Octave mando #2

[jlatorre]

Here's a picture of an octave mando make from one of Don Kawalek's kits. This one was a little more of a challenge, since the parts I got, when assembled, resulted in another neck angle of zero, even though the blueprint I got with the kit showed a neck angle of about a degree and a half, IIRC. At Don's suggestion, I made a lower bridge and played it that way, but eventually re-set the neck (fairly easy on this model, since it was a mortise and tenon bolt-on neck) and found that the tone improved a bit. Again, I've put a compensated adjustable bridge on it, but may end up going to a solid bridge once I'm satisfied that I've got a good value for the bridge height.

[jlatorre]

And here's a side profile, showing the neck angle.

I might add that I used a wipe-on varnish from General, which a luthier friend of mine who works at Woodcraft recommended. Maybe he just wanted to see what it looked like without risking his own instrument ... but it turned out very nice.

[otterly2k]

got a pic of the back, John? - that's looking really nice... I like Don's new design a lot (I made one of his previous design OM's)

[jlatorre]

got a pic of the back, John? - that's looking really nice... I like Don's new design a lot (I made one of his previous design OM)


No, I don't. Not much to see, though.

[jlatorre]

But since you asked, Brian, here's one I shot today.

[Darren Kern]

Man, I think that's a really beautiful instrument. I've been wanting to build one of these, and seeing yours helps my decision. Congrats on a good job.

[Stephanie Reiser]

Nice looking axe, man. What type of wood is the neck, and back and sides? Walnut or Mahogany? Did you fill the pores, and if so what did you use?
Nice job!

[otterly2k]

That looks great, John... well done.
(and I"m Karen, not Brian...Brian made the OM I have listed in my signature line)

[jlatorre]

My apologies, Karen. Shows what happens without enough caffeine in me.

And Amanda, the neck is maple, and the back and sides are walnut. On this instrument, I did not fill the pores ... I did a test on some of the scrap, and kinda liked the way it looked.