Grizzly mandolin kits

**bluegrassplayer** · Oct-26-2005, 11:51am

I saw a mandolin kit in the Grizzly tool catalog, has anybody ever built one? What is the quality like?

**arbarnhart** · Oct-26-2005, 12:08pm

Download the instruction manual and look at the picture of the step where you attach the neck using 3 dowels. This may work okay, but it scared me away.

**chipotle** · Oct-26-2005, 11:14pm

bluegrassplayer,

I posted the same message a little more than a year ago and I have learned a lot (LOT) since then.

The Grizzly is cetainly a viable option for a kit. The componants are prebuilt and you assemble the parts the finish the wood.

There are kits to build that may be more gratifiying. The Stewart McDonald kit and the International Violin kit come to mind, both with their benefits. There is another kit available that I cannot think of the name of but the builder posts here often and has great customer support.

Run a search for kits or builders.... like I said I have learned a lot from this forum. I have a new interest in this and to be able to read posts from the likes of people like Michael Lewis is just fantastic.

**Bill Snyder** · Oct-26-2005, 11:25pm

The Grizzly kit is laminated wood top, back and sides (basically plywood). The International Violin kit is cheaper and solid wood.

**Antlurz** · Oct-27-2005, 1:49am

While involving more skills (and more money) than some of the other cheaper kits, depending upon which complexity level of the kit purchased, Roger Siminoff offers several different carved soundboard/backboard, Loar based mando kits for sale.

Unlike the rest, he offers a very wide range of variables in his kits. You can order kits from him that all of the hard work has been done, or save money and do more yourself. Any way you choose, it will be a learning experience, and you will end up with an excellent mandolin if you follow through with building it properly.

Ron

**Darren Kern** · Oct-27-2005, 1:55am

I think the Grizzly kit is ok for someone not really interested in learning about building, but wants to assemble a cheap mandolin to play, and maybe learn a little bit about staining. #The International Violin kit can be very simple (although not as simple as the Grizzly kit), or it can be quite involved, depending on how you approach it. #Some have just put them together and some have spent a lot of time and effort on them, and the results show. #A Stew-Mac Campfire mandolin kit is a good starter kit to learn on as well. #When you look at the Stew-Mac F5 and the Siminoff F5 kits, you are going to be doing some building, and will require more tools and jigs than the other kits I've mentioned.

**John Bertotti** · Oct-27-2005, 2:05am

Luthier is the man who posts here often and has kits. I built one and it is great. I would definetly pick one of his over the stew mac campfire kit.

**Antlurz** · Oct-27-2005, 2:18am

If you feel you have some decent woodworking abilities, and aren't afraid to explore new territory, I would strongly suggest giving a hard look at some of the more expensive kits. True, they require more work and concentration, but the mandolin you produce from them can be on par with some of the best ones around IF you do it correctly.

If you are unsure of your abilities, then an easier one might be best to start with to see what you can make of it.

Even a cheap kit, if carefully constructed, can produce a really nice mandolin....

Ron

**Steve Williams** · Oct-27-2005, 9:17am

bluegrassplayer,

I assembled one of the Grizzly kits last year. It is pretty much a glue together/finish it project, and is indeed a plywood mandolin. I upgraded the tuners and tailpiece with some extras that I had, took my time with the finish, and the sound surprised me...nothing great, but better than most of the newer laminated mandos that I have heard.

That said, if you want a bluegrass A-style mando, I believe that I would recommend the IV kit for you...less money, solid wood. If you want one for old-time or Celtic, Don Kawalek ("Luthier")'s kit is the way to go. Great product, and Don will guide you by phone or e-mail every step of the way. If you ever get a chance to attend one of his mandolin building workshops go for it...it's a great jump-start into mandolin building.

Whatever kit you decide on - enjoy!

**Luthier** · Oct-27-2005, 9:37am

Here to help if I can. #I'm not the least expensive but I have a great kit of solid wood and I will help you on line or on the phone. #I make each kit myself and I leave a lot of work for the builder to do. #It is the only way to really learn and it is as close to building from scratch as you can get.
http://www.donkawalek.com/

Don