IRISH BOUZOUKI (OCTAVE MANDOLIN) Kits

**Kip Carter** · Jan-14-2012, 4:28pm

Don --- I should add too that a major part of what is driving me towards going with Don's kit rather than attempting a scratch first build is that Don's kit comes with Don's support. The camp has that support more closely at hand to be sure but I could buy something from StewMac and have likely a similar value but I see the ability to bounce ideas and problems off of Don as worth a great deal.

I hate being the noob...but bottom line is that you have to be the noob to become the craftsman there is no way around it. But having someone there that I can fire off a question; how be it stupid or not; is priceless to get past the noob jitters.
Have a great weekend y'all!
Kip...

**Pipeous** · Jan-14-2012, 10:49pm

yupper. I saved the link. have to pay off the credit card from last purchase then going to get one. not sure I'd be changing the tuners. if they work fine why bother? strings I keep extra sets on hand for every instrument I own and stock up so no worries.

I build remote control models. I hate buying one that is factory built because they never build them right and I end up stripping them down. I am clueless when it comes to building an instrument though. so a kit to me sounds like a fun project. at worst it will look awesome sitting in my garage of instruments I have been collecting

**Kip Carter** · Jan-14-2012, 11:08pm

Hey Pipeous...
The only reason I'm thinking about an initial swap of the tuner machines is that the Ping tuners are an unknown quantity to me. The StewMac tuners I know are of good (maybe not great) quality and perform well for many people and while the Pings may be fine if I did choose to swap them later it means backing out screws and putting in others. Perhaps in the same holes perhaps slightly different holes. Regardless weakening (perhaps ever so slightly) the head. So I'm just thinking that if I order the full kit with hardware. I can do the swap of the tuners and install the StewMac tuners at the onset then hold on to the pings for another project that might make sense. (for example: MY Ibenez tuners are crap!)

As far as strings go, I can be a bit of a snob with strings. I like what I like and I don't see the sense in settling for anything else.

So when you ordering yours??? LOL
Kip...

**Pipeous** · Jan-14-2012, 11:15pm

after end of the month bills. wednesday is payday and that will cover what I have spent recently (gotta love holidays and overtime rates). got a speeding ticket to pay as car insurance is due feb 3rd... so if I put it on the credit card around the 5th I won't see the bill until the following month... seems repairing my bumper on the car is getting pushed to march... hehe.

problem is now that I've found I love mandolin, I don't play my guitars much anymore. and I want to take some online lessons with Rich Delgrosso, and maybe the Mike Marshall stuff after that.

I worked for a sales company in Calgary way back and the manager used to say your signature all the time

**Kip Carter** · Jan-14-2012, 11:20pm

Awesome.. then you can give me a few pointers from your experience... I have some resto projects (bowlbacks) that I want to complete before jumping in on the OM project..

The tag line... yeah... I believe it.. along with success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
Regards,
Kip...

**Pipeous** · Jan-14-2012, 11:44pm

we'll see. I just sent an email off... I might be able to swing this right away. I wanted to see what options are available in the kit... oh boy

**multidon** · Jan-15-2012, 9:19am

The kit costs 460 with hardware and 420 without. The tuners are pings. not sure about the tailpiece. If and when I do it I will probably order without hardware and go with Grovers and a cast tailpiece of some kind.

**Luthier** · Jan-15-2012, 4:23pm

Well I guess I should chime in here.... Back in 2000 I was approached to give my first workshop which was held at the 4H center in Front Royal, Va. That was a long time ago. My gosh I remember a class of 15+ and we were using cinder blocks for clamps...
It is 2012. My kits have evolved so far. I only do a short production run of about 15 OM kits in the summer time when I am off from school. I have learned much. The materials I use are all solid wood, air dried, quarter sawn and I will never skimp on them. You know. Better ingredients. Better kits. Papa Dons. The one thing I pride myself in besides the talent that the good lord has given me, is my craftsmanship that has been honed over the last 36 years and my teaching ability. I will help anyone, anytime regardless whether they are building one of my kits or another one. I have not been on here as regularly as I used to but I am still available if anyone needs any help at anytime. I also thank all of you for your praise and accolades you have given me.
Don
BTW I scored a wonderful amount of Spalted Maple if anyone would need any. I am still stock piling Black Walnut for when I retire in 8 years. One day I would love to just take a few folks at a time to teach them all I know about building.

**Kip Carter** · Jan-15-2012, 4:37pm

Don,
I have yet to build one of your kits but if you've been reading the thread safe to say that myself and several others are impressed with your program and your kits. If you ever have the mind to do a day camp in Birmingham let me know! LOL In the mean time soon as I get my current project load out of the way, I plan on ordering my OM kit.

Have a great weekend!
Kip...

**Luthier** · Jan-16-2012, 5:08am

I am here. Yell when you need me. I can't believe my 17" Grizzly band saw tires that I have ordered are on Back Order until late March!!! Sheesh.
Don

**SGraham** · Jan-16-2012, 10:02am

I just ordered a set of plans from Don a couple of days ago. They haven't arrived yet, but Don sent me the entire set in a PDF format "to wet my whistle." I have to say they look great. There are 12 sheets of plans and a set of very detailed instructions with illustrations. Someone wanted to know about options the plans offer. Here are a couple:
1) You have a choice between two headblock shapes. One creates a 1/2" reverse curve between the bout and the headblock, while the other creates a 1/4" reverse curve. They are both clearly delineated on the plans so you get a good idea what each will look like.
2) You have a choice between a snakehead or a paddlehead style headstock.
There may be other choices, but that's all I've found after a cursory readthrough. I can't wait to get started!

