The raw materials. A good mandolin starts with good wood.
The duplicarver
is used to rough
out the top and
back.
As they come
off the carver.
The excess is
removed from the outside.
I like to establish a uniform re-curve before roughing the inside.
The back is brought to a near finished state before the inside is graduated.
Same with the top. The arching is very important.
The inside is roughed out using the duplicaver then graduated by hand.
The finished inside of the back.
The finished inside of the top.
Side stock is cut.
The sides are bent and internal blocks and linings are installed.
The back is glued on in this jig.
The F-holes are roughed out with an overhead pin dremel.
The tone bars are cut and fitted using carbon paper and a razor as a scraper.
The tone bars are glued in. Notice I use small pleats to reinforce the F-holes.
The tone bars are carved. This is a crucial stage. I use tap response and...
...lots of flex testing to finish the tone bars.
The finished tone bars.
I spend a lot of time sharpening.
It pays to have a sharp knife when finishing the F-holes.
A finished F-hole.
The top is glued to the back and sides.
The binding channel is cut.
Page 2
Home
-
Instruments
-
Construction
-
Philosophy
-
Sound Clips
-
Price List
-
Builders
-
Contact
-
Dealers & Links
