Just finished this beauty

[peter.coombe]

For those interested in what can be done with alternative woods, this is a good example. Just finished it and I don't want to give to the new owner. I have been putting off phoning her as long as possible. This one really nails it. Beautiful tone, sweet and clear, and with projection and volume you usually only get with Red Spruce. An oval hole mando to die for, stunning sound and looks to match. It has taken me years to work how to do it, but these native Aussie timbers can really put Spruce and Maple to shame if you get it right. Unfortunately the top timber (King Billy Pine) is now in the rare timbers category, and Blackwood that colour is also very difficult to find. The colours are all natural colours, not a drop of stain on this mandolin. Had a good friend and customer around who did reluctantly admit it does sound better than his Spruce topped oval hole. Coming from him that was a massive complement since for years he has insisted Spruce always sounds better. That is BS.

http://www.petercoombe.com/Recently_completed.html

Enjoy.

[Eric Hanson]

Peter,
That is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Great work. I know the new owner will love it!

[StevenS]

Lovely. Truly lovely.

Steve

[MandoPheel]

Wow- that's gorgeous! I'd love to hear a sound sample.

Phil

[grassrootphilosopher]

Looks very nice Peter. And if people like Massimo Gatti play these mandos (he had a Goldfinch) they can´t be half bad. Congrats for the completion of this beauty.

Here´s a second vote for soundclips/video.

[Ben Milne]

Top stuff Peter. what a beautiful instrument... I'm sure the new owner will appreciate the reasons why you wouldn't want to let go. I would also love to hear a clip of this one.

;) also must plus one myself for the King Billy Pine for a mando top. Such a glorious tone.:grin::grin: (i believe mine came from the west coast of Tassie.)

thanks for sharing

[Rob Grant]

Peter,

Another exceptional mando as expected! I sure wish King Billy was as common as spruce, what a excellent tonewood.

Let me know when you want to go "total" Oz on one (maybe that "keeper") and I'll send you some of the local ebony for the board and headstock veneer.

[JEStanek]

Very Nice, Peter. I'm sure the new owner will be very pleased.

Jamie

[fatt-dad]

Right up my alley - I mean that's just great!

f-d

[Jim Ayers]

Sweet!

[buckhorn]

great looking mando....who says it has to be traditional spruce and maple...you just proved that.....keith

[Bill James]

Wow! That all works together very nicely, great job Peter!

[Tom C]

Beautiful. Your mandos are always something to admire.

[Richard Moore]

A lovely looking mandolin. I'm all for experimenting with different woods... there are a lot of potentially great instrument-making timbers out there. It's not necessary to stick with convention.

[Avi Ziv]

Fantastic! I love the blackwood in particular. I wish we could here a sample

[Skip Kelley]

Peter, That's the sweetest looking A model I have seen! I always have loved your work!:)

[Santiago]

Beautiful.

[Pete Hicks]

Lovely, lovely, lovely!

[Chuck Naill]

For those interested in what can be done with alternative woods, this is a good example. Just finished it and I don't want to give to the new owner. I have been putting off phoning her as long as possible. This one really nails it. Beautiful tone, sweet and clear, and with projection and volume you usually only get with Red Spruce. An oval hole mando to die for, stunning sound and looks to match. It has taken me years to work how to do it, but these native Aussie timbers can really put Spruce and Maple to shame if you get it right. Unfortunately the top timber (King Billy Pine) is now in the rare timbers category, and Blackwood that colour is also very difficult to find. The colours are all natural colours, not a drop of stain on this mandolin. Had a good friend and customer around who did reluctantly admit it does sound better than his Spruce topped oval hole. Coming from him that was a massive complement since for years he has insisted Spruce always sounds better. That is BS.

http://www.petercoombe.com/Recently_completed.html

Enjoy.

Honestly, I prefer red spruce because it grows in my back yard and I can tell the difference between it and Sitka. However, I agree with you, there are lots of other options.

Thank you for posting, you are a genius builder. Congrats to your customer. ;)

[Glassweb]

lovely work Peter... that's a classy-looking mandolin right there. a unique take on an old friend... bravo!

[sebastiaan56]

Wow! Id like to add to the chorus for a sound sample. The colour of that Blackwood is special, Ive not seen it that orange before.

[Randy Smith]

That's a handsome mandolin, Peter! Thanks for the pictures.

[peter.coombe]

Thanks everyone. A sound sample would be nice, but right now I can't do it because we have just moved house and workshop and things are still a bit chaotic. No idea where my mics are right now. Anyway the workshop is now about 80% operational and I am now full time. Was downsized from the real job. I'm having a ball in the workshop and not having to drive 30km into work every day. Added to that is now only a 15min drive to take the dog for a walk on Tathra beach.

Rob, thanks for the offer, but it is a little late. I made one very similar to the mando in the pictures for a music instrument museum in Arizona USA and that one had a NSW Ironwood fingerboard. Only the Ebony headstock overlay was not an Aussie timber. That particular instrument I thought was the best sounding I had made, but then I finished this one and it is clearly the better sounding mandolin but not by much. I have made a few that sound very similar, but I think this one is the pick of the bunch. Rob, have you ever used Ivory wood for bindings? Gillian Alcock gave me a piece (she got it from our mutual friend Doug Eaton) and I chopped it up into bindings. Recommended, is hard and bends easily, is no where near as brittle as Ebony. I was surprised. Gidgee also works well, but does not bend as easily as Ivory wood.

[Rob Grant]

Peter,
Do you know the species of "Ivory wood" you're using? Google gives me the genus Siphonodon when I plug in "ivory wood." Our major Siphonodon is species "pendulus." Locally this tree is found just west of us in the drier country. We refer to it as the "ivory ball tree" because of its round fruit. Hummm... I didn't realize the wood had potential. I'll definitely check it out.

As far as bending ebony goes, the stuff from New Guinea and nearby Chillagoe, Qld. can be very brittle and difficult to bend. The local scrub ebony from the Cape York Peninsula bends like plastic even when seasoned. The major problem with the scrub ebony is it appears dark grey or even a very dark shade of green in sunlight and not that rich black that most folks want.

[peter.coombe]

Don't really know. I have Siphonodon australis on my web site, but I am not really sure if that is correct.

[ccravens]

Uh..... Peter, I think you owe me $ for a new computer. I just drooled all over and into my keyboard.

But seriously - awesome job! :)

[jim simpson]

Just beautiful!! I really like the rosette.

[ISU Trout Bum]

Absolutely beautiful mando! Thanks for posting the pics.

Best,
Trout

[Gavin Baird]

Rob and Peter
I have been using "Holly" for bindings for some years..It could be that is what "Ivory Wood" is. I think that Holly is a North American native....although not certain of that...Gavin

[peter.coombe]

No it is not "Holly", the "Ivory wood" I used in that mandolin is definately an Australian native.

[jim_n_virginia]

Just finished it and I don't want to give to the new owner. This one really nails it. Beautiful tone, sweet and clear, and with projection and volume you usually only get with Red Spruce. An oval hole mando to die for, stunning sound and looks to match. It has taken me years to work how to do it,
Enjoy.

Peter you are much too modest ... :grin:

What a great looking mandolin! :mandosmiley:

[peter.coombe]

Peter you are much too modest ...

Yea maybe :)

Had to laugh yesterday. A good friend of mine who is a pretty good mandolin player dropped around yesterday. For years he has been telling me that Spruce is the best soundboard timber and Red Spruce has that special tone that he likes, and why am I bothering with alternative timbers blah blah etc etc. Well yesterday I put this particular mandolin in his hands and he was completely smitten. Didn't take long either. He wants it. He is going to talk to the lady who ordered it. She is financially challenged so he might get lucky and bring it home, but then he is somewhat worried about what the wife might think about the transaction. :))