox case) + shipping

Body Work

I’ve started work on a left-handed e-mando for Pete. The core of the body (see above) is Ash and the top is from this lovely piece of figured Sapele.

You may remember my "Man Vs Wood" video (if you don’t, I do!). Well, I had an action replay; having to re-saw the Sapele, by hand, to get a book-matched top.

The Ash was laminated with black/red/black veneers and then the tunnels for the wiring routed. Before the Sapele was glued on, the tunnels were painted with a special shielding paint to help keep the electrics quiet.

 A bit more routing and sawing…………..

 

Followed by some hard-core sanding……………

 

And here’s the body……………

  And it’s racing stripe!

Archtop #2; back to it!

With the bending iron fixed, it’s time to get back to some instrument work! So, I’ve been working on the purflings and bindings for archtop #2.

This mandolin is having fancier purflings; the main feature is a green line running around all of the edges. The green line is also in the neck laminations, head overlay and tailpiece. Coloured lines work surprisingly well as decoration on instruments-as long as you don’t go over the top and keep the design coherent throughout.

I’m really pleased with overall effect on the body- the ebony bindings making it all look very elegant. Next the neck.

You’ve got to have vision!

When I saw this rather sad looking scribing block on sale for 50p at the local car boot sale, I knew exactly what I wanted it for.

To cut the rebate for the archtop’s bindings, I made up a cradle to hold the body steady. The scribing block allowed me to check that the edge of the top plate was at the same height, all- around prior to routing………..

The video will be out soon!

Housekeeping: Chisels

It being a rather grey Sunday morning, I thought that I’d do a bit of housekeeping; sharpen chisels! When you’re in the zone, fitting a neck or carving braces, you don’t want to stop to sharpen tools, so a bit of regular housekeeping is required.

First I like to polish/flatten the back of the chisels on a stone- you can’t get a sharp edge if the back isn’t flat. Over the years they get flatter and better.

Where possible I like to use a honing guide to ensure a consistent angle.

If the chisel or plane blade doesn’t fit in the guide, I use an angled wedge to help with the correct sharpening angle.

 I use three grades of stone, the last being my hard black Arkansas stone; it gives a surgically sharp edge. 

You may remember, awhile back, Amanda bought me a set of “vintage” Stanley Hercules butt chisels? These have become firm favourites to use; they're the perfect size for mandolin work.

I also enjoy using my old Marples bevel edge chisels; I bought these about 40 years ago (1 per week) when I started college. They’ve been a great investment, although recently I had to replace my 3/8”

This Bahco 4mm chisel is also an old favourite (again about 40 years old), particularly useful for the small housing joints that I use on my instruments.

About 10 years ago I bought some Japanese chisels and I must admit that I don’t find them as useful for luthiery as my bevel edge ones; I find them a bit too thick.

Anyway here we are ready for Monday morning.