**Kip Carter** · Jan-16-2012, 10:28am

Keep us abreast of your progress Steve. I can enjoy the effort vicariously though your labor!

Kip...

**Pipeous** · Jan-16-2012, 2:39pm

Just about to click the send button on my paypal... getting the complete kit myself. Now what do I do with all this crap in my shop? guess the motorcycle has to go outside with the cover on. oh boy. 2 new mandolins in one month.... mind you how long it takes me to finish this one is another story... the journey begins. been a few years since I built a scale helicopter (flew it once and sold it)

**Kip Carter** · Jan-16-2012, 2:54pm

LOL Go Barry go!! Yeah my bike needs a new home to make room for my growing passion for working on stringed instruments. <sigh> Anyone know of an inexpensive shed one can purchase that is secure enough to park a 800lb vibrator in?
Kip...

**Kip Carter** · Jan-16-2012, 2:58pm

Hey guys, either of you planning on electrifying your creations? If so, are you looking at the K&K rig?

Don, if you're reading, do you have a recommendation here?
Regards,
Kip...

**Pipeous** · Jan-16-2012, 4:36pm

I have an electric mando, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass... and I find I like recording with a mic way better. don't know if I will use this on stage or not. we'll see. my newest mando coming isn't electric

well I paid for my kit. extra $30 for shipping to canada was cheap. Don had it all boxed up and ready before I even paid. we emailed back and forth a few times. sending me his phone and cel numbers in case. I am not too worried. one drummer I jam with is a cabinet maker so I can bug him.

I like being able to use hand tools to finish this. working graveyards I am ambitious when people are asleep.

also just asked about the banjo kits. none listed but I see he has a banjo workshop... be cool. I just think of this as another hobby. I sold most of my 1/5 scale cars to buy my motorcycle last spring. I built, tinkered and then let most just sit on the shelf... never saw gas. I liked building them more than driving them but I always lost money selling them... I have lots of space on the walls here for instrument hooks and they look cool even if I don't play them that often, some anyway

**Luthier** · Jan-17-2012, 12:14pm

Let me do a little research for youon this. I did retrofit / modify a pickup for a guy that bought one of my mandolins and it worked rather well.
Don

**Pipeous** · Jan-18-2012, 8:48am

Thanks for shipping my kit out so fast Don. Our emails make me wish I lived down your way. I think we could have a beer and jam all day

**Kip Carter** · Jan-18-2012, 8:53am

Don does kinda sorta live down my way... a bit closer to the Mason / Dixon line that us folks in Bama but its all cool.

Okay so West Virginia is a piece from Bham... but it is still the south.

Kip...

**Luthier** · Jan-19-2012, 4:26am

FTI. Now my tires for my 17" bandsaw are back ordered until late April!! I am done with Grizzly.
Don

**otterly2k** · Jan-20-2012, 10:29pm

don't be fooled, Kip, Don is transplanted from New Jersey!

re: hardware. I ended up putting a cast tailpiece (one that takes loops and balls) on my OM, and I think that was a good decision.

**Luthier** · Jan-21-2012, 5:45am

Exit 18....Y'all....
Don

**kkmm** · Jan-21-2012, 11:03am

Kip - your strategy appears to be very similar to mine. I am currently about to finish an F-style kit (the easiest kit to assemble). The next step is to build a better kit (all solid woods), requiring more elaborate works. At mean while, I do setup on mandolins (my own and my friends who trust what I did to mine). Essentially, this strategy allows me to learn details along the way, but not all at once as that would overwhell a novice like me, and that also fits with the tools I have or plan to buy for the project.
I am only dreaming about building from scratch, this requires lot of fancy wood working tools and skills. Unless I am a good carpenter with these tools in place, I can't believe I will build a mando from scratch. This is just me , being very realistic about my abilities and limitations.
Oh, I forgot, I certainly could build a pocket-mandolin (only 4 strings and about 7 to 9 frets) from scratch. It won't sound as good as a real mandolin, but it's a fun project to do using simple tools and materials bought from Home Depot or Lowes.
Here is the link to this pocket-mandolin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9T9d2ECfJk

**Pipeous** · Jan-28-2012, 9:25am

I just unpacked the kit from Don finally. I will take some pics shortly, dam camera battery was dead...

first impressions is there is a ton of information. lots of little helpful hint sheets from care, to truss rod and such. nicely laid out plans, pages and pages of stuff. if I have any trouble it won't be for lack of info or diagrams. I thought the front and back were going to be the same wood but they aren't... which is actually cool. the inlay around the soundhole is allready done. the bridge is a one piece that is allready shaped. fretboard is slotted.

I have one more night of work so I'll leave the stuff out on the table. started snowing again this morning so the shop is cold. then I have 4 days to start tinkering, well collecting a couple tools, glue and such to get started. patience is going to be tough.

I'll take some pics and post them when I wake up