Book disappointment

[mikeyb2]

I said in my previous post that I'm a newbie to mandolins and trying to gather as much info about building before I ever start. After reading a few positive reviews online, I bought the "The Mandolin Project" which turned out to be a big disappointment.
My main criticism is that it is advertised as having full size plans in the back of the book, but when I looked there was only a reference to the author's website to download a pdf of such plans. There were no links on the website for such downloads, and even if there had been, I don't have a large enough printer to print them. Who does? Most people have a4 printers. The same applies to the advice to cut the small plans out of the book and enlarge them.
Secondly, I thought the photos in the book were not of great quality.
Needless to say I returned the book for a refund, and bought the Siminoff book instead, which does have some quality plans in the back.

I am only writing this post as a warning to other newcomers looking for such a book. If you're after plans, I don't recommend it.

[Bob Clark]

Hi Mikey,

It is a shame you didn't contact the author. Mr. McDonald would have been a great source of information for you in addition to his book, and would have provided you with electronic access to his plans. It is then a simple matter to take them to a local print shop and have them printed up.

I have found this book to be informative, useful and interesting. I also found it a real bargain for the amount of information I got out of it. Mr. Siminoff's book is also very informative and useful but very different from Mr. McDonald's book. I am glad I have both.

Best wishes for a successful build,

Bob

[Marty Jacobson]

I started with the Siminoff book (in an earlier form than currently available, but largely the same content).

I've also read The Mandolin Project.

Both are worth reading, but if you're going to pick one, Graham's book is definitely superior.
Siminoff's book: Here's how to build this particular style of mandolin.
McDonald's book: Here's how to build a wide variety of mandolin styles.

Not only does Siminoff's book have some really weird sequence suggestions, which were obvious to me as impractical or even impossible on my first build, but he just explains what to do, not why to do it.

NFI, I just wasted six or eight months of my life chasing tap tuning, and I found The Mandolin Project a great encouragement as I was coming out of that.

[Parker135]

I also found The Mandolin Project to be extremely helpful for my first build, which was a flattop from Crystal Forest plans. I especially appreciated Graham's advice on thicknessing the top, back, and sides; also his method of clamping bookmatched plates. Actually I'd have to say his book was invaluable in my successful first build.

Similar drill in terms of printing....I took the downloaded file to an office supply for full scale printing.

[mikeyb2]

Thanks everyone, I'm sure the book has some value for some of you, and myself, but at the end of the day it was falsely advertised as including full sized plans. To take a file to a print shop here in the UK, would probably cost more than the book to have them printed.I don't really think that's acceptable when they are supposed to be included.
As for the Siminoff book, it shows plans for an F5, which is one of my intended builds along with an A5, neither of which feature in the Mandolin Project.
I think it's great that you can share your opinions along with my own so that prospective purchasers are informed and can make their own decisions.
thanks again Mike.

[Cary Fagan]

Like others, I suggest you contact GM through his site or here on the cafe.

And like others, I found his book of high value and used it to build a nice flat top.

[RobH]

My Copy of the Mandolin Project came with an envelope that had full size plans (although they only showed 1/2 side but of 4 different bodies). Maybe they aren't supplied in the UK. They also show carving contours and the instruction pictures are better than those in the Siminoff book.. I brought the book to a print shop to get it spiral bound and also made copies on their stiffest paper so I could make patterns for moulds - it was well worth it. I also have the Siminoff book, and a Stew Mac blueprint (which I also brought to a print shop to make copies that I could cut up) -the blueprint is much better than the drawings in the Siminoff book. You can also find Loar carving maps by searching this site. Bottom line- the Mandolin Project is a good book but don't rely on one source- everyone does things a little differently and take from the best and what works for you.
Rob

[SBJ]

My copy of the Mandolin Project also included an envelope of full-size plans. I've built two A-style mandolins so far, and Graham has been extremely helpful when I've had questions. I also bought Siminoff's book to build an F5. It's helpful but it lacks plans for the outside contours of the top and back, only profiles and gradations. I used Andrew Mowry's contours that are downloadable from his website.

[Charles E.]

I too have a copy of The Mandolin Project and it came with the above mentioned envelope with full size plans for each of the mandolins discussed in the book.

I found the book very helpful in my builds but as with any book on instrument building that I have, be it mandolin or guitar, I take the methods I like from the author and those I do not agree with I use my own.

[CarlM]

Not to disrespect Roger Siminoff, who did a tremendous service in advancing mandolin design and construction, but there are problems with his plans. The arching contours of the top do not agree between the longitudinal cross section and the lettered cross sections in the other direction. That is the largest problem but there are other smaller issues. Both books are invaluable but have to be approached with a bit of filtering and caution. I got the plans in an envelope with my copy of Macdonald's book and would have been disappointed had they not been there. It is surprising that getting the plans printed would cost you so much. In the U.S. the cost would be nominal, probably under 10 dollars.

[Graham McDonald]

The first big print run (2000 copies) included an envelop with the printed planes, 2 A3 sheets printed double sided. That print tun sold out a few years ago and the only practical method of keeping the book in print was short run print -on-demand digital printing which doesn't allow for fold out plans or having them included in a separate envelop. The most practical solution was including so-called down plans in the book with the option to download a PDF of the full sie plans a print out 4x A3 sheets, which should cost no more than a couple pounds/dollars/euro. I had not realised that the book was still being advertised (on Amazon?) as have included full-size plans. No-one had pointed that out before and I will find out how I can get the wording changed. My apologies for the misleading information. The book was not intended to be thought of as plans with assembly instructions, more as written information of how the mandolins go together with the plans as additional information. There are a couple of cartons of the original print run here, and these can be ordered from my website, but the cost of postage from Australia is more than the price of the book!.

Cheers and a Merry Christmas (it is already Christmas morning here and the turkey is in the oven)

[mikeyb2]

Graham, thank you for responding.
You certainly seem to have enough praise here on the forum for your book, regardless of the plans. I didn't have the book long enough to have an opinion, as I was so disappointed that there were no plans, I returned it immediately. I shall make enquiries as to the exact cost of printing assuming pdf files are still available, but nothing comes cheap here in the UK. I may buy the book again but in the meantime it might be helpful for you to know that it was Amazon where I purchased the book.

Merry Christmas, Mike.