Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

  1. #1
    Registered User Prince of Darkness's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    18

    Default Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Hi all,
    This is my mandocello, which I made by converting a very cheap guitar.


  2. #2
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halfway, MO
    Posts
    2,128

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Beautiful. Got a soundclip?

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    95

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Yes. looks great. Would love to hear a clip too.

  4. #4
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    8,347
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Pretty and pretty awesome. You do lovely work that is for sure.

    Can you discuss what lead you to those three holes? Or was it perhaps from a pick-up installed on the guitar?

    Also it looks like you did not slim the guitar neck down? So you have a 1 11/16" nut?

    Wondering also if you did an special reinforcement of the neck?

    Looking forward to a sound clip also!
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Looks great! What type of guitar did it start life as? Has a kinda Applause looking headstock.
    Last edited by mandolooter; May-01-2010 at 10:43pm. Reason: duh
    Look up (to see whats comin down)

  6. #6
    Is there a "talent" knob? Christian McKee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    704

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    OP: Love, love, love your avatar picture!
    Christian McKee

    Member, The Big North Duo
    Musical Director, The Oregon Mandolin Orchestra

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    San Diego CA
    Posts
    2,200

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Quote Originally Posted by mandolooter View Post
    Looks great! What type of guitar did it start life as?
    +1 here. Great looking, and would love to hear about about the conversion process. THanks for sharing.

  8. #8
    Registered User Prince of Darkness's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    18

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    This started off as a Melody Model No: F01 E2. It has a laminated top and molded plastic back and sides. All sound holes were original, so no idea about the 3 little ones. The neck is bolted on and, like the body, has white plastic binding. The nut is 1 3/4", with the string spacing being determined by trial and error. Tail piece and tuning machines are standard mandolin units. The bridge is the original unit. I intend at some point to veneer over the headstock, hiding the two holes left by the centre tuning posts. There is no additional reinforcement of the neck, though I have adjusted the truss rod. Strings are D'Addario J-78s.
    I would describe my woodworking skills as pretty basic, so anyone with a cheap archtop guitar handy should be able to produce a Mandocello on the cheap.
    I'm happy with the sound and will eventually post a clip.
    "Always carry a large flagon of whisky, in case of snake bite and, furthermore, always carry a small snake."


    Kevin

  9. #9
    Registered User Prince of Darkness's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    18

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    As promised, here's a clip of me playing my Mandocello. Apologies for the quality of the playing.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8OCZJR_LOI
    "Always carry a large flagon of whisky, in case of snake bite and, furthermore, always carry a small snake."


    Kevin

  10. #10
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    Posts
    8,347
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Quote Originally Posted by Prince of Darkness View Post
    As promised, here's a clip of me playing my Mandocello. Apologies for the quality of the playing.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8OCZJR_LOI
    No apologies needed that was great and the mandocello sounds wonderful. Obviously you read notation as well. A big round of applause for you!!!
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  11. #11
    Registered User Prince of Darkness's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    18

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Thank you Bernie. Wish I did read notation, that was mandolin tab I was reading.
    "Always carry a large flagon of whisky, in case of snake bite and, furthermore, always carry a small snake."


    Kevin

  12. #12
    Confused... or?
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Over the Hudson & thru the woods from NYC
    Posts
    2,927

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Very Nice! I wish my "cheap guitar" (a '63 Kay) could look that good!

    Quote Originally Posted by Prince of Darkness View Post
    ... I intend at some point to veneer over the headstock, hiding the two holes left by the centre tuning posts. ...
    In Frets.com, Frank Ford details a similar conversion. As I recall, he used matching plugs that blended well with the headstock veneer and really didn't need a new overlay. Of course his aim was, at least partially, to preserve the original Martin logo!
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

  13. #13
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Co. Mayo, Ireland
    Posts
    3,569

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Well done to you! Your mandocello sounds the business!

    Cheers,
    Jill
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

  14. #14
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halfway, MO
    Posts
    2,128

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Nice job, Kevin. The mandocello sounds great.

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Richmond,Va.
    Posts
    323

    Default Re: Renforth K-9 Mandocello.

    Awesome job!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •