Graduations for Guitar/Selmer style archtop Mando?

[StevenS]

Looking for info on graduations and arching for the top and back for guitar body style mandolin designs (f-hole style).

Thanks,
Steve

[Paul Hostetter]

This is not to say you couldn't carve a top, but usually the top (as well as the back) is a domed flat sheet, attached to radiused lateral braces. 12' sounds tight, but on something that small, it won't mean much. If you really want to do it Selmer-style, get the François Charle plans (http://www.rfcharle.com/HTML/PlanSelmerA.html) and scale them down 50%.

http://www.rfcharle.com/Images/La_boutique/PlanMaccaf.jpg

[big smiley guy]

Maccaferri's had bent tops that were more akin to bowlback mandolins but the bend was less drastic.

[StevenS]

Would a shrunken version of the Benedetto arch-top guitar top and back measurements be close to the mark?

[mandroid]

I bought a David Hodson D'jangolin, David made Selmer style Guitars, but the Mandolin has a Flat top and back ,
Back and sides of mine is a 2 veneer Laminate, outside is Rosewood, inside mahogany ,
as I understand, the guitars were made like that too.

Nothing wrong with the Archtop Jazz guitar outline mandolins , Arrow and some others do those already .
a good group to join. Hybrid Selmer outline with a carved top and back ,
Ive seen some on the Cafe,
getting them so the bridge is in the middle of the largest part of the body may make foreshortening the shape desirable..

[big smiley guy]

The backs and sides on the Maccaferri guitars were several layers of thin laminate veneers.

[Paul Hostetter]

Would a shrunken version of the Benedetto arch-top guitar top and back measurements be close to the mark?

I just noticed you only mentioned Selmer in the topic heading. It's evidently nothing you're interested in, since you then asked about f-holes. Making a guitar-shaped mandolin is pretty straightforward, whether it's an impression of a Selmer or a Benedetto. The E of a mandolin is an octave above a guitar E, and basically pitched there based on a scale that's about half of a guitar. In other words, imagine capoing a guitar at the 12th fret. So you can base a prospective mandolin on a guitar, scaled down about half-size. Actually, I'd make the scale longer and make the body a little bigger, so let's say 55-60% of a regular guitar.

But 8 strings tuned in fifths have way more tension than 6, so the engineering is going to have to take that into account. The neck and the top will have to be thicker, quite a few other things. It might be a good idea to examine other mandolins built like this already. The basic proportions of body shape, neck length and bridge placement will reflect the guitar, but much else will need to be adjusted.

For the record, even though the OP is not about Selmers, most real Selmers had three layers of laminations, not two, in the sides and backs.

[Michael Lewis]

Let me suggest that to make such an instrument with no plans that you draw the complete side view at the very least. It would be better to also draw the front view but the side view is the most revealing. Draw EVERYTHING in including frets, strings, bridge details, etc. This will give you a direct understanding of how all the parts fit together and where they will be. By making the drawing you can change things if you find they aren't the way you would like. It is up to you what fret to join the neck to the body, where you want the bridge to sit, how to arrange the neck/ headstock transition, etc. Work it out on paper and you will have a much better experience when you actually make it, rather than finding problems that could have been worked out before hand.

Generally accepted measurements for mandolins should be close to what you will need, such as plate thickness, long arch of top, scale length, bridge height, etc. This is how I have done it.

[StevenS]

Paul and Michael,
Thank you for the excellent responses.
Steve

[thistle3585]

Didn't Watson Bailey have plans online? What happened to their website? Also, check the parlor guitar plans at the bottom of this page. http://www.liutaiomottola.com/instruments/girasoli.htm

[toddjoles]

I believe Watson Bailey is gone. For the past year of so I have Googled them every few months. Links and pictures are listed but appear to be dead.

[s1m0n]

I believe Watson Bailey is gone. For the past year of so I have Googled them every few months. Links and pictures are listed but appear to be dead.

Todd, it's your lucky day. Via the magic of the Wayback Machine (http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.watsonbailey.com/plans/):

http://web.archive.org/web/20070701024424/www.watsonbailey.com/plans/archtop_v-cut_thumb.gif (http://web.archive.org/web/20070701025001/www.watsonbailey.com/plans/archtop_v-cut_plans.gif)
[click image for (much) bigger, or explore via link above for much more content]

[toddjoles]

The Wayback Machine? Never heard of it, but it works. Thanks.