Latest Kelley's

**Skip Kelley** · Jul-04-2012, 11:04am

Here are some pics of my latest work. The guitar is an L-00 body shape I started 2 years ago. ADD kicks in and then I leave it alone and work on mandolins!

I finally finished it. Mahogany body, Sitka top, tortise binding and varnish finish. It will be a good fingerpicking blues guitar. It is my LBG model... "Little Bitty Guitar"

The mandolin is a red spruce, tone bar braced mandolin with a very nice one piece back of big leaf maple I bought off ebay. Side bound ivoroid binding. Varnish finish is Captains varnish. Big fat hollow log sound on this one and it was finished in April. It has two of my favorite mandolin accessories, a James tailpiece and a Lakota's leather strap. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

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**Charles E.** · Jul-04-2012, 11:09am

Very nice Skip! That L-OO body looks like it might be a nice size for a tenor guitar.

**Kevin K** · Jul-04-2012, 11:55am

Both of those look fantastic. I like that fat hollow log sound.

**billhay4** · Jul-04-2012, 12:30pm

Nice stuff, Skip.
I can attest that Skip's mandos are very nice sounding, and have a great bluegrass chop.
Nicely made, too.
Bill

**tburcham** · Jul-04-2012, 12:30pm

Beautiful work Skip! The back on that mandolin is fabulous! Great work on the finish...good looking burst.

**pickloser** · Jul-04-2012, 12:50pm

Wow, Skip. Both are beauties.

**OldGus** · Jul-04-2012, 3:04pm

They both look Awesome! Are you keeping the guitar? It sounds like it wasn't a custom order.

**Bigtuna** · Jul-04-2012, 3:22pm

Very nice work, they look great!

**Skip Kelley** · Jul-04-2012, 3:48pm

Thanks for the kind words everyone!
OldGus, yes, I built the guitar for myself.

**StevenS** · Jul-04-2012, 5:59pm

Skip,

Love the way the figure on the one-piece back and the neck line up. Great warm 'burst too.

Beautiful work,yet again!

Steve

**J.Sloan** · Jul-04-2012, 7:53pm

Nice looking work on both!! It inspires a novice builder like me. The "hollow log" tone is a great description for those who have heard that sound before. I always wanna say"hully" sound. Regardless, that sound "tops em' all" to me. Wish I could put a pick on it!

**jazzman13** · Jul-05-2012, 12:12am

Looking good, and sounding great as well, I imagine. Congratulations, Skip!

**Max Girouard** · Jul-05-2012, 6:59am

Awesome work Skip!

**Trey Young** · Jul-05-2012, 7:28am

Nice work Skip!

**Randi Gormley** · Jul-05-2012, 8:39am

Nice indeed. Congrats!

**Don Grieser** · Jul-05-2012, 9:13am

Beautiful work, Skip. Love the colors in the bursts.

**Agustin** · Jul-05-2012, 2:04pm

Very nice work, Skip. Beautifull colors.

**baptist mando55** · Jul-05-2012, 3:42pm

skip I know you learned a lot from CE Ward do your mandos have a Ward like sound?.. his good ones were as good as any and people that own one seldom let them go. Learned my first tun on Bruce Jones Ward

**Skip Kelley** · Jul-06-2012, 6:39am

Thanks again to all for the compliments!

Baptist mando55, to answer your question, I don't think my mandolin sound like CE's mandolins. Two entirely different animals. He used X-bracing when I worked with him and I am using tone bar bracing. I like the sound and tone that I am getting. I welcome you to come over and try one of mine out. Thanks!