Making a mandolin - advice?

[NoSpam]

I fancy making an octave mandolin (octave mandola?) - has anyone here done it? can anyone point me at more info, or anyone that offers courses?

Dave

[The Medway Handyman]

That Captain Corelli bloke apparently knows a bit about them.

[Rob G]

I could put you in contact with a friend who is involved in making instruments of that type if you are interested - he might be able to give you advise.

Rob

[geoff]

In message , NoSpam writes

Flatback, or err ... the other style (pear shaped) ?

[NoSpam]

Rob G wrote: ... snipped

Thanks, I've sent you an email.

Dave

[NoSpam]

Flatback. I'm learning to play a cheapo mandolin and fancy something with a bit more "body" to the sound. Buying a half-decent one is going to be £750-1000+ so I'd like to use my woodworking and engineering skills to good effect.

Dave

[mark]

Here is a source for your timber:

[The Natural Philosopher]

Basswood may be your friend..light and a nice tone.

google bass and wood and mandolin.

I've made electric guitars..

[NoSpam]

Thanks! I hadn't found them. All I need now is a link to someone who can teach me how to design and make ;-) (I've just found a link to a couple of yahoo groups that look promising)

Dave

[geoff]

Haven't we all ...

however, acoustic instruments are a tad more difficult

[The Natural Philosopher]

WEll the necks are similar apart from the need for a truss rood, which is not employed in most acoustic instruments..

The body, is basically just a soundbox..

[Mark Bluemel]

There's probably additional knowledgable people at uk.music.folk and rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic (a number of luthiers post in rmmga).

You could also look at some of the mandolin related web sites, such as

[TheOldFellow]

I have this book:

The making of Stringed Instruments - A Workshop Guide George Buchanan B.T.Batsford Ltd., London=20 ISBN 0 7134 8140 4

It's got plans for a Mandolin and Mandola (as well as viledin, git-tar etc...) Google for the ISBN number. lots of them about =C2=A315. I found it very good, but can't admit to have made anything from it (yet).

R.

[Andy Champ]

This one caught my eye:

"ORGANS BASSWOOD for valves, EBONY for keys, and WELLINGTONIA for pipes"

Wellingtonia of course being another name for the giant Redwood, which typically tops 50m.

Just how big _are_ those pipes???

BTW I wouldn't even try building any instrument involving a soundbox. Far too hard.

Andy

[geoff]

The wood should be matched (L & R), the body has to be formed, the sound is very dependent on the thickness and density of the wood

etc etc

A lot more work to get right than making the body for an electric guitar

... as long as you aspire to build something better than an Eko Ranger, that is

[The Natural Philosopher]

Its not hard to make: Its hard to get a good SOUND tho :-)

[NoSpam]

When I looked for that one on Amazon I got seduced by a couple of others: "Luthier's Handbook: Guide to Building Great Tone in Acoustic Stringed Instruments", "Art of Tap Tuning: How to Build Great Sound into Instruments", and "The Mandolin Manual: The Art, Craft and Science of the Mandolin and Mandola" - many happy hours of reading and procrastination ;-)