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.
Monday, January 23, 2023
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!
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.
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).
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!