build or buy?

**StuartGold** · Jul-26-2012, 6:57pm

I have built a banjo and a guitar. Both came out very well and I have all the tools. To build a Mando it is very doable BUT is it worth it. I can save a bunch of money building from scratch but the project would be a LOT of work or I could get a good kit from Stew Mac or Siminoff. Since I am a beginner, I would like to have a good sounding instrument but in that price range, I can also get some fairly well made Mandolins. Is it worth it to build other than just to have a project?

**bigskygirl** · Jul-26-2012, 7:09pm

Well, I built a Saga kit and it cost less than $100 and sounds pretty good. I still need to work on the nut a bit but overall I thought it was a good value. If I buy one it would be the Eastman 305 probably and that costs about $500 so for me the build route was more economical. I built two guitars from Saga kits and they needed alot of adjustment for intonation but overall they came out pretty good and I've learned alot about building an instrument.

**sunburst** · Jul-26-2012, 8:40pm

If you want a good mandolin, buy one. If you want a good project, built one.
The simple fact is; if you spend the time and effort that you would put into building a mandolin into making money instead, you can buy a better mandolin than you can build on your first try. That applies even if you have built a couple of other instruments. On the other hand, building a mandolin is a great project and can result in a pretty good instrument, so the choice is yours.

**Paul Busman** · Jul-27-2012, 5:07am

I'd suggest doing both. Build an inexpensive kit like the Saga for the experience. You'll end up with a decent mandolin and have a lot of fun. After you re-save the cost of the kit, buy the "good" one and keep the kit build for a beater.

**Folkmusician.com** · Jul-27-2012, 1:46pm

I would only build one for the enjoyment of building it. With a nice F-style kit you are looking at $700+ or so for a build cost. Can you make a better kit mandolin that what you can buy new for $700? It would depend on your attention to detail and the graduation. It would be hard on your first try. Scratch building should only be done out of a love for the art.

**Rick Lindstrom** · Jul-27-2012, 7:06pm

I don't think anyone builds to save money. They build because they are compelled to do it. Are you? If so, build.

**StuartGold** · Jul-29-2012, 5:39pm

YEP! You are right. I just couldn't help myself and pulled the trigger this morning. I don;t know if I need a mold for this kit but I just glued two pieces of mdf in preparation. I have built two instruments before, a Martin OM kit and years ago with the help of legendary luthier Ren Ferguson a bluegrass banjo. I guess here we go again!

**belbein** · Jul-29-2012, 7:59pm

You'll enjoy building the kit. I built a mold for my octave mandolin, and for the bass acoustic guitar I'm building. One thing I learned from both: if the female mold is PERFECT, it really helps keep everything in alignment. To wit: keeps the sides at 90 degrees. That makes everything else easier. Pay particular attention to your center line.

The other thing I learned (this is One Thing Part B) is that the male mold is useless. It's useless for two reasons: (1) its only purpose it to hold the sides against the sides of the female mold but (2) you have to move it before you put the kerfing on and certainly before you put the top on.

I just did a guitar building course in which the Maestro used two spreaders to push the sides against the female mold, which stayed in until even after he put the top AND BOTTOM on. (He took them out through the sound hole.) The sides never came out of the mold until top and bottom were on--which kept them "true" through the entire process. It's so much easier than what I did, with the male mold that had to come out and the sides that had to come out of the mold before the top and bottom were on.

**StuartGold** · Jul-29-2012, 8:32pm

Glad that you reminded me about the male mold. I need to divide it to be able to take it out once the glued kerfing is dried. Should not be too hard to figure out.

**belbein** · Jul-30-2012, 4:54pm

Uh, Stuart, you missed my point. You can divide the male mold, that's cool. That's what I did. But even if you can take it out once the kerfing is on, you HAVE to take it out once the top or bottom is on. So if you have any problems with sides being 90 degrees to horizontal, or the symmetry is off, you've just thrown away your ability to control it once you have both sides on. I think this is a valuable insight from my teacher, and one that's (almost) worth the price of the course.

**StuartGold** · Jul-30-2012, 5:13pm

I guess that it's twice as bad as I thought as I really don't understand what I am misunderstanding (a double negative?) The mold is two pieces, cut in half and is clamped to complete it. I wouldn't glue on the bottom unless the sides were true. One of the reasons I am using a mold is to use it's weight (with a bit of elbow grease) to sand the kerfing. I plan to use contact glue to hold down sandpaper on a 1/2" glass table top. Turning the mold upside down and sanding like that, allows me to get it very flat surface on the kerfing without using a sanding stick . Without needing to put a specific radius angle on the kerfing (as in making a guitar), it's very easy this way. I also plan to use the mold to stabilize the rim when I glue on the back using my go-bar deck. When I am done, I just unclamp the mold and it falls apart into two pieces leaving the finished closed box. Am I missing something?

**belbein** · Jul-30-2012, 9:47pm

Twice twice as bad, because I don't understand what you just said. Never mind. I'm sure you know what you're doing. Post pictures when you get it set up. I like to learn other approaches.

**sunburst** · Jul-30-2012, 9:55pm

Originally Posted by StuartGold

Am I missing something?

Don't think so. That's basically how I do it, except I glue the top first. One thing to watch for; check your rim with a straight edge as you sand it flat on your sanding board. The head and/or tail block can tend to rotate from the friction of the sandpaper and not sand truly level. Sanding with a twisting motion as well as back and forth strokes helps keep things in line. I have a spreader that goes inside the rim to hold it firmly against the form.

**StuartGold** · Jul-31-2012, 8:46am

Yeah! That was how I was planning to do it. I'll try to post a photo. Regarding the top, since it's an IV kit, the top is already attached to the rim. It's going to be the back kerfing that I'm talking about.

**sunburst** · Jul-31-2012, 8:57am

With the top already glued to the rim (who'd'a thought...) the form isn't really necessary, and since the rim wasn't assembled in the form*, the fit probably won't be as good as if it had been. No reason not to use it in the way you outlined, but once I get the top glued to the rim, I can work with the instrument out of the form, so you might save some time by not bothering with the form.

*Normally, the form determines the shape of the instrument, not the other way around, so fitting the form to the predetermined shape seems like extra work to me.

**StuartGold** · Jul-31-2012, 11:13am

Just thought that the form might add a bit more support while using the Go-Bar deck to glue down the back.

**kkmm** · Aug-01-2012, 3:51pm

I don't think anyone builds to save money. They build because they are compelled to do it.

I agree to this. I built because I was compelled to do it for engineering and artistic reasons (I already play mandolin quite well when I build my first one). If the goal is to get a good instrument to play, then buying will allow you to start practicing much sooner. All the time spent on the build can go in the practice.
My second build was a tenor ukulele (almost scratch build), took me 8 weeks (while working full time job) to get it complete. I would have played ukulele much better now if I bought one.
I did ask myself recently: should I build an electric bass guitar myself OR buy one? Since I just want to play (in church, parties, etc.. ), I bought one (last week) and start practicing it, within a week I can play bass along with 3 dozen songs (MP3s). I did practice bass part using a normal guitar occasionally, the real one sounds a lot better as it's REAL. So buying will get you farther ahead from the performing aspect. But I miss the fun of building it !!!