Siminoff Mandolin Kits [Archive] - Mandolin Cafe Forum

jim simpson

Dec-23-2003, 7:55am

I was going to order a top for a project of mine but I noticed that he will carve from wood supplied by the customer. I have a joined top blank that I started many years ago and didn't finish. I am going to send it to him and have an F-4 top carved out of it. He sent me a template to make sure their setup would match my needs.

Greenmando

Dec-23-2003, 5:14pm

Same here, I have a great bookmatched set of quilted maple that I am joining and then surface planing to the 5/8 spec. I wonder if I can just drop it off when I go to my parents in a few weeks, hmmmm.

tabeck5

Dec-23-2003, 8:35pm

I didn't notice that they will machine wood also. Let me know how they turn out or if anyone has looked over their kits. Im an apartment bulder so the more noisy work that gets done the better.

Yonkle

Jan-01-2004, 7:45pm

I am in the process of ordering one from Roger. You don't have to just take "The Kit" you can specify what type of wood Front, back, neck (flame, quilt, one piece two piece ect.) and get all the kit of just part of it if you already have some parts and pieces at home.
I have E-Mailed Roger about 5 times in the last week with lots of questions, and he has responded in less than 24hrs. to all e mails. So far I like the guy! Very helpful!
I've done 2 StewMAc kits A and F5, this will be #3, I will let you know the results in a few months! JD

mandokid

Jan-07-2004, 2:38pm

I just inquired about his kits. He says he will soon be offering A5 kits.

tabeck5

Jan-08-2004, 8:40pm

thanks for the information, let me know how it turns out. I would be interested to see how they stack up against Stew-Macs, which are a bit overpriced, Siminoff's prices seem a bit more reasonable.

Yonkle

Feb-06-2004, 12:03am

Got about 50 hours in already on the new F5. The wood Siminoff sends is graduated already to Loar specs,(which is nice) The outside of the front and back and the neck are pretty rough looking,neck real rough and the rim is not built, you have to cut the rim and glue it into a mold with the neck/scroll joint and points. The rim is a bit tricky but I got it done. I got the scrolls carved in the last few days and the tone bars shaped and glued in and glued the top on last night. Its coming along well. Overall I would say the Stew Mac kit comes "more built" and the wood is cleaned up more (but not graduated) Now that I got a good grip on the Siminoff wood I think it is going to work out better than my last two stewmac's a5 and f5. I am using different wood than Stewmac provides, and with the proper graduations done already I am hoping for a louder/warmer tone. 1-piece
maple back and Adironack Red Spruce top! (heres a few photos of the progress) I've sanded my fingerprints off! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Yonkle

Feb-06-2004, 12:05am

Front on rim and scrolls carved, front snd back.

crawdad

Feb-06-2004, 12:15am

Thanks for posting the pics and the info. I've been curious about the Siminoff kits ever since this thread started. Keep us posted!

mandokid

Feb-06-2004, 9:55am

Looks like its coming along well Yonkle, good luck. I've also been interesting in ordering a siminoff kit. Because they come graduated, does this mean that a caliper is not required? Also, what is the rim?

Yonkle

Feb-06-2004, 6:02pm

The rim is the sides of the mandolin see first photo.

dave-d

Feb-10-2004, 8:46pm

I'm curious to hear how the progress is going so far so keep the news coming...

Yonkle

Feb-17-2004, 11:50am

Here are a few more pics of the progress. I got about 150 hour in so far. JD

Yonkle

Feb-17-2004, 11:51am

Here you can see the figure starting to come out of the back. It's only sanded at this point up to 150 grit.

Yonkle

Feb-17-2004, 11:53am

Here is the sides and I put the binding on the head last night. (Which is a pain) JD

mad dawg

Feb-17-2004, 5:41pm

I understand Siminoff lets you customize your kit (e.g. radiused fingerboard, fat frets, non-standard binding colors, etc.) while Stew-Mac doesn't; is this so?

Scotti Adams

Feb-17-2004, 6:32pm

..whats the cost of this kit compared to the Stew-Mac kit?...and where can I find it on the web?

dj9124

Feb-17-2004, 6:45pm

Scotti, you can find Siminoffs web site by going to the links page at the cafe and look at the listings under Specialty Mandolin Sites.
Dave

Scotti Adams

Feb-17-2004, 7:37pm

..hey thanks Jacob and Dave....my 40th birthday is coming up(gulp) and my wife was asking me what I wanted within reason....so Im thinking of trying my hand at building one of these puppies.....I really cant decide which one to get....although I do like the idea of the videos that you can get with the Stew-Mac kit to help you along....

Scotti Adams

Feb-17-2004, 7:40pm

Hey Yonkle..are you done taking the top down?....because to me it looks awfully thick....judging by the edge I see in the F hole..it looks like 1/4 inch thick...

