Comments | failmaster: Amateur Lutherie, Part 1

failmaster

Amateur Lutherie, Part 1

Feb 17, 2008 01:01

As some of you will be aware, I've been saying for some time now that I'm going to build myself an octave mandola (it's kind of like a big mandolin). Well, I've finally started...

( ...so here are some pictures )

lutherie

Comments 11

moreteadk February 17 2008, 07:34:41 UTC

My dad would love this. :) Then he would start wondering why it wasn't a guitar. :p

failmaster February 17 2008, 13:19:15 UTC

You're welcome to point him at my journal - it's not a friends-locked post.

moreteadk February 17 2008, 13:24:40 UTC

I might do that then. :)

He had ambitions of building his own electric guitar, but I think that project has been put on the shelf. Curiously enough he managed to inspire my uncle to build one too and learn how to play it. He actually finished his and is taking guitar lessons.

failmaster February 17 2008, 16:58:55 UTC

When you say 'build' was he going to buy a read-made neck and/or fretboard, and just build the body and assemble it all, or was he starting from chunks of dead tree and finishing with a guitar?

Anyway, electrics are comparatively easy. Tell him he should make an acoustic! :p

Thread 5

venta February 17 2008, 10:03:53 UTC

Cool... are you doing this from a kit, or starting completely from scratch ? And have you got instructions, or just a knowledge of how you want to end up ? If it gets tricky at any point, there's a friend of mine who's a competent mandolin maker in Darlington, which is not a million miles from you, who will probably be happy to offer advice.

failmaster February 17 2008, 13:26:21 UTC

Kit? Instructions? Bah! I have books on instrument making, an internet full of advice (most of which I'm disregarding), and a kind of righteous feeling. What more do I need?

Thanks for the offer - although I'm sure your friend would be appalled by my flagrant disregard for many of the sacred rules of lutherie... I mean, the soundbox will be made of birch plywood, and my approach to glue can be summed up as: "try white PVA hobby glue. If that doesn't work use Araldite"

venta February 17 2008, 23:38:10 UTC

Could be worse - you haven't mentioned nails yet :)

failmaster February 18 2008, 00:20:36 UTC

If you read a little about the Renaissance cittern, you'll quickly learn that there is historical precedent for the use of nails in stringed instrument manufacture! :p

clarisinda February 17 2008, 23:59:51 UTC

Wow coooool :-)

failmaster February 18 2008, 00:22:03 UTC

Thank you. :)