Standard Mandolin XVI update

The rosewood Standard is now together and the next step for me is to set it up, in the white, before the finishing process starts.

There are a couple of photos below. I’m very pleased with the Pau Ferro details on the back. Now the heel cap has been fitted, everything ties nicely together.

This should be ready early summer so if you wish to register an interest, please feel free to contact me via my website.

Standard Mandolin XVI

With a deposit taken on the walnut Standard, work is well underway on the next one. If my previous mandolin was a celebration of walnut, this one (XVI) is a celebration of rosewood! In the video below, I show how I put together a three-piece back. Woods such as Indian Rosewood are such precious gifts from nature:  making instruments with multiple piece backs, necks etc. is the best way of using smaller pieces of wood and honouring the trees that were felled. By their nature, more joints, ensuring symmetry etc, the construction of a three-piece back is more challenging, but as responsible luthiers, that’s what we do. I think they look cool too!

Standard Mandolin XV: now complete and available

The latest Standard mandolin is now complete and is available. Below are some photos for you. If you remember, my intention was for this instrument to be a celebration of walnut and I think the beauty of this wood is shown off nicely in this mandolin. Also, its sounds so good too! There will be a video soon.

The current price of my Standards is £925, which includes a Hiscox case: shipping is extra. If you’re interested in this one, please feel free to contact me via my website.

Standard Mandolin XV Update 2

You can see in the photos below, that the mandolin is now together. The views of its back really highlight my celebration of walnut that I mentioned in the video.

Next stage is to attach the hardware, make the bridge and get it playing!

Standard Mandolin XV: sneak preview!

The latest Standard mandolin is well underway. The body is together: English walnut back and sides with an Adirondack spruce soundboard. The fretboard and bridge are going to be made from bog oak. The pieces of bog oak that I’ve sourced are from a specialist and you can read its fascinating story on their website.

Hopefully it will be completed and ready for sale this Spring: £925 (including case).

Here’s a bit of a taster………..

Standard Mandolin #13 “in the white”

The new Standard mandolin has gone through the setting up procedure and you can see it strung-up, in the white, below.

I’m very pleased with the way it plays and sounds. The next step is to strip it back down, a final sand, and apply the finish. I use an open pour shellac finish, which gives a very natural satin sheen to the instrument and, thankfully, doesn’t take the same amount of time as French polishing!

New Standard Mandolin (available soon!)

As you can see, the new Standard mandolin is almost done, the next step is to make the bridge, get it set-up and playing.

I’m very pleased with the mandolin so far. It has a simple, elegance which depends only its form and its materials rather than any unnecessary decoration, everything you see is pure mandolin.

The neck is made from figured maple with my usual carbon fibre inserts. The fretboard, from Brazilian rosewood, has simple circles acting as position markers and my favourite wide evo frets. One new feature that I am trying, is a slightly longer 360mm scale length (+8mm).  

The soundboard is made from Adirondack spruce with stiff Sitka bracing and the sound hole simply bound in black.

It should be complete in a month or so time and will be offered for sale via my web-site. If you wish to register an interest, contact details can be found on my website too.

Standard Mandolin update

It always surprises me when I see an instrument unbound. The bindings serve the very real function of protecting the delicate edges of the soundboard and back, and to me, leaving them out is inconceivable. Obviously, it’s a stage which takes a fair bit of time, care and skill to carry out, but is essential to the longevity of the instrument.

You can see how the new Standard has been bound in Brazilian rosewood, which nicely complements the figured sapele.

As a bit of fun, I thought that I’d have a go at making its end-pin (also Brazilian rosewood).

You can see how I did it in this video.