Search:

For whatever reason, this song popped into my head last night, so I decided to work up a simple little solo arrangement of it on my mandola this morning. As absolutely gorgeous as this melody is, it...

As is apparent from many of the builder posts on this string, we seem to be detail-obsessed personalities ... in the best way!

I guess that is why I am so tickled by the little V5 logo detail on...

Just because I haven't posted anything here for a while, here's one of the things I'm working on.
The mahogany that this neck blank is made from is not wide enough for a peghead. This guitar is to...

I recently acquired this three-point oval hole BRW to complement my two-point f-hole mandolin that I have had and adored for over 5 years now. The oval is one of only two that I know about, and was...

This is my latest 4th generation flat top mandolin. This is the culmination of 12 years of work improving the sound of the flat top mandolin. It all started from the fact that it is possible to...

Oh, I don't know about a waste of a whiskey barrel. Some folks get an idea in their head and come up with something unique. It's almost like folk art. I enjoy seeing these franken instruments from...

If you look up origin of word art. You'll find someting like this:

The word “art” is derived from the Latin ars, which originally meant “skill” or “craft.” These meanings are still primary in...

While I think of my instrument making as being only slightly "art", there are those who tell me I'm an artist and consider my work to be art. Not an uncommon situation for someone who does this sort...

Well I do own a copy of a book by Chris Johnson and Roy Courtnall titled
"The Art Of Violin Making". :whistling:

I read a book quite a few years ago. I wasn't overly impressed with the book (and much less with another in the series that i gave up on), but it made me think of art, what art is, what art is not,...

Great sounding mandolin Spencer.

- - - Updated - - -


Great sounding mandolin Spencer.

Very nice work, Spencer, and sounding great! Bill, I see where you’re coming from regarding the fir staining…Spencer, you just need to advertise this as “naturally distressed” and charge a little...

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing but a small piece of leather laced through the strings in-between the bridge and tailpiece works for me.

Can’t argue with that outcome, sounds great. Nice playing too.

The color down the center is broken up, which changes the aesthetic for me. Nice contrast to the walnut, which I think is really...

Rock on, Mr. Oliver (no relation known)!
I get what you're doing. Keep it up.

I’m sure it will be a nice instrument, but I’m not sure of the wisdom in using a water stained piece of fir. It wouldn’t make the grade for a piece of exposed millwork unless it was specified as...

I think so many builders overlook non traditional woods. They have been brainwashed into thinking it must have a spruce top. I was told by a well respected classical guitar builder that rosewood and...

wc88GAcDsrY

I wasn't sure where to put this since it's not technically a video of me. It's also both lutherie/builder content and a video. Hopefully this is OK.

Here's some pictures of the...

I thought folks on this board might be interested in this video I made of the classic western swing fiddle tune Red Wing. I like exercises that force you to be creative within specific parameters - I...

211882 there's Bobby smiling ��

Here is my dovetail construction video from many years ago:

https://vimeo.com/149088032

I did a similar thing as Soliver. A furnace squirrel cage blower. It never produced enough suction to pull all the fumes out. I found an explosion proof fan similar to the one in the link. I...

I only built five mandolins and knew that it would take me a lot of practice to get an acceptable tapered dovetail (the obviously superior joint) so I devised a method of cutting a straight dovetail....

If you want to play bluegrass with others, get the 305. The projection, chop quality, and cut through a mix will be better. If you want to play anything but bluegrass, the 304 will give you more...

I’ve reserved my ire for those that call it a ukulele.