First Build, A mandolin

[Brent Bischoff]

Hello, my name is Brent and I just rejoined this form, was a member a long time ago, anyway I thought I would share my recent build. After years of wanting to build an instrument, I finally accomplished the task.

This is a mandolin that I built from scratch using some drawings I found online and a lot of reading and research on various forums and other places, including the MIMF.

The build process was quite a journey and I learned a lot, including fixing mistakes, repairs etc. let’s see, I drilled the tuner holes wrong and had to remove the head stock overlay and make a new one, fill and re-drill the tuner holes, had to remove the back so that I could steam out the neck and reset it, I ruined the back while removing it and had to make a new one and the list goes on.

Overall I really enjoyed building it and was impressed when I finally got to string it up and it didn’t implode, in fact it actually sounded fairly good. (still need to learn to play it)

Back, sides and neck are cherry, scraps from a friends cabinet shop
Top is hemlock, I found a nice quarter sawn board at the local big box store.
Fretboard is rosewood, pre slotted from Stew Mac along with the hardware.
Fretboard position markers are maple
Bracing is some kind of pine
Finish – Tru-oil

Brent

[Brent Bischoff]

here is a picture, will try to get more loaded later.

Brent

[Brent Bischoff]

one more. I apologize for the quality of the pictures, they are off of my phone.

Brent

[Mike Conner]

Nice. I like the way you joined the back grain pattern.

You are on the slippery slope to obsessive lutherie now. After some time you will not resist the urge to build again!

[Bryan Bear]

Nicely done! There is nothing quite like stringing up and hearing that first instrument for the first time!

[Brent Bischoff]

Mike, I am afraid I have been bitten by the bug!! I just completed my second instrument, a lap dulcimer. The slope is definitely slippery!

Brian, Definitely hearing it for the first time was a quite a feeling!

This is what I started with

Top braced, glued and clamped to the rim

Carving the neck

Gluing the back on

[Brent Bischoff]

Ready for finish

During finishing

And one more of it finished.

Brent

[Bob Francis]

Nice!

[Chris Mudd]

It is beautifully simple, simply beautiful!

Who's plans did you work from?

[Brent Bischoff]

Chris, Thank you.

The drawings I used came from a Instructables article called Army-Navy Mandolin on the cheap. Between that article and quite a bit of research I was able to pull it off, however if I were to do another one like this, I would probably buy the plans that are for sale on the "Crystal Forest Mandolins" web site. They look to be very well drawn and the instruments he builds are very nice looking.

[Jim McConkey]

Welcome back, Brent!

I like the back, too! I did the same thing with an octave mandolin I built a few years back.

What thickness did you make the top? My beater mandolin got rained on in a flood, and the stop split and warped beyond repair, so I have to make a new one.

[Brent Bischoff]

Jim,

Thanks, its good to be back. I don't recall what the final thickness was, I will have to look at my notes tonight when I get home from work. I would like to try an octave mandolin myself someday.

[Brent Bischoff]

Jim,

The final thickness was at .120" for the top.

[Jim McConkey]

Thanks, Brent!