Wilkie 10-string mandolin

[wwwilkie]

https://soundcloud.com/wyatt-wilkie/...ly-had-a-brain
Gordon Stevens plays "If I Only Had a Brain" on his Wilkie 10-string mandolin.

[billhay4]

Georgeous, Wyatt,
What scale length did you use to get an extra course without fanned frets?
Bill

[wwwilkie]

14.25" scale length. Lower course worked out beautifully using .053"s.

[Ron McMillan]

https://soundcloud.com/wyatt-wilkie/...ly-had-a-brain
Gordon Stevens plays "If I Only Had a Brain" on his Wilkie 10-string mandolin.

Great track, lovely sound. Oh, and it's gorgeous as well.

[wwwilkie]

Thank you Ron.

[Tom Wright]

Yay for another 10-string. Handsome and fine sound!

14.25" is a popular scale length for 10s, it seems, these days. Dudu Maia's Topher Gayle resonator 10-string is 14.25" and so are Buchanans. I had Almuse use that scale for my electric 10-string. I use a lighter set, from .010 to .047 on both acoustic and electric. I don't know the scale for the Ribeiro 10-string Hamilton de Holanda uses, but it is not very long, maybe also 14.25".

BTW, what is the internal volume? Buchanan's 10-string is roughly 50% larger than his regular mandolin, air resonance down around E3 (165 Hz).

[wwwilkie]

Thanks for the info Tom. I didn't know 14.25" is often used for 10-strings these days. I have to say it seems right to me although I've only made two of them so far. Both are archtop mandolins.
Internal volume is not a measurement that concerns me nor is air resonance so I can't help you there. Those things would only screw me up.