[Gbluee]

Mandocello Build Part 17. The Bridge

The bridge is on and the Mandocello has been strung for almost 2 weeks now. Everything looks great and I am happy to report that 1st, I can enter the finishing stages right after the voicing is done & the binding added, and 2nd the M'cello full size blueprints should be available really soon!

 

[Gbluee]

Mandocello build Part 18, Voicing the Instrument.

I really feel like today was a big milestone in the Mandocello build. A lot was dependant on going over this step… -Voicing- I needed it to be done in order to finalize the M'cello Blueprints, the get started on the binding of the soundboard and backboard and to enter the finishing stages.

But also a lot needed to be dialed in before I even started with the voicing itself, Nut spacing, action setup, and also monitor the soundboard under tension for 2 weeks.

I'm exited about this step being behind now but I'm even more exited about the sound of the Mandocello! Check out the video…
http://www.hovingtoninstruments.com/today-in-the-shopblog

 

[Gbluee]

Installing the Binding on the Mandocello

I did take a little break on this build but at this point I am neering completion.. In this video you can see how the binding is installed around the scroll section of the instrument and other sections.

 

[Gbluee]

Gibson style Mandocello Full build

over a year ago I started my florentine style Mandocello based on prints that I've presonnaly made. so to be accurate I've started this build when I started gathering information about this instrument, size, dimentions, scale length, pro and cons etc… so in reality, I've been working on this baby for over 4 years.

well last week I've finally did the final setup and call it a wrap. I've just finished the editing on the full build and i'm happy to share with you all here…

let me know your thoughts!

 

[Rick Dennington]

Gibson style Mandocello Full build

over a year ago I started my florentine style Mandocello based on prints that I've presonnaly made. so to be accurate I've started this build when I started gathering information about this instrument, size, dimentions, scale length, pro and cons etc… so in reality, I've been working on this baby for over 4 years.

well last week I've finally did the final setup and call it a wrap. I've just finished the editing on the full build and i'm happy to share with you all here…

let me know your thoughts!

Great video, Tommy. I watched the whole thing from start to finish. I was very impressed by some of your techniques, and templates you used during the build. Back in the day I worked with a guy in Oklahoma, and we built resiphonic guitars (they were known as DoBros), and we built all the jigs for all the parts. My question is: What was the purpose of putting the f-hole sound board on the back of the mandocello that sat on the little blocks.? And what was the small tool (it looked like a mini router) used to rout out the grove for the binding.? I also built an F5-style mandolin patterened after an old Gibson mandolin…I think I told you that some time back. When I did the mother of pearl inlay on the peghead and neck of the guitars, I cut it out just like you did with a coping saw, but used a Dremel tool to cut the pattern to inset it in the neck….!! Anyway I enjoyed watching the video, and following the build.

 

[Gbluee]

Gibson style Mandocello Full build

over a year ago I started my florentine style Mandocello based on prints that I've presonnaly made. so to be accurate I've started this build when I started gathering information about this instrument, size, dimentions, scale length, pro and cons etc… so in reality, I've been working on this baby for over 4 years.

well last week I've finally did the final setup and call it a wrap. I've just finished the editing on the full build and i'm happy to share with you all here…

let me know your thoughts!

Hi Rick, the little soundboard on blocks is called a Virzi tone producer. Sitting under the bridge it gets into motion when a string is plucked. It adds partials to the overall sound. In a bluegrass setting it is not ideal as it is more mellow and not as bright, but in a orchestra ensemble it would definitely sound great. It was invented and patented by the Virzi brother's mostly in the violin family but was introduced in the Mandolin family when Lloyd loar was still at Gibson. Before the bluegrass really took off.

The mini router is an attachment for the Dremel you can find on stewmac website. It is used on archtops to cut the binding channel. the referring edge is narrow compared to a guitar Binding router jig Which make a better cut. I do use a Gramil to score the binding edge beforehand.

Thanks for your following and watching.

 

[Rick Dennington]

Gibson style Mandocello Full build

over a year ago I started my florentine style Mandocello based on prints that I've presonnaly made. so to be accurate I've started this build when I started gathering information about this instrument, size, dimentions, scale length, pro and cons etc… so in reality, I've been working on this baby for over 4 years.

well last week I've finally did the final setup and call it a wrap. I've just finished the editing on the full build and i'm happy to share with you all here…

let me know your thoughts!

Hi Tomy,

I thought I would post a picture of my F5-syle Gibson mandolin I built back in the day….around 1983-4. The back and sides are Curly Birdseye Maple, the top is an 80 year old piece of Sitka Spruce I got from Martin Guitar Co., and the neck is Mahogany. In the neck I laminated a piece of Cherry wood just to spruce it up a little. It has a Walnut overlay on the peghead, and Gibson tuners. I can't remember where I ordered the binding and all the parts from. I think the tailpiece is a Gibson, but not sure….Too many years ago… I built the neck and body, did all the scroll work, then I sent the mandolin to a good friend of mine who worked in the mandolin dept. at Gibson. He put on the overlay on the peghead ( I had already did the mop inlay), and sprayed the sunburst finish, and then sprayed on lacquer. Put the parts on the mandolin, and once dried, put it in a new case. By the way, my friend's name was Charley Derrington, who also repaired Bill Monroe's 1923 Lloyd Loar after vandals broke into his home and busted the mandolin up with a fire poker…He put it back together splinter by splinter and piece by piece….!!

Didn't mean to ramble…just a little background history…...Here's a couple of pictures of the mandolin…

I had a picture of the label you could read under the f-hole, but can't find it…..Anyway, that's the mandolin….!