MIMF

I agree with Jim. You don't really need a mold for these. Nothing wrong with using one though. You will definitely want it to be shorter/thinner than the instrument though. If you are using a mold, you'll want to use it while clamping in the linings and that will be much easier if it is shorter than...

Great job! Awesome that you are having so much fun.

Welcome! I won’t be any help here but I hope you get it all together. Post pictures of the process here so we can all learn something.

NIce tute! I like the stepped width idea. I do mine a little different in that I clamp in the first (segmented) layer unglued, then glue layers 2 and 3 over them (not gluing to the reinforcements). Once it is cured, I take the linings out (since they aren't glued to the rim) and plane the inside fla...

I know virtually nothing about these instruments so should probably keep my mouth shut and listen. But. . . I made a guitar shaped Mandolin years back and intended to have a pinned bridge only to find out that I was limited in options for ball end mandolin strings. Remember as you are designing your...

I've been without a shop for the last two years (and it will be some time before the new one is set up), so I haven't been doing much. Hopefully in the new year, I'll be checking in here more often and eventually have something to add to discussions again. I just want to wish you all happy holidays ...

Alan, if you are looking for opaque or very dark using alcohol soluble aniline dyes and the French polish technique, do you use lots of dye to get the shellac really dark, or should you error on more sessions of FP to build the color? I've never tinted shellac for FP but have noticed when I use dark...

I'll get in on this, Thanks!

I have said it before and I'll say it again, I would not be in this hobby at all had I not come across this place back in about 2004! Thanks everybody for all the hard work and great advice.

Great job! I love seeing stuff like this!

Alan, it is hard to tell for sure from the picture but I assume the tone bars X joint is a half lap just like the main X. It looks like both joints may be capped with a thin spruce cap. Is that right or do you add some cloth later in the process? Since the double X tone bars are basically tapered br...

Looking good! I like how you chose quartered maple for the bindings and let the rays do the talking. I did that recently too and really liked it. I feel like curly maple is the standard for maple bindings but regular grained quartered maple has a real appeal.

I know what you mean about learning neck carving by doing. Back in 2004 when I was getting ready to carve my first neck, I looked and looked for a good tutorial, discussion or description of how to carve a neck. All I was ever really able to come up with was some form of the answer "you just ca...

I think that in the end, you are going to end up carving to the feel you want rather than any hard numbers. The specs will give you a good guide to work to until the final stages when your had will tell you when you are done. I think a lot of people tend to error on the thick side the first time aro...

I'm always willing to give a fellow Bear a sane opinion; I'm just not sure what the question is.

I'm guessing that by resistance, you mean resonance. I wouldn't think it would have much effect on resonance but I don't know for sure. Years ago I did some tests on scrap as I was looking to make an all black guitar. turns our that spruce really doesn't have much in the way of tannins and that is w...

This is sad. Frets.com was a wonderful resource when I started getting interested in this stuff. So much information. RIP!

I can't help much other than to say I have a back and side set of figured Anigre in my stash but haven't used it yet. I have seen several figured anigre guitars over the years so it is certainly a thing, I just have no first hand experience to share.

Welcome!

I agree with above. You won't do a perfect fret job on your first. But. . . you will never do great fretjobs until you start doing them. Sounds like you have a safety net, so you should probably go for it. This is probably not what you want to hear but I'll say it anyway. Setting out to make your dr...