Another vote for walnut; backs, sides, and necks. Wonderful to work with, bends like plastic(almost...) and smells great!
I've used spruce for neck blocks since the late 90's, though not on F...
Type: Posts; User: Mario Proulx
Another vote for walnut; backs, sides, and necks. Wonderful to work with, bends like plastic(almost...) and smells great!
I've used spruce for neck blocks since the late 90's, though not on F...
Yes, both sides raise or lower equally, but once you set the action where you want it, you only need to raise or lower it for seasonal changes, and you do that in equal amounts, correct? At least, I...
Also, Mario Proulx made at least one version of the D'Aquisto type wedge bridge that I know of. Maybe he'll let us know how it worked out.
It has worked flawlessly!! I've used nothing else for...
Another "quick and dirty" yet plenty strong and cosmetically "neutral" solution(IE: you're not adding an obvious "fix", like the brass plate) is to add a strap button to the heel, and use a long...
If it's just refinishing a banjo resonator, I might be able to help you out, as that would be an easy and inexpensive item to send up to me. Contact me directly if you wish...
Nothing to critique here...!
You've done an excellent job with the proportions and lines; it-just-looks-right!
If you planned on binding the headstock, that will have a "slimming effect" and...
Maybe we need a place here on the cafe, where luthiers could be listed by region?
At this time of year, most of us are --really--busy, both at work and play! ;) Thus, replies here may be a long...
Way too cool! This video just gave me a whole new appreciation for my meager collection of seedlac, buttonlac and garnet!
Yessir, I visit here often enough, though I sometimes fail to check-in for a few weeks at a time when I get mondo busy or side-tracked...
I have tried to make mandolin and archtop guitar pickguard...
And heavily figured to boot...
Sure, we've all seen the heavily figured "Claro" walnut pieces, but the figure still doesn't appear as 'deep' or highly defined as we see in the maples. I'm not...
Here is one of "slabs" I had cut 3" X 10" x 13'
A LOT of mandolins in there!
Walnut, especially Black Walnut, doesn't ever seem to have the deep, sharply defined figure that we're used to...
I don't think I've ever seen it on a mando or guitar back. Can't wait to see some more pictures.
Many of us have made carved walnut mandolins. here's one i made many years ago, and even the neck...
Ever try to flatpick a violin? ;)
Search the forum; we've been over this many times...
They were nickel silver.
Of course, since he couldn't get anything better. ;)
Guys, I know I can be over the top at times. But if the worse thing anyone can ever say of me was that I was too...
Too tough on tools and me
Don't we owe our clients the best we can give them? At least, offer it as an option. Simply refusing to use a better product because you think it's harder to use is a...
most has hated them and several have asked us to remove them and replace them with "normal" frets.
Which is why I didn't tell anyone. The only way to get a true idea of whether or not they do feel...
Paul, my other guitars, and especially my mandolin, show pretty severe fret wear within a year, and need fresh ones with 2 to 3 years, so nearly 4 years now, without a mark on the only guitar I now...
I find SS easier to take to a high polish than the old nickel silver frets. Gotta use power tools to do it, though. And they hold that polish perfectly. I've been using SS pretty much exclusively...
Paul, I agree that the EVO is very nice to work with, but in which manner(wear, tone, etc...) does it outperform SS?
Way, way too much glue!
You shouldn't have glue all over the place, on your fingers, etc... Just the slightest amount on the binding, almost dry, is all that's needed. With too much glue, your...
The spalted maple will be fine for the back, as long as you thickness it accordingly, but I'd worry about bending the ribs. I've used spalted maple and spalted birch for bindings on guitars, and it's...
Most any of the "wood-only" tonewood dealers will fix you up. Try Allied lutherie for a start.
Can you say "grain runout"? We want to use the wood's natural strength to the best we can, which means not cutting it at angles if we can avoid doing so, and we can.
Besides, what you're proposing...
Well, most nice old mandolins I see don't have -that- much rust/oxidation anywhere, either. Rare is the owner who doesn't clean his/her mandolin a bit, at least once in a while. Either one of these...
Okay, gotcha...