#3 in the white

[buddyellis]

Here is my #3. This ended up being a hybrid of sorts -- IV kit neck/rim, and hand carved plates/bracing. Back is rock maple (and man was that stuff hard to carve with a gouge), top is 'european' spruce (violin wedges) Body is bound in ivoroid, neck is bound in flame maple. Headstock overlay is a maple burl, ebony, holly, ebony sandwich. Frets are the LMI Gold EVO fretwire (.080). I love this stuff, it's a good bit harder than nickel, but not overly hard to work.

Anyway, back:

[buddyellis]

Front:

[buddyellis]

Back Scroll (Still some work to be done here, but its getting there):

[buddyellis]

Front Scroll:

[Mike Buesseler]

Wow! #4 is going to be SOMETHING! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #3 is BEAUTIFUL! Nice work!

[buddyellis]

Tonally this is a very nice instrument, so far. Nice cutting mids with a balanced, tight, bottom end. My previous efforts have been a little 'floppy' on the bottom. This one is much more balanced, and I like it a lot. A bit brash right now, but it's been strung up 48 hours, and it's gone through alot of changes tonally. Finish (and some real strings) will help it balance out some more.

[Darren Kern]

Buddy- great job on this, way to think outside the box with these cool little kits.

[Skip Kelley]

Looks great! Very nice work on the scroll!

[Dan Voight]

Unique. Quality workmanship.

[BlueMountain]

Exquisite scroll, Buddy. Great work. I also like what you've done with the lower point, leaving the wood there flat while keeping the circle next to it intact. I'm seriously impressed.

[buddyellis]

Here's a couple more with the first coats of oil varnish.

[buddyellis]

and another

[pickinNgrinnin]

I like how the binding follows the contour of the scroll and makes a turn south. That's one of the marks in a well done scroll IMO. Nice work!

[Andy Morton]

How did you finish this---stain then varnish? Love that finish.....Great work!!!

andy

Madison, WI

[JEStanek]

Looks great. I too dig that scroll work. Keep up the good work.

Jamie

[4Strings]

I also am curious how the color was applied. What did you use for the color and how was it applied.

I finished my first IV A kit and used oil varnish...tons of room for improvement in my varnishing!.

[buddyellis]

Water based analine dyes, mostly hand rubbed, but a touch of air brush to even things out. I ended up re-staining the back.

More photos at the bottom
here. (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=7510;st=2575)