Mandonaught s prototype

[martinedwards]

OK troops, following the wisdom of the great and the good in the luthiers forum, here's the latest incarnation of the mandonaught. #

May I present......

The mandonaught S

(for shortened)





I've cut about 2" from the forward bout to move the bridge deeper into the body. #12th fret neck join also moves in a little over a 14th, and I never play up there anyway!!

Back, sides, rosette & neck are walnut, top is sitka, binding & fretboard are rosewood, purfling maple.

scale is standard Stewmac 13 and a bit inches, bridge is ebony from two black keys off a dead piano.

I'm DELIGHTED with it!!

soundclip.......

here is is beside it's bigger brother (which I re-set the neck and made a maple bridge for.... it's now on Evil Bay, but I'll be keeping the S

[Bill Snyder]

Martin I don't mean to pick on you but the standard StewMac scale length is almost 14" (13 7/8").

[markishandsome]

I like the look of the new one. Bridges too far up the body (like on those Royale things) just look a little "off". I think the shortened body shape is a little more distinctive also. I'm always amazed with the speed at which you put these together. Keep up the great work!

[Gibson A5]

Looks great and your sound clip sounds great. You couldn't ask for more from a new design.
Bill P.

[Jim Garber]

here is is beside it's bigger brother (which I re-set the neck and made a maple bridge for.... it's now on Evil Bay, but I'll be keeping the S

Boy, Martin, you are not much in the way of a self-promoter. Maybe a few of the Cafe denizens might be interested in bidding on your beauty. Check it out <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Martin-Edwards-Irish-Handmade-Mandonaught-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ150131711273QQihZ005QQcategory
Z10179QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">here</a>.

Jim

[martinedwards]

huh? wha?

yes it's on ebay, but there's self promotion and there's stepping on sponsors toes, y'know??

as for the speed, well, it's the last few weeks of term in the school where I teach and now that the seniors have left I have 23 free peroids (thats a mere 15 1/2 hours)on top of lunch & coffee break times!!

still I reckon theres only about 20 hours actual "hands on" time in one of these..... some day I'll have to get disciplined and keep a diary.......

The exams are all over, and no-one is really keen on the idea of working too hard.....like THAT makes a difference!!

and Curious Bill, where I come from 7/8 is still a bit of an inch!!

but then we're all metric over here in civilisation, so I might have that wrong

[martinedwards]

and there's a bid in on the maple mando!!

yay!! that'll pay for the trussrod fingerboard & tuners for the next two builds