Post a picture of what's on your bench?

[TheMandoKit]

That's a good idea, or maybe a round soundhole drop-in carving that contains a cat silhouette. I'll give it some thought and see what I can come up with. I have to finish this mandola first.

I like the way you think.

I'll send my sound hole's dimensions... 😹

[Patrick Toole]

Varnishing the latest mando

[Walt]

I'm almost done with this electric octave mandolin. It will have four single strings and a relatively short scale (18"). Shooting for something in an octave mando range in a mandolin/mandola-size package. It will have heavier gauge strings to push it down into the octave mandolin range. That last photo is next to a standard mandolin for scale.

[Rjayh]

Octave mandolin in sitka spruce and claro walnut. 21" scale length, lacey sheoak fingerboard and Queensland maple neck.

[soliver]

Worked out all of the set up on #5 and took some detail shots; check the Flickr link for all the goodies:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAUKZT

Its been done and ready for a couple weeks now and I've been playing it and I am just as thrilled at how it sounds as I am about how it looks!

[Dave Cohen]

A couple more high-modulus neck experiments/data points. An A-model w/ WRC top, quilt figure bigleaf maple b/s/n. Neck looks conventional, but has a surprise inside. A C#-model;, w/ another CF/composite neck, redwood top, maple b/s/n. Both instruments strung up in the white now for play-testing. The A-model sounds a lot like Frankie Jr, so good to prepare for finishing. The C#-model also sounds strong, maybe a little more treble-y. I may thin the back a bit and play-test again. Or not.

[Jeff Mando]

Maybe a minuscule carved mouse on the inside back for the cat to see.

You can call it the Tom and Jerry model...

[Dusepo]

Surely not a "normal" mandolin as a break from your usual more exotic instruments, Jo! Looks really lovely. Will you post a sound clip of it when you have it strung up, please?

Ha! Yes, one of my less 'weird' builds.

Here, as requested is the sound sample:

[tree]

Neck looks conventional, but has a surprise inside.

If nobody else is gonna bite, I sure will. What's the surprise? It's hollow? It's really CF but looks like maple?

[Dave Cohen]

Close. There's not a lot of the wood neck shell left, but some CF and a lot of empty space inside. The all-CF necks are difficult to work with, so that A-model is one of several experiments (to follow), aimed at finding simpler and cost-effective ways to make high-modulus necks.

[Alfons]

Hey Steve! I'm an avid science fiction reader - just bought a copy for my kindle.
Sure do like that kevlar/carbon. Do those have a temperature range guarantee like the Lava Music instruments?

[Steve Sorensen]

Alfonse,

1. Thank you so much for taking the leap with The Rift. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing!

2. While the Kevlar/Carbon fiber + molded chopped carbon composite that I am using is more stable than wood for humidity and temperature change, I DO NOT recommend treating the instruments any differently than you would treat any other high-end instrument.

Steve