Carver #39 and #40

[Christopher Standridge]

I don't usually like to post pics of all my recent creations. For one thing I don't like to brag, the other is my camera skills are rather lacking.
However, these two were a lot of fun to build, incorporated non traditional woods, and turned out rather nice.
So...

[Chris Biorkman]

It's not bragging. It's promoting your business. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Christopher Standridge]

The above and this are of an Engelman topped twin point. The back, sides, and neck are all of birch. There is a laminate 3rd piece down the middle of the neck of blackwood as is the decorative veneer on the rear of the headstock. All these woods I got from Mr. Harvey (AKA Spruce). The birch is not crazy beautiful but imparts a warm deep tone to this mandolin.

On a side note, I recently visited Bruce at his place on Orca's Island and had a wonderful visit. He has so much wood in his barn that I doubt he knows of all that is there. We spent hours pulling amazing chunks of wood out and talking tonewoods. He fed me a mean bowl of beans, tortillas, and beer, and pulled out some instruments for me to check out. I left with an amazing assortment of woods that will keep me busy for a while. If you ever wanted to visit, I do believe you should!!

[mrmando]

Were the tortillas and beer in the bowl along with the beans?

[Christopher Standridge]

Ok this one is a F5 built of Adirondack top and sides and back of Koa...

[Christopher Standridge]

This wood wasn't from Bruce. And no, Martin, the tortillas were in this nice little warmer and the beer was in bottles http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
This Koa came from Josh Harris of Big Island Acoustic Koa and cost me a small fortune. No need for staining or tinting, this stuff was just drop dead gorgeous!

[Christopher Standridge]

Ok, one more...
The sides wer a royal PITA to bend. I thought I might cuss and did a few hundred times as I would get very close and then break a beautiful and very costly piece of wood. But finally the rewards...

[grassrootphilosopher]

When you visited the Czech Republic I had the chance to listen to your mandoliin at the Caslav festival. I think your creations sound rather nice. I like the appearance of your mandolins.

[GRW3]

The back of the two point looks like parchment to me. I think it's a good look.

[JEStanek]

Both are very pleasing visually. I like the woods on both, esp the Koa. I also really like what you've inlaid on each of the headstocks. Very cool. Congrats.

Jamie

[mandolooter]

very nice work Chris! 2 beauties if I've ever seen two! BTW your photo skills are improving and nuttin to be worried about. How would ya describe that koa creation's sound?
Jeff

[Christopher Standridge]

Thanks for the kind words.
Olaf-Were you jamming the night before? I was invited to imbibe in the great pivo and the plum brandy, so I can't recall if we met. After our show on Saturday, the wife and I quickly retired to our Penzion. I wish that we had went and jammed again. That is a great festival and can't wait til we make a return trip.

Jeff-This koa was very dense and hard. I have a baritone uke in all koa and it is very warm, mahogany like tone. I expected this F5 to be similar. But I was suprised to find it more maple like, very strong and dense sounding, not airy and light. To be honest, as of now, it doesn't sound too different than mt adirondack topped mandolins with red maple.

[PaulO]

Chris, glad to see that you are continuing to try new things. My Carver A gets a lot of compliments on it's sound. Keep cranking them out. IMHO Chris knows how to make loud sweet mando.

Paul

[mrmando]

I was invited to imbibe in the great pivo and the plum brandy, so I can't recall if we met.
I've had plum brandy too, and I can't recall what happened afterward either.

Chris, your stuff just keeps getting better. Hope you bring these to W'grass if by some cruel twist of fate you haven't sold them yet.

[John Rosett]

Chris, I don't know what you do differently, but your 2-points are just beautiful. I don't really car for most of the 2-points that I've seen, but every one of yours that I've seen pictures of just make me go all slack-jawed.

[MandoSquirrel]

Beauties, but I wouldn't call Birch a "non traditional wood" as many of the best instruments of 80 to 100 years ago were made of Birch; Great back wood, too bad more aren't using it these days.

[Christopher Standridge]

I meant in modern building. I have a wonderful 1917 Gibson pumkin top with birch, but even they stopped using it after the twenties. I agree that it is a shame that it is not being used more now. I have built 5 or 6 mandos out of timeless timber birch and they all came out sounding open with an old tone. This one is all recent felled wood from Bruce and it has the same thing going on. I am very happy with it and plan on using it a lot in the future.

[Skip Kelley]

Chris, I love the look of those two mandolins! I especially love the dark burst on the two pointer!!

[Christopher Standridge]

Paul,
Good to hear from you and your mandolin. I bet she is starting to really open up now.
Skip,
I appreciate the compliments. I have always admired your work on the cafe here.