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Dawgrobber
Mar-17-2005, 3:19pm
Spruce says that building a 4 string solid body electric mando is "easy." # Whether that is true or not, I would like to find out myself. #However, plans might be good. #Anyone have any ideas where they can be begged, bought or stolen; or does one just "wing it."

artdeco
Mar-17-2005, 4:57pm
I just 'wing' it. my only criteria is that they look 'mandolin-like' and are playable. AutoCAD helps a lot, of course, and studying plans for acoustic mandolins and electric guitars. Sort of mix-n-match.

mandroid
Mar-21-2005, 1:53am
buy a pre slotted fretboard and every thing else is a variable, personal choice.
the physics basic: 0-12 is half the string length.
If you dont like the finished product, someone on Ebay will.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

toddjoles
Mar-21-2005, 11:33am
emando website (http://www.emando.com)

There is one on here!!

Run a search for plans.

mad dawg
Mar-21-2005, 12:29pm
...If you dont like the finished product, someone on Ebay will.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
LOL!

delsbrother
Mar-21-2005, 1:55pm
I resemble that remark..

thistle3585
Mar-21-2005, 2:30pm
Do you want plans or instructions? I just finished reading Melvyn Hiscocks electric guitar building book, and that would be your best place to start. Only difference between a solid body guitar and mandolin is the scale.

Dawgrobber
Mar-21-2005, 5:45pm
Thank you all. #I now know that I have to "wing it" with the help of the sources identified (and an pre-slotted fret-board).

Mastersound
Mar-24-2005, 9:27am
Hiya

Take your favourite electric guitar body shape, use 40mm as the width of the neck at the heel and work out your body width from there, then sl;ice it up in ImageReady or something similar and print it up in Photoshop to taste. You can do the same with the headstock... just assume somewhere around 30mm - 32mm nut width. You can use a preslotted fingerboard if you like. It's safe to assume a scale length of 353mm and work out your design from there.

I agree with Andrew (thistle3585). Hiscock's book is a good general guide to making a solidbody electric anything with frets and strings.

Here are a few I've made using the 40mm neck width at heel proportion...

The Permacaster is a solidbody electric short-scale 4 string octave guitar custom made in Australia largely from select Australian scrap timber and hardware store parts!
http://www.jupitercreekmusic.com/permacaster-front-250.jpg

A Flying V lookalike...
http://www.jupitercreekmusic.com/body-front-250.jpg

The Mandowinner!
http://www.jupitercreekmusic.com/mw1-250.jpg

Play with some shapes and have fun!