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The finish makes it difficult to tell, but inside the f-holes there are two or three spots that make me think it's laminate. I had just assumed it was to be honest, though it was an uneducated guess...

Ha ha, yeah that is exactly what it is. I recently fixed up a really cheap strat copy from the local junk shop where the neck was bowed so far back the strings touched every fret, so the previous...

I'm not sure if you can really see from this pic, but the nut slots for the thicker strings have been filed too low at some point and the strings were shimmed up with what I think are matchsticks and...

Thanks for the input all. I agree it needs bare minimum to get playing - it has a lot of character, which it would be a shame to lose.

I honestly don't know what happened to the neck. There is...

It's been a long time since I've had a project like this, but was just gifted this from a friend who found it in her mum's attic while dealing with her estate.

The only real damage is to the back...

Great work!

I can't think of a much better way to learn to be honest, at least not for me. There's literally nothing to be lost - I've bought the tools as I've needed them (and after a few years I now have a...

I'm afraid I have to admit that I had to google pitch pocket, but for what it's worth I quite like those little bits of history in an instrument. Love the colour of the fretboard too!

I'm currently working on my fourth complete restoration of an instrument - that is to say, refinish, new hardware, etc...

All four have been salvaged from the recycling depot, or from rubbish...

That Harmonic Menagerie page is priceless! I love that kind of creative use of waste material. I have a Physicist friend who works on particle colliders, and who sculpts similar creatures into the...

Good on him! What a fabulous project

This was really enjoyable to follow, thanks Adrian.

That's a really beautiful mandolin Jacob

Love that grain on the front! Looking forward to seeing this progress. It's reminded me I have an old junk shop guitar in the attic somewhere that I'd collected for a similar project, and then forgot...

Great! Thanks for taking the time to put it together

+1 To fatt-dad's suggestion.

I simply couldn't do both until I spent as much time practicing the singing as I did the playing. I suppose the strain was lifted from my poor brain somewhat once both...

I had that thought previously too, but didn't have clamps thin enough to fit more than one in (those banjo-mando pots are really tiny).

Regarding the delaminating aluminium alloy tone ring; it...

Heh, the poor banjo-mando; a hassle to fix, only to sound terrible.

In seriousness though, after fixing the last one I can understand the hesitation, but I'm here for the learnin' and with a...

I just picked up another fixer-up-er banjo-mando which really needs a neck angle reset, but I can't get the rim out to get to the neck bolts.

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It's REALLY wedged in - the metal...

Man, that is a truly excellent looking instrument. I love the shots of the wood. It simply astonishes me that a chunk of tree can become something so beautiful. You're an inspiration John; keep up...

I really dig that simple, natural look too. Great mandolin!

Man, I have no idea what the hell that thing is, but I think I just fell in love.

I had been feeling bad about the spending associated with my growing collection of mandolins (and other instruments) until yesterday, when my partner pointed out she spends more on some dresses than...

I'm with Bluegrasser - there's nothing better than a bit of known living history. Clearly all these older instruments were owned by someone or other in the past, but for me stories like this really...

This is truly a fantastic resource, particularly for those of us who have heard a lot of commentary on the specific sound qualities of various mandolins, but never had the pleasure of seeing them...