Yonkle

Feb-18-2004, 12:21am

No not done yet, still have to thin her out a bit. But as a comparison the binding is 7/32 and the F holes now are about 5/32 a hair over 1/8" It does look thicker than that in the pic http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

mandoJeremy

Feb-18-2004, 12:26am

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing Scotti. #It does look really thick in that photo, although I might add that it looks like you are doing a really great job Yonkle. Looks great all around, the scroll, the f-holes, etc.

AeroJoe

Feb-18-2004, 1:18am

Yonkle.../dude, you definitely have the gift/...suspect it won't be long until your name is alongside Brentrup, Gilchrist and the other big boys...NICE work...please keep the photos coming.

Scotti Adams

Feb-18-2004, 7:52am

..yep...looking good...thanks for the clarification and keep up the good work....I think Im leaning more toward the Stew-Mac kit for my first one...

Yonkle

Feb-19-2004, 1:44am

Good choice Scottie: The Stew Mac is easier than the Siminoff in most aspects. The Stewmacs are not grauated however, so this must be done by you, and if you are too thick as I was on my last two you will be building another soon. Thats the main reason I went Siminoff this time, I wanted Roger to do the inside graduation so I know it is right (I hope) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif And I also wanted to try different Spruce and a 1 piece back, which you can't get with Stew Mac.
Roger is great with E mail questions. Stew Mac is good too with questions, and Don McRostie answered a few of my e mails too with answers to questions. So either way you should be fine, in my opinion if it is a first time for you I would probably go Stew Mac, then see what you think and if you do another (which you will, it's addictive) try Siminoffs or from Scratch. JD Good Luck

dj9124

Feb-19-2004, 1:50am

I actually was thinking of mixing the materials between Stew Mac and Siminoff. Since Sim. graduates the plates I was going to buy the 2 plates from him and buy the rim assembly and neck from Stew Mac, does anyone see where this would cause any problems? Thanks.
Dave

Greenmando

Feb-19-2004, 2:35am

Double the cost of shipping. If Roger puts the kit together he will match the wood for color and grain.

crawdad

Feb-19-2004, 4:03am

You should be fine as long as both kits share the same body dimensions as far as I can see. I'd ask if it were me before I ordered.

Yonkle

Feb-19-2004, 10:33am

Stewmac will NOT ship a partial Kit, (All or none)

dj9124

Feb-19-2004, 2:45pm

I know stew mac will not split a kit, all I would have to do is order the parts I wanted seperately.
Dave

Steve Stahl

Feb-19-2004, 2:53pm

I actually was thinking of mixing the materials between Stew Mac and Siminoff. #Since Sim. graduates the plates I was going to buy the 2 plates from him and buy the rim assembly and neck from Stew Mac, does anyone see where this would cause any problems? #Thanks.
Dave
Dave, I have a couple of rim assemblies at home that are built to MacRostie's plan. I assume the Stew-Mac rims would be the same. I just received Siminoff's F5 plexiglas body template. I'll post tomorrow how these match up.

dj9124

Feb-19-2004, 5:58pm

Thanks Steve, that should tell all.
Dave

Jaded

Feb-20-2004, 5:09am

As someone with very little woodworking experience...I'm pondering whether it would be better to get some wood and experiment with doing some things from scratch, rather than buy a kit and risk messing it up.

Do you need a lot more tools from the start to work from scratch as opposed to a kit? Would I end up spending enough on parts and things that it wouldn't be that much of a savings over a kit if I mess it up? How much room for error is there with the kit? ie...how easy is it to make a mistake that can't be corrected?

Are there other woodworking projects that might help to build the skills needed that could be screwed up more cost effectively?

Greenmando

Feb-20-2004, 5:37am

Yes, more tools needed from scratch.
For positive reinforcement, you can start with a A style and leave off the binding. Luthier here sells a cool kit you might like, with a lot of support from him.

tope

Feb-20-2004, 7:57am

According to the prints Stew mac and Siminoff are a different shape so a top and back plate from Siminoff are probably not going to fit on a Stew mac rim set.
Be carefull!

Steve Stahl

Feb-20-2004, 10:24am

It's morning and I'm back. Tope is correct. I compared the Siminoff F5 template to the MacRostie plans. The shapes match up fairly well, but the Siminoff template is about 1/4" longer than the MacRostie plan. And the center line indicated on the Siminoff template is well to the bass side compared to MacRostie. So you could probably glue a Siminoff plate to a StewMac rim assembly, but the center seam would not be centered on the tail block. Not good.

From other posts on this site, I thought that the Loars were not symmetrical with respect to the center line, but had a bit more area on the bass side. The MacRostie plans indicate this, but the Siminoff template seems to be the opposite.
I am hoping that F5journl is following this thread and will clarify things for us about this assymmetry business.

