View Full Version : Here's my IV Kit, strung up, in the white...
grandmainger
Jun-11-2005, 1:26pm
Well folks, following many posts here, loads of support from every one, a lot of scraping and glueing, here it is!
It sounds bloody loud! Probably too barky/bluegrassy for my liking, but hey! at least, it's not folded in two... yet...
The action is outrageously high #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif , the string courses are too narrow #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif #, yeah well, what you gonna do? #Not too bad for a first time I think. I'm happy so far. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Germain
grandmainger
Jun-11-2005, 1:28pm
... the back...
grandmainger
Jun-11-2005, 1:35pm
... back / side...
grandmainger
Jun-11-2005, 1:37pm
... Top / Side...
grandmainger
Jun-11-2005, 1:39pm
... and the peghead http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Steve Davis
Jun-11-2005, 1:40pm
Very nice indeed. How does it sound? I can't wait to see the finish.
Darren Kern
Jun-11-2005, 6:50pm
Dude, good job and thanks for the pics. I'm getting ready to order one (or two) in a couple days and it was cool to see how yours turned out. "Too bluegrassy" was the magic phrase in your post, that makes my day! No such thing, to me http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
JEStanek
Jun-11-2005, 7:51pm
Congrats Germain. I can't wait to build mine.
Looks good, Germain... great job! I'm curious to see how that back looks when it's finished. I know this has been asked, but how does it sound?
Luthier
Jun-12-2005, 4:09am
You have done well, Grasshopper. The big question is, Germain, can you just stop at one???
I have $5 riding on the known fact that once is not enough and I shall bet you have already planned on your next instrument. "The Bug" has bitten!!!!!! There is no known cure!!!!
(You did an excellent job)
Don
grandmainger
Jun-12-2005, 4:47am
Thanks all for the kind words. I have been mostly grinning for the last 12 hours http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
It's still not snapped in two, nor does it show any signs of splitting up anywhere... Fingers crossed.
About the sound, I think 12 hours strung is probably too early to tell, but here's what I think so far:
- It's loud. Really loud. Bit too loud. Especially since it's only mounted with the strings that come with the kit, which are medium gauge. I think perhaps this is due to the fact that the action is so high right now. Honestly, I reckon there's a 2 mm gap above the first fret http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif #! The bridge is lowered to the minimum height, and is still way too high. I'll fix this with a good sanding of both nut and bridge, then we'll see if it's still barking.
- It's got loads of sustain. This is the bit I'm quite proud about. I did take the graduation process very slowly, and I think the top is actually quite close to what it's supposed to be. If I whistle to the mandolin, it resonates quite a bit! D, A and E are nicely even, G is a little muffled and blunt. I'm not sure what (if anything) to do about this.
- The tone is not that nice to me. Perhaps it's because I've been playing my flattop/oval Arches for a while, but it sounds quite metallic and acidic. I said it was bluegrassy, and I think that's right. If it's stays like this after the finish, I think it will make a good chopper for BG jams. I still prefer my Arches's sound in terms of melody picking. However, it's only been strung up for a few hours, and I think it may settle and mellow out a little in the coming day or so. We'll see.
Don, I think you're right http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif . I may well be compelled to try another one... I'd love for IV to bring out an F kit with no pre-cut holes, so I can make an F4...
Germain
Chris Baird
Jun-12-2005, 9:36am
Germain, Great job! It will certainly mellow out. It takes a few days.
Nice work!
I am currently building my IV kit and am trying to scrape the soundboard and backboard. Question: what tools did you use when binding the back? I would like to try that but have no money to buy expensive specialtools for my Dremel...
grandmainger
Jun-13-2005, 2:56am
Question: what tools did you use when binding the back? I would like to try that but have no money to buy expensive specialtools for my Dremel...
Hej Hej Jonas!
Routing the back channel for the binding was actually quite difficult.
I bought the Router Table attachment pictured below. It's quite cheap (£17, about 230SEK). It's FAR FROM ideal though. The problem is that the IV kit is for an arched back, and this means that the angle you can get with the routing table is not 90 degrees. Also, you can't do the curve near the neck with that.
I had to do a lot of work with a chisel, and that's very tricky and can be messy.
My advice: Spend the $30 needed for the specialist binding dremel attachement. I know I won't do another binding channel without the tool.
Have fun! Hej Då!
Germain
Ok I hear ya. Thanks for the help.
I have decided to skip the extra binding on this project and see if this building thing is for me before I lay down more money. I'll try to make the best out of the stuff I have for now. If I want to build more mandolins in the future, I'll definately buy that binding tool.
On another note, yesterday I saw a friend of mine who has set up a small shop in his mothers garage where he builds his 6th "nyckelharpa", the swedish national instrument (I think). Such a cool instrument! They sound good too.
Here (http://www.nyckelharpa.org) is a link the the American Nyckelharpa Association if you're intrested in this instrument. And here's a picture I found of a nyckelharpa (the player is not the guy i saw yesterday!).
http://www.nyckelharpa.org/images/eric_sahlstrom.jpg
HJ Bruun
Jun-22-2005, 9:51pm
I was wondering if anybody could clue me into what is a IV kit. I know of Stew-mac and Siminoff. Thanks, H Bruun
PaulD
Jun-22-2005, 10:22pm
International Violin (http://www.internationalviolin.com/itemdrilldown.cfm?ssearch=kit&stype=sim&itemsperpage=10&startindex=11&item=MK1) A-model mando kit... sounds like an unbeatable bargain!
Yonkle
Jun-22-2005, 11:36pm
[QUOTE]I was wondering if anybody could clue me into what is a IV kit. #Something like this I think? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Hey Germain: Don't worry about the tone, and loud is good. It takes time for a new mandolin to "open up" so they can sound brash and tinny at first, but just in a few hours of playing they change and change more in a month or two. After you lower the nut slots a bit more and get the action right and play it a lot, in a few months you will have it right and it will sound much better when it starts breaking in. Every mandolin sounds better or worse with different strings too. Leave what you have on it now until you get all the bugs worked, later try different strings until you find one you like, if you need to tone it down, volume, and mellow the tone, "Thomastiks" are good for this, or FT74's (flat tops) Monels are not bad too, but they sound harsh at first, after they break in they have a good woody tone, yet loud. #Real LOUD are (Gibson Bill Monroe Strings) # JD