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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 18:55:15 GMT
Here is my "latest" build - that is my FIRST build that I share here on this forum and the first instrument for some five years. But I actually began this instrument for more than ten years when I started with a family of three instruments but only completed one. The plan was to build a mandolin, an octave mandola and a tenor mandola that was a kind of hybrid of the two siblings - it shared the body of the mandolin and the scale length of the octave mandola. For some reason I only completed the octave mandola but the parts for the other two have dwelled in my garage since. So this is a "small bodied, long necked tenor mandola". I really can't recall the reason why I originally wanted to make such an instrument, but I do know why I wanted to make one now. I wanted a 'jack of all trades'-instrument for sessions. When I go to (irish) sessions I never know what instrument or instruments to bring. I switch between being a tune player and a backer. It usually ends whith me bringing the octave mandola, changing between GDAe and GDAd tuning. But I really would prefer to play melody on a mandolin and I'm also bothered about my mandola blending with bouzoukis and guitars. A tenor mandola with a capo would let me accompany in a different position to the other backing instruments and it would also let me play tunes in a mandolin setting when capoed at the seventh fret. As I wanted a treble oriented sound I went for the small body. Giving it a scale length of 530 mm gave me a mandolin scale length of about 350 mm at seventh fret. Anyway, I've spent a lot of hours during august and now she's (almost) completed. Here is what she looks like:       Specifications: Scale length 530 mm Body width: 260 mm Body depth: from 70 mm Top: Sitka spruce Back, sides and neck: African mahogany (sipu) Bindings, "rosette", head veneer: Laburnum Fret board: ebony. Cylinder shaped top with H-bracing and floating carbon fibre butresses. Cylinder shaped back with ladder bracing. Bolt-on neck Finish: Liberon finishing oil In following posts I'll give you some details from the building, but the whole process can be read at larsgrahm.blogg.se |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:13:52 GMT
Here is what I began with. Planed and glued top and back, (badly) bent sides and a neck blank. In the background the "big brother" octave mandola. ![]() ![]()  The original top was a four piece tight grained swedish spruce that I found in a barn. But I had to replace it as there where too many grain cut outs (I don't know if that's what it's called). So it was replaced by sitka spruce bought from Madinter. Here is the original top laid on top of the octave mandola for a size comparison:  I had to reshape the sides, so I put on my hitech bending equipment - a true "hot pipe" made by a piece from a traffic sign and a heat gun:  And here are the sides resting in the mould after bending:  The sound hole with its reinforcement of laburnum. Oval hole and very odd shape around it to match the older octave mandola.  |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:19:00 GMT
Top bracing inspired by Graham McDonald and this forum's Dave White:  Ladder braced back:  Neck block:  Tail block and carbon fibre rods. Yes, I've stolen the idea from Dave White:  The rim assembled:  |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:21:56 GMT
Glueing kerfed linings:  And here it's completed:  Glueing the top:  And the body is closed:  |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:27:13 GMT
A view of my bolt-on construction with furniture pieces from IKEA:  Adding "wings" to the head:  The neck starting to look like a neck:  And even more here:  Making a custom truss rod from a aluminium u-tube, a threaded rod, an IKEA bolt and two pieces of wood:   Inserted into the neck:  |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:33:01 GMT
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:37:14 GMT
Starting to look like an instrument:  Tuners attached:  Starting to shape a maple bridge:  And here is what it looks like with an ebony top:  Strung up for the first time:  |
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Post by lars on Sept 3, 2017 19:47:51 GMT
I still have some minor adjustements to make. May be lower the bridge a bit, may be re-cut the string slots as there are some sitar-like sounds from the treble strings. But over all it's ready.
Most of all it's a very good mandolin when capoed on the seventh fret, with long sustain, high volume and a crisp, clear sound. When played as a tenor mandola it has a sound geared towards the treble register. I think I like it, but I'll have to get used to it.
If possible I'd like to lower the action a bit.
All in all I'm very happy with the outcome. I'm a bit nervous about the fact that I've built in quite a lot of tension in the instrument. The break angel of the strings is higher than normal and that is what gives it the volume and the overtones. I hope the bracing and the carbon fibre rods will make it!
In the original design I had planned for an x-braced body. But problems with other instruments that I built earlier made me search for alternative solutions. That was why I ended up on this forum. So I changed to a cylindrical top and added carbon fibres inspired by Dave White. Lots of credits to him if I succeed and no shadow on him if I fail!
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mandovark
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Post by mandovark on Sept 3, 2017 20:56:55 GMT
Congratulations, lars. That should be a nice, versatile instrument. It looks very tasteful, and the headstock veneer is lovely. Enjoy getting to know it! |
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R the F
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Post by R the F on Sept 3, 2017 22:05:24 GMT
A strange combination of brilliant improvisation and specialist tools seem to have brought you to a very successful result - not that I know anything about any of these instruments. Well built, sir, and I hope you enjoy it!
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Post by Martin on Sept 3, 2017 22:49:14 GMT
Great photos and a very interesting build thread, larsThanks for posting  |
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Post by ocarolan on Sept 3, 2017 23:40:37 GMT
Really enjoyed that lars , thanks. Any chance we might hear the instrument...? Keith |
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Post by Onechordtrick on Sept 4, 2017 5:29:12 GMT
Thanks great set of pictures and a lovely result.
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Sept 4, 2017 7:47:37 GMT
Excellent stuff, lars. I love a nice pear-bodied instrument, for me they just look a bit neater than the 'tear-drop' style, more complete and robust for some reason. Yours looks perfect  |
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Post by lars on Sept 4, 2017 20:01:18 GMT
Thank you all for your kind comments! I'm glad you seem to enjoy it.
R the F: Improvisations - yes, you bet! More than I däre to tell you. Specialist tools - no, not that I'm aware of. A fret slot saw, some fret files and nut files. But lots and lots of "generic" tools for wood working and wood carving.
Ocarolan: I hope to make some sort of sound clip, but probably not in a few days.
Leo: I completely agree!
On a side note: The instrument is smaller in real life compared to what it looks like on the photos, so it's really a neat little thing.
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Jo whoever he is.
