Jump to content

I'm making me an 8 string.....electric mandolin


Recommended Posts

On 31/07/2017 at 1:43 AM, ScottR said:

I taped my fretboard plan to an old drawing/light table that I rescued from work some time back. It was being put out to pasture since computers, Photoshop and Illustrator took over for drawing and drafting. I taped some paper over the plan flipped on the light and did some light drafting of my own.

C00133.jpg

 

Even though I was in the computer game for quite a few years I am crap at using them, I made myself a ligt box a while back and although I've not used it for guitars it's been used for many projects over the months, great for copying and adapting other peoples plans/patterns and there is something satifiying about creating designs with good old fashioned pencil and paper.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I flattened the surface and then sliced off a thin layer of zebrawood for a headstock cap. Then I took the fretboard out of the clamps and laid out the headstock and set some pin registers in the waste area,

C00151.jpg

If you are paying attention you will see two sets of pins. I cut the angle for the nut edge and located the pins with the flat side up....I suppose because it looked prettiest. But that side was prepped for gluing not viewing.:angry: So I did it again and located the second set of pins.

And used the offcut from the headstock angle as a caul for glue up.

C00153.jpg

Next day out of the clamps, and trimmed flush to the neck blank. Headstock and neck marked for cutting. It is hard to see any lines marked on cocobolo, so I took a lesson from various inlayers and scribed the lines and rubbed some chalkline dust in them.

C00154.jpg

I cut the outer edges of the headstock and marked and drilled the tuner holes before cutting the headstock to the proper thickness. That way I don't have to worry about chipping on the back side.

C00155.jpg

SR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finished cutting the neck to shape.

C00156.jpg

C00158.jpg

I used my handy dandy bench vise and planes and plane sanding block to square and true up the neck and tenon, which was cut with the proper neck angle.

C00161.jpg

And started carving the volute before calling it a weekend.

C00164.jpg

SR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One day you're going to suprise me and build a 9 string, fan fret, EMG-equipped death metal machine with a quadruple-locking Floyd Rose trem, built-in coffee machine and air-conditioning :lol:

I always look at your headstock shapes and think, 'Gandalf'. Could be just me though...

Watching as you weave your magic, Scott.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, curtisa said:

One day you're going to suprise me and build a 9 string, fan fret, EMG-equipped death metal machine with a quadruple-locking Floyd Rose trem, built-in coffee machine and air-conditioning :lol:

It will also have a cute little personal assistant with purple hair and spandex, who'll plug in to Ted Nugent's old stadium PA, and crush out the opening chords to Beethoven's 5th, finishing with a rousing rendition of the William Tell Overture.

6 hours ago, curtisa said:

I always look at your headstock shapes and think, 'Gandalf'. Could be just me though...

I'm a fan. I didn't design them with that in mind intentionally, but since that sort of imagery has always appealed to me, it isn't surprising that some of it shows up in my designs.

SR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He sort of is.

I was never really a fan, although there were a few early songs that I was huge fans of. Stranglehold is one of my favorites songs ever. I probably saw him a half dozen times back in the 70's and early 80's and yet never went to a Ted Nugent show. I went to see the other 4 or 5 bands playing that same show.

For the last thirty years he's been pretty much a mosquito bite.

SR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, curtisa said:

I always look at your headstock shapes and think, 'Gandalf'. Could be just me though...

now that you say that- I see it. 

and now that I see it- there is a fitting name. 

"Mithrandir"

and if any of you get that without looking it up you are as big a Tolkein dork as I am. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to threadjack, however the Tele I'm making for my friend Pekka is going to be called "Pekan Tele" or "Pekka's Tele" which is also a play on "(pe)Kantele" because kantele is ancient Finnish strung instrument. :thumb:

Full circle back on subject....second instrument is kantele, then a pair of mandolins! :lol:

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mr Natural said:

now that you say that- I see it. 

and now that I see it- there is a fitting name. 

"Mithrandir"

and if any of you get that without looking it up you are as big a Tolkein dork as I am. 

**raises hand**

It never occurred to me that anyone would not know the significance of that.:blink:

So we're dorks on soo many levels.:lol:

SR

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are absolutely correct in regards to Tolkien's master piece. It was even more significant considering what was going on in the world when it was written.

On the other hand Natch and I consider ourselves beer dorks, so adding Tolkien dorks to the list is a source of pride rather than derision.:P

SR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...