Mandolin Glossary

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Mortise and Tenon

An open mortise and tenon joint example as used in traditional woodworking

Mortise and tenon is a type of neck joint used in instrument construction with other types being dovetail and bolt-on. As with a dovetail joint, mortise and tenon is a fitted and glued joint, the purpose of which is to join the neck of the instrument to the body.

The terms "mortise" and "tenon" are defined respectively as:

mortise: a usually rectangular cavity in a piece of wood, prepared to receive a tenon and thus form a joint.

tenon: a projection on the end of a piece of wood shaped for insertion into a mortise to make a joint.

There are several types of joints of this nature, with an open style shown here being the most likely to be used in a mandolin.

Additional information:
Mortise and tenon examples used in traditional woodworking, from Google Images.

Authored by: Mandolin Cafe