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oldwave maker
Dec-24-2004, 10:23am
My first octave came home this week for a tuneup. Flattop with pinbridge, chainsawed the top out of the soundboard of a derelict piano built in 1901, brought by train to Silver City in 1908. 22.875" scale, shape created by reducing a tracing of a gibson k2 mandocello to 95% on a copier.

oldwave maker
Dec-24-2004, 10:30am
The sides/back/neck made from virginia black walnut originally cut for bridge shoring for a bridge across the Potomac in the 1930's, salvaged on the Chesapeake shore by ex-cia former head of security at nixons san clemente white house, he had cut nearly all the 12' 1x24's (!) into small jewelry boxes when I bought the last few chunks. Some instruments sound dead even right after you change strings, these sound new even tho they were just put on 8 years ago!

oldwave maker
Dec-24-2004, 10:35am
Side detail, quartersawn arizona sycamore binding harvested here on the farm.

Hoyt
Dec-24-2004, 11:14am
Merry Christmas Bill.

Really nice looking Octave. I've had the one you built for me 3 years now and it is just absolutely fantastic. Even I sound good on it.

violmando
Dec-25-2004, 6:58am
It's beautiful, Bill--you make great mandos!