Hey Waksupi

[carpetman]

Hey Waksupi,you being a master musical instrument maker to include fine mandolins,I got a question or two for you. I have a mandolin with a broken nut. What's good to use to build a new,or is it better to buy a blank one? Anything special I need to know? I even considered trying to epoxy it back together,but I doubt that would work very well.

[waksupi]

Hey Waksupi,you being a master musical instrument maker to include fine mandolins,I got a question or two for you. I have a mandolin with a broken nut. What's good to use to build a new,or is it better to buy a blank one? Anything special I need to know? I even considered trying to epoxy it back together,but I doubt that would work very well.

Geez, that sounds painful. (You knew that was coming, didn't you?)
For both the nut and the bridge, I make them from bone. I like a dense one, like cow, buffalo, or elk. Some big critter. Sheep don't work, at least in Montana. Bone gives the best, brightest sound from a mandolin. Most music stores carry blanks, generally made from bone, or some polyresin material, but they are easily made at home. The ones you buy will need a lot of fitting, and aren't a "drop in". If you want to be real classy, you can use ivory, which is the premium material.
Once you have it shaped, and installed, always lubricate the grooves with a graphite pencil, as you would for a fiddle. the strings last longer. Be sure the grooves are the proper size for the strings, so they don't pinch. Even the store bought ones will need fitting for the strings, along with thier height adjustment.

Here's the one I've been playing the past few years. I have most of the parts to do another this winter.

[7br]

Carpetman