francis
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Post by francis on Mar 17, 2016 14:14:14 GMT
Strings are on. Few quick photos before they're taken off again to finish putting the finish on. Thanks to Dave for sorting out how to tune the thing  Talk about being guitar orientated, having never played an octave mandolin (or mandolin for that matter) the thing was completely alien to me (and my electronic tuner  !)    Thanks for looking |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Mar 17, 2016 14:37:46 GMT
Francis, Looks great  |
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Post by Martin on Mar 17, 2016 15:22:51 GMT
Beautiful work, Francis!
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Post by ocarolan on Mar 17, 2016 16:17:46 GMT
Yum!
keith
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R the F
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Post by R the F on Mar 17, 2016 23:13:02 GMT
Just hang it on the wall - it's pretty as a picture.
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francis
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Post by francis on Mar 20, 2016 9:20:13 GMT
Thanks All for the comments
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francis
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Post by francis on May 9, 2016 8:23:09 GMT
Bringing this one to a close now. Changed to tail piece as I didn't like the bought one and have made a brass and yew one more in keeping with the instrument itself... The red is a self-adhesive felt placed on the underside to prevent string vibrating in the metal guides. The tailpiece now takes ball end strings rather than the looped ones. I've also ordered some heavier gauge strings after the cautious ones used to start with.  |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on May 9, 2016 10:28:25 GMT
This looks really elegant Francis - would love to see a pic on the underside too....? And even though I wouldn't be using the bridge as a vibrato arm  (well, not very often anyway  ) I still reckon the yew corners are a bit sharp and liable to snag on clothing (no, I don't play with the strings towards me!) etc or a stray finger or cloth when taking instrument from / putting away in case - if it were mine I'd be taking a bit of abrasive paper to the corners just to ever so slightly round them off. I bet this looks terrific on the instrument! Keith |
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francis
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Post by francis on May 9, 2016 10:47:28 GMT
This looks really elegant Francis - would love to see a pic on the underside too....? And even though I wouldn't be using the bridge as a vibrato arm (well, not very often anyway ) I still reckon the yew corners are a bit sharp and liable to snag on clothing (no, I don't play with the strings towards me!) etc or a stray finger or cloth when taking instrument from / putting away in case - if it were mine I'd be taking a bit of abrasive paper to the corners just to ever so slightly round them off. I bet this looks terrific on the instrument! Keith Your wish is my command...  Similar slots along the back edge but that is at about 45° to keep the strings in position - just about make out the slots in the felt  |
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Post by ocarolan on May 9, 2016 11:08:34 GMT
 Thanks Francis! K
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Post by seren on May 9, 2016 13:35:39 GMT
What a beautiful Octave Mandolin. Really clean work.
Yew is such a lovely wood to work with. I was rather nervous working with it...treating it with the respect it deserves after the many hundreds of years it takes to grow into something luthier-sized!
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francis
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Post by francis on May 18, 2016 18:33:33 GMT
Few photos of the (almost) completed instrument - just a truss rod cover to do now and buff the wax finish...    Had to change the tailpiece as the slotted front allowed the string loading to bend the whole thing upwards. Replaced with an ebony block having paired holes for the strings to go through and act as guides. Francis |
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R the F
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Post by R the F on May 18, 2016 19:10:15 GMT
Had to change the tailpiece as the slotted front allowed the string loading to bend the whole thing upwards. Replaced with an ebony block having paired holes for the strings to go through and act as guides. Francis And I bet you didn't even bat an eyelid, did you francis?! Lovely work. Prop it up and gaze at it lovingly for a while. You deserve it. |
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francis
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Post by francis on May 18, 2016 20:05:03 GMT
Had to change the tailpiece as the slotted front allowed the string loading to bend the whole thing upwards. Replaced with an ebony block having paired holes for the strings to go through and act as guides. Francis And I bet you didn't even bat an eyelid, did you francis ?! Lovely work. Prop it up and gaze at it lovingly for a while. You deserve it. Me! of course not. Kept my cool at all times!  |
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Post by ocarolan on May 18, 2016 22:04:46 GMT
Looks lovely Francis - looking forward to hearing it!
Keith
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Talk about being guitar orientated, having never played an octave mandolin (or mandolin for that matter) the thing was completely alien to me (and my electronic tuner 
!)
(well, not very often anyway 
) I still reckon the yew corners are a bit sharp and liable to snag on clothing (no, I don't play with the strings towards me!) etc or a stray finger or cloth when taking instrument from / putting away in case - if it were mine I'd be taking a bit of abrasive paper to the corners just to ever so slightly round them off.
Jo whoever he is.
