I'm glad to hear that you're having a good time with #24, Kris. Time for a few more videos maybe? Marty had sent me a few choices of curly maple for the back of #30 and I've picked out a beauty. He said it came from the same batch that yours came from...The flaming should be great under finish. I should also be seeing some pictures of the ZIRICOTE he's using for the sides, neck and appointments before too long. Excitement is starting to build! Keep picking.....:Mike
Yeah I am overdue for a some videos, it's been quite awhile. That curly maple is awesome looking stuff and does look fantastic under the finish. Excited for you Mike you're going to love it!
Thanks for the bump, Kris. I haven't had much progress that would show up in pictures since Christmas, but I have only two more instruments to get wrapped up (#22 and #23). The satin oil varnish I had planning for most of them in the last batch was OK, but not really good enough by itself. So instead of doing the smart thing and using lacquer, I French polished all of them. I got much better at French polishing - spent several hundred hours doing it last year, but I think my expectations for what it should look like are unrealistic. Every evening for three months I'd walk in the door and tell my wife, "Finishing is going great!". But now I'm on to wrapping up the last details on #22 and #23 and also prepping stock for numbers 29 through 39, which already have customers lined up. No french polish on any of them, thank goodness. Wrangling all the details, from which woods and tonal characteristics are desired for each instrument, to nut width radius specs. As soon as #22 and #23 are out, ASAP, I'll be trying a male mold construction technique which will allow me more freedom in terms of design. That should let me get the Leviathan and Chimera tooled up quickly, and let me do other things like traditional guitar-body OM's, which a ton of folks have been asking for.
Mine will be #32. It will have a 13 inch scale and narrow neck. I am so very much looking forward to its creation.
Hi Harper, It's good to know who #32 will be going to. Can you tell us a little more about what Marty will be building for you? I see it's a concerto model...classical music? It will be fun to watch our instruments being built. Mike
Mike, Yes, it's a Nautilus Concerto model. Marty and I are still discussing the details. It will be for classical and Celtic. Right now the idea is a straight-grained redwood top, Khaya mahogany back, and maple sides and neck, either highly flamed or curly. The fretboard will be either striped Macassar ebony or pure black Gabon ebony. It will be simple and unadorned, with all the beauty in the shape and woods. It will have a narrow, pointed very elegant headstock that Marty designed and a Jacobson tailpiece and bridge. Things are still in discussion, however, as Marty is advising me on what will produce the sound I am seeking. It will be a work of art, I'm sure. What are the features on yours? Regards, Evelyn
Hi Evelyn, I like your choices for wood and the simple, yet elegant design. Marty's prior uses of redwood have all been beautiful, and I'm sure yours will be as well. #30 will have a spruce top with highly flamed curly maple back, ZIRICOTE sides, neck and appointments, an Ebony fret board, and an arm rest (probably curly maple to match the back). The tuners are beautiful Rubner's with brass engraved plates, Ebony knobs and a nice leaf design that Marty will incorporate into the fret board inlays (he's working on that and keeping it to himself at the moment). To complement the brass on the tuners, Marty will use some sort of brass/gold logo inlay and brass Evo frets. I play mostly traditional/ bluegrass music and #30 will have a slightly deeper body and be tone bar braced to provide a nice woody, vintage sound. I watched Marty's build process through this last batch and am looking forward to watching him do his artistic magic with the present group just as I'm sure you are. I know that every one will be just as beautiful as we could hope for or expect. Now, all we have to do is be patient. Best...Mike
#39 here . After having difficulties with finding luthiers that are willing to really look at my mandolins and do what I need, I decided that the best course was to have one built by someone that knows the instrument very well and can assist me as needed with it. I have drooled over Marty's design for over a year and decided to take the plunge. Marty is local to me and that is important. This will be my 50th birthday present to myself so I wanted something special. I chose Black Tie #2 as a model for appearance and #25 for tone. I opted for birdseye maple back. I resisted my normal urge to be blingy and have selected some tasteful silver inlay for adornment so I will love it forever. It is really cool to see the raw materials going into it.
Glad to see a new group of people getting excited about Marty's work.
