Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: new Celtic F mandolin

  1. #1

    Default new Celtic F mandolin

    On a bit of a roll here at NK Forster HQ. Lot of stuff to go out the door over the next few weeks including a batch of these little fellers:









    If I can get the lads in England to make a video for us I shall, but getting musicians out of bed before noon is no easy task...

    nigel
    http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/instruments/mandolin/

  2. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to nkforster For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Registered User Nathan Kellstadt's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    upstate, ny
    Posts
    318

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Nigel, that's about as tasteful as it gets. Very nice.

  4. #3
    Registered User Nick Quig's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    143

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Beautiful!

  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Invergordon,Scotland
    Posts
    2,860

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Hey Nigel - those look lovely.

    How many instruments are you making now? You seem to be fairly knocking them out...
    David A. Gordon

  6. #5
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Ardnadam, Argyll, Scotland
    Posts
    2,280

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Really beautiful creation there, Nigel.
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores

  7. #6

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    Hey Nigel - those look lovely.

    How many instruments are you making now? You seem to be fairly knocking them out...
    Well, I don't do anything else Dagger - almost no repairs, just making. But the last couple of years I've been making in batches. It means production has gone up - about 20+ instruments a year. But it also means once or twice a year I have to do a lot of stringing up. So right now you'll see a lot of stuff from me on the forums. A lot of stuff is going out and I'm taking a lot of photos for the website. I really enjoy the photography. It's a lot easier than I thought.

    Batch making has it's pros and cons. There are finacial benefits of batch making. And it's nice to have all the soundboards together at the same time, but I think I'm done with it. I feel like a robot some days. When I worked for Stefan we used to do two at a time. Four or five at a time is fine, but with ten it starts to become tedious. Some makers enjoy this way of working. They have done it for years - Gilchrist the master mandolin maker usually makers 15-18 at a time, twice a year. Incredible really. But it's not for me.

    The cheaper instruments like my tenor guitar I have to do in 4's or 5's. If I don't I'd struggle to make a living from them, but they are very simple plain instruments and really enjoyable to make a well as play. But the more complicated instruments, like the cylinder tops, I'm going back to building in pairs. With mandolins, 5 at a time is the max I want to do. But doing ten or twelve instruments at a time like I've been doing may make me more money but it's too much of a slog. You end up feeling like a factory worker. But without the holiday pay. Or the pension.

    n
    http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/instruments/mandolin/

  8. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to nkforster For This Useful Post:


  9. #7
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Lakebay, Wa
    Posts
    4,162

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Lovely work there, Nigel. Especially the neck details.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  10. #8

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    What lovely innovation. I hope to hear how it sounds soon. Thanks for sharing

  11. #9
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Co. Mayo, Ireland
    Posts
    3,569

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Gorgeous work as always Nigel! I'll be moving back home in about a year hopefully and at that time I'll be putting in an order for one of your Session King tenor guitars!
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

  12. #10

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Jill McAuley View Post
    Gorgeous work as always Nigel! I'll be moving back home in about a year hopefully and at that time I'll be putting in an order for one of your Session King tenor guitars!
    Back home? Where you from Jill? Aye, the SK tenors are becoming one of me most popular instruments. Strung this one up today - a Tenor-SKadv.



    n
    Last edited by nkforster; Mar-08-2017 at 3:10pm.

  13. The following members say thank you to nkforster for this post:


  14. #11
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Co. Mayo, Ireland
    Posts
    3,569

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Wow, what a beauty!!!

    I'm from Dublin, but when I move back home I'll likely end up in Galway again as I've a house there.
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

  15. #12

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Jill McAuley View Post
    Wow, what a beauty!!!

    I'm from Dublin, but when I move back home I'll likely end up in Galway again as I've a house there.
    25 years ago I was guitar tech for a band called The Daintees, who were playing at the seaside part of Galway. The first time I ever saw a tractor and a horse parked outside a gig! Lovely place.

  16. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,171

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Oh no! Salthill - strange place given everywhere around it.

  17. #14
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Co. Mayo, Ireland
    Posts
    3,569

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by nkforster View Post
    25 years ago I was guitar tech for a band called The Daintees, who were playing at the seaside part of Galway. The first time I ever saw a tractor and a horse parked outside a gig! Lovely place.
    Was that for Martin Stephenson and the Daintees? I remember them!

    Yeah, one of the funniest things I saw when I was back home in 2006-2008 was an auld lad pulling up to a cafe on his tractor and then going up to the counter and ordering a non fat latte!! It was like the collision of two different worlds!
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
    2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
    1969 Martin 00-18




    my Youtube channel

  18. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Invergordon,Scotland
    Posts
    2,860

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by nkforster View Post
    25 years ago I was guitar tech for a band called The Daintees, who were playing at the seaside part of Galway. The first time I ever saw a tractor and a horse parked outside a gig! Lovely place.
    I know Martin Stephenson quite well. He lived near Invergordon for many years.
    Lovely guy.
    Incidentally, he often used to talk about playing table-tennis with Stefan Sobell, who he said was a demon player.
    David A. Gordon

  19. The following members say thank you to Dagger Gordon for this post:


  20. #16

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Man, I like the shape of that mandolin. What's the top on that, Adi?

  21. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Lopez Island, WA
    Posts
    219

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Nigel, That neck to body joint is not only stunning….. but intriguing….. care to share some details?

  22. #18

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Dagger Gordon View Post
    I know Martin Stephenson quite well. He lived near Invergordon for many years.
    Lovely guy.
    Incidentally, he often used to talk about playing table-tennis with Stefan Sobell, who he said was a demon player.
    Aye, Stefan recruited him for the local team for a while but turning up on time isn't Martins strongest suit, so he got the push! Stefan said he was great player. Table tennis and guitar. He had a Sobell guitar for a few years.

    This is them:



    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Wesley Turner View Post
    Man, I like the shape of that mandolin. What's the top on that, Adi?
    European spruce Wes.

  23. The following members say thank you to nkforster for this post:


  24. #19

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by michaelcj View Post
    Nigel, That neck to body joint is not only stunning….. but intriguing….. care to share some details?
    It's the same idea as a Sobell neck join, so it's been around for nearly 40 years. He did it like this on his old dulcimers in the 70's so used the same joint when he started making citterns. Very simple, very strong, and looks great.

  25. The following members say thank you to nkforster for this post:


  26. #20
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Lakebay, Wa
    Posts
    4,162

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Here is is in the rough (not the same instrument).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Forster_neck.jpg 
Views:	213 
Size:	125.7 KB 
ID:	154741
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  27. The following members say thank you to billhay4 for this post:


  28. #21

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by billhay4 View Post
    Here is is in the rough (not the same instrument).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Forster_neck.jpg 
Views:	213 
Size:	125.7 KB 
ID:	154741
    Bill
    Where did you dig that up Bill? That's from a few years ago. I've changed the neck support area again and the side construction since then, but that's how I did do it. Stefan's way if different again - the neck and block were two seperate pieces. It made aligning the neck with the centre line easier but it made a weaker joint.

    n

  29. The following members say thank you to nkforster for this post:


  30. #22
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Lakebay, Wa
    Posts
    4,162

    Default Re: new Celtic F mandolin

    Nigel,
    Not sure where I got that image, but it fascinated me so I kept it.
    I'd like to see the changes you've made to the joint if you have photos.
    It looks like a very solid join. Your work in feathering out different colored layers of wood is spectacular. I tried it years ago with canoe paddles with much less success.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •