Paul Shippey "Tone" Octave Mandolin

**paulshippey** · May-13-2018, 5:06am

Hi,
I've just finished building this "Tone" Octave Mandolin for café member Rob.
It has a 58cm (23") scale and carved top and back.

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The back is a beautiful piece of local Sycamore that I've used for a number of recent instruments.

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Top is Engelmann spruce.
Brazilian mahogany neck, Ebony fingerboard and binding.

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Black Gotoh tuners, Allen bronze tailpiece and Custom sound port in the side.

For more photos of my latest builds, please visit my Facebook page.

**Lord of the Badgers** · May-13-2018, 5:39am

Paul, what can I say. It's the most gorgeous instrument I've ever played. And I had a sobell...

Thank you is too small a word. It is worth twice what I paid imo

Edit: "thank you" are actually two small words...

**Dagger Gordon** · May-13-2018, 5:41am

Really nice. Looks like a good length for playing tunes as well as chording.

**Ivan Kelsall** · May-13-2018, 5:51am

That's astounding in every way !!!. The top colour,i especially like - well done once again Paul, & congrats. to Rob !,
Ivan

**Reinhardt** · May-13-2018, 12:10pm

Beautiful work Paul. Congrats to you Rob. Thats some collection of instruments you're building up there!!

John

**John Kelly** · May-13-2018, 12:58pm

A really stunning creation, Paul!

**Jill McAuley** · May-13-2018, 1:05pm

Absolutely gorgeous - particularly love the top colour - what a beauty!

**OneChordTrick** · May-13-2018, 1:12pm

Wow! Just wow!

**GarY Nava** · May-14-2018, 1:44am

Beautiful work Paul, nice to see a fellow British luthier posting here!
Cheers Gary

**Lord of the Badgers** · May-14-2018, 1:50am

Originally Posted by GarY Nava

Beautiful work Paul, nice to see a fellow British luthier posting here!
Cheers Gary

I commission instrument builds ONLY with British luthiers

and luckily I've two awesome ones on my doorstep!
I've always wanted one from Paul since I first got into mandolin family instruments, I own one of his axe bouzoukis... But to finally get a "Tone" model is a big deal for me

I hate being at work this morning as I know what I'd rather be doing!!

I'd love one from Rory of Taran Guitars one day but I'm way off that now... have a house extension to fund!!

**Ivan Kelsall** · May-14-2018, 3:44am

Hi Rob - I've not heard from you in a while,but that OM from Paul is astounding !!. If it only sounds 1/10 as good as it looks,it should be awesome.
We're very lucky to have some very fine guitar / mandolin builders in the UK - wouldn't it be terrific if you could comission a build from each one,just as the late Scott Chinery did with his ''Blue Guitars''. What an assembly that would be !!

Ivan

https://youtu.be/uadXz7Nsmqk Scott Chinery's 'Blue Guitars' - Video attachment still not working for me ?.

**Lord of the Badgers** · May-14-2018, 4:01am

It definitely sounds as good as it looks... And better!!

**paulshippey** · May-24-2018, 1:58pm

Thanks to everyone for your comments - much appreciated!
I've just finished another Octave mandolin which I built alongside the one in my earlier post.
This time it has what I call a "vintage" satin finish. The scale length is 548mm (21.6")….a little shorter than my standard 580mm.....and it has octave pairs on the G and D courses.