Standard Mandolin XV Update

Here’s a few photos for you, now that the mandolin’s body is fully bound. By using maple for the bindings, I’ve ensured that no tropical hardwoods will be used on this particular instrument. Looks good too!

1957 Guyatone LG50 Electric Guitar For Sale

Price reduction: £750

It was always going to be hard to put a value on the Guyatone restoration project. With any work of this nature, you’re going to take into consideration the time you’ve spent and the money you’ve invested when coming up with your price. However, in reality, the customer just sees the finished product and knows what it’s worth to him/her. Also, I’m aware that we are living through hard times and to many, a guitar is a luxury item. So, rather than having the Guyatone languishing in my workshop, I’m reducing the price to £750. Ultimately, it was all about bring this instrument back to life; I've done that and now it should be played and enjoyed! Full details and contact info here.

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………..

Guyatone LG50 Project: 14 The Final Chapter

Both the original LG50 and my version of it are now complete. In the latest video you can get an idea of what they sound like. If you’re interest in owning one or both of these instruments, there are many details about them, photos pricing etc on the FOR SALE page of my website. Also I've written a bit of an essay on the whole project.

Below are some photos, I’ve alternated Guyatone/Nava-Tone, so that you can compare the two.

Cheers Gary!

Caution: contains nuts!

I’m just preparing the wood for the next Standard mandolin. This one is going to be a celebration of one of my favourite tonewoods: walnut. So, walnut back and sides, and walnut neck and head overlay.

It seems that where we live, in the Norfolk Fens, this time of year is walnut season. When you drive around, you’ll often see, outside a lone house, a table with bags of fresh “wet” walnuts on and an honesty box for payment.

These wet walnuts are truly a delicious treat and it occurred to me what a wonderful tree the walnut is! Beautiful wood and food!

Guyatone LG50 Project: 13

The Guyatone LG50’s restoration has now been completed. When I look at it, I’ve almost forgotten all the work that it has taken to get to this stage. As I’ve said before, with restorations, the more time and care you put into it the less it looks like you’ve done any work!

I’m super happy with the outcome; I’m not a great fan of over restoring so that the item looks like it’s new. So, this guitar still looks like it has had 65 years of hard living yet performs as well as any modern instrument.

Although, in theory, it’s ready for me to put up for sale, I feel that I need to hold on to it until my version is completed. I can then do a comparison and come to the end of this long strange trip.

Guyatone LG50 Project: part 12

The last piece of the jigsaw, as far as my LG50 replica is concerned, is the bridge. The original is cast from some kind of alloy, which is a step too far for me and my workshop! So, I decided to hew it from a piece of aluminium. Many early bridges, such as Bigsby, were made from ally, so its quite appropriate.

With the bridge made it’s time to get these guitars strung-up!