Mandolin Glossary

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Dovetail

Dovetail prior to insertion - courtesy of Don MacRostie at Red Diamond Mandolins

The term dovetail refers to a very old and common technique in woodworking used to join two pieces of wood.

For mandolins this is common and favored way to join the neck to the body of the instrument and shown in this photo.

A dovetail for mandolin consists of an angled finger or tail (male) on the neck end and a matching socket (female) for it to fit into joined to the body.

When the two are joined, the angle holds the joint together with greater strength than a straight cut.

Additional information:
Roger Siminoff's Anatomy of a Neck Joint

Authored by: Don MacRostie

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