JSH 2-20 Mandolin by Violin Maker John Hill

[doghouse]

JSH 2-20 Mandolin by John Hill

I just finished this as of yesterday. Amidst all of my other work, and having to build all of the jigs and design work etc., it took a longer than anticipated.

The body outline was traced from the Martin 2-20 that I recently restored. I enlarged it by 6 percent so to accommodate the 13n7/8 scale length. I chose to build it with X tone bars. The arching, neck and head and pick guard are of my own design. I installed a James tail piece. Euro spruce top, maple back, ebony lining and finished with French Polish.

As a violin maker and now, most recently a mandolin maker, I have a new found respect for the latter. A lot work and not any less demanding for the technical skill set!

I hope you enjoy these pix!

All the best, John

[citeog]

Gorgeous. What did you use for the back binding?

Paul

[John Hill]

That's sharp. Nice work from one John Hill to another.

[doghouse]

Thanks John Hill! Sort of feels like I am patting my own back here. Ha!

[doghouse]

Thanks Paul, the top, back and head are bound with ebony. It was a female dog to bend!

[amowry]

Looks great! Spruce on the headstock? I like it!

[doghouse]

Yeah, it appears I was subconsciously going for the art deco look. Ha! Thanks Andrew

[doghouse]

Bye the way, your instruments are truly great.. I almost quit before I started this project when I saw your work!

[Steve Sorensen]

Quite elegant. Impressive.
Steve

[usqebach]

John,

Nice work!

And it's interesting to see a modern remake of an old classic which doesn't receive a lot of attention these days. I have an oval hole Martin, which I think is a 2-15. It's about the same as yours without the points.

Jim Sims

[Charlieshafer]

Agreed... great to see things which aren't the same old A or F style. The spruce on the headstock with the ebony binding is really cool; sort of a negative of the standard.

[doghouse]

Agreed... great to see things which aren't the same old A or F style. The spruce on the headstock with the ebony binding is really cool; sort of a negative of the standard.

Thanks Guys, a little back story on the headstock. The spruce head stock laminate came about from discussion with a guitar collector friend of mine as to what we thought would thought might look good. When I mentioned spruce as a possibility to tie into the simple but elegant theme he got a big smile on his face and said yes, go with spruce. But it was not until I added the ebony binding that the look really tied it together and made it work.

[doghouse]

John,

Nice work!

And it's interesting to see a modern remake of an old classic which doesn't receive a lot of attention these days. I have an oval hole Martin, which I think is a 2-15. It's about the same as yours without the points.

Jim Sims

Hi Jim, I fell in love the Martin 2 point design immediately upon seeing one for sale on ebay. Though I have played mandolin in the past, I was out of the loop at the time and had never seen this model before. After I had done a ton of restoration work on the same one I subsequently purchased (looked good from 2,000 miles away but it was in bad shape when it arrived), I decided I had to try my hand at making one. Though the original was fun to play, I wanted a bigger, 13&7/8ths scale length.

[Fred G]

Really nice... drool.... MAS kicking in bad right now

[billhay4]

That is very lovely!
Any chance of a sound clip?
Bill

[JEStanek]

Excellent looking mandolin, John. The ebony trim/buttons on the blonde woods works incredibly well for my eyes.

Jamie

[JGWoods]

http://i544.photobucket.com/albums/hh335/jgwoods1/Instruments/Mandolins/DSCN4739-1.jpg

The Martin and Epiphone 2 points are my favorites.

[Skip Kelley]

Nice work! I like the spruce on the peghead!

[Charles E.]

John, beautiful mandolin. Being a violin maker, did you use an inside mold?

[doghouse]

That is very lovely!
Any chance of a sound clip?
Bill

I will try to get one loaded up soon Bill, thanks for asking.

[doghouse]

John, beautiful mandolin. Being a violin maker, did you use an inside mold?

Yes Charley, the ways of the outside mold seems strange and usual to me..

[doghouse]

Excellent looking mandolin, John. The ebony trim/buttons on the blonde woods works incredibly well for my eyes.

Jamie


Thanks Jamie!