Yonkle

Feb-22-2004, 12:34am

I matched the two up also. There is a big difference in the height and shape of the tone bars, and the placement of the tone bars. One of them they are close but the other they differ in location around 3/4 of an inch or so. I looked on some other builders sites, Dude ect. and there location of the tone bars looks a lot more like Siminoffs location not Stew Macs. I did notice the body shape is slightly different too and the angle of the headstock.
Don McRostie says his blueprints are from a vintage instrument, however he does not say whos. Siminoff claims his are from a Loar, so I used Rogers measurements. JD

dj9124

Feb-22-2004, 5:28pm

Well thanks guys for the info, it sure looks like mixing between the two will not work well, that info sure saved me some hassle and money.
Dave

Yonkle

Feb-22-2004, 5:53pm

Got the Inlay done and the peghead binding on. JD

Greenmando

Feb-22-2004, 6:54pm

That is some nice inlay work John. The neck looks a little red in the pic, is it mahogany? cheers!

Yonkle

Feb-23-2004, 1:20am

No It's Maple. I got a little stain on it, and its dirty from sanding the ebony.

Greenmando

Feb-23-2004, 3:45am

Thanks, it does not take much of a touch to stain the wood. Even after a gentile touch it can look so different.

bobz

Feb-24-2004, 10:56pm

Yonkle
Nice work on the inlaying. I`m at that stage myself and I`d like to ask you if bandsawed the peghead after you done the inlay? It seems more sence to leave the shaping of the peghead till after,to provide more support for the router base.

Yonkle

Feb-25-2004, 12:20am

BobZ...The peghead was shaped, then ebony put on, then routed and binding, then the inlay! JD http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim Hilburn

Feb-25-2004, 8:56am

I think it's best to do your inlay before binding. Then there's no chance of damaging the binding when you sand the inlay flush. Of course, I'm impatient and sand it on the stationary sander. I once rounded over some of the binding.

Chris Baird

Feb-25-2004, 11:47am

On my most recent mandolin I inlayed, cut, and bound the peghead veneer before I glued it on the neck. It was much easier for me.

bobz

Feb-25-2004, 11:57pm

Now I know why Don Macrostie glues the peghead ebony facing on after sawing the peghead. It`s much easier to see the cutting line on the maple. I had to pop out and get some coloured pencils. I used a yellow one to mark the peghead shape on the ebony. It was still difficult to see the line but I managed. It does save time to glue the front and back veneers on before shaping the peghead though.

Yonkle

Feb-26-2004, 12:51am

Those are good looking pegheads.
I got my fingerboard done today,I'll finish the fret work in the morning.
I had Bryan England do the inlay on the board, then I had to shape it and bind it. Here is a scanned pic of it. Left my camera at work. JD

Km1000seth

Feb-27-2004, 11:53am

NICE STUFF YONKLE,

I WAS THINKIN BOUT USING HIM FOR MY INLAY, HE WAS A LITLE PRICY THOUGH, BUT IT WAS A PRETTY INTICATE DESIGN. ITS REALL NICE WORK THOUGH IT SEEMS.CANT WAIT TO SEE IT ON THE MANDOLIN. BTW HOWS THE BODY COMING OUT?
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #SETH

Yonkle

Mar-02-2004, 1:32am

SHE'S "IN THE WHITE" She lost her virginity at approxamatly 10:00pm Mtn. Std. Time. The 1st note was a bit scary,but after 3 tune ups she held a tune and played her first song at about 10:45pm
The bridge looks like it is sitting well, and all the strings were amost perfect right out of the gate. I have to lower the action at the nut just a hair, other than that no buzzes, or sour strings. She is now resting comfortably.
And right off she is much louder than mandolin #2, still a little tinny, but I have brand new J74's, I will play it a few days and make adjustments, then get ready for staining.
So far I am happy with her...."She may be a keeper"!

Yonkle

Mar-02-2004, 1:35am

Heres a shot of my "Huh Huh" Shop! Back corner of my computer room, I stole the butcher block from the kitchen for a workbench. You can see a little discoloration on the wall behind the butcher block, thats the leftover stain that I spilt from mandolin #2, I got the bulk of it off with alcohol, but I need to re-paint after this mandolin is done http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Yonkle

Mar-12-2004, 11:48am

Just a quick update: I got my mandolin stained last week. I was not sure if I liked it until I hit it with the first 2 coats of sealer. It looks good, (if I do say so myself).
I should have put a coat of sanding sealer on prior to scraping the binding, I spent 3 night scraping it clean, then the first coat of sealer ran a little and blead the stain into the binding. After it dried I was scraping again, I got it clean again and did a second coat, after it dried I "flat sanded" the high spots and runs.I have now put 3 coats of lacquer on it (no runs, no drips) and it looks very much like a Loar on the back, and a bit darker on the front. Overall I like it, better than my first two mandolins! I will add some finish photos in a couple weeks # YONKLE http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Skip Kelley

Mar-12-2004, 12:35pm

Looks good Yonkle!! Post some pics of the stain when you get a chance.

Km1000seth

Mar-12-2004, 1:17pm

Well Lets See It Done:;):

Yonkle

Mar-15-2004, 7:12pm

I got her stained and a few coats of lacquer on her. Here is a "sneak preview" she's not rubbed out yet, now I have to wait a couple weeks to finish (going through building withdrawls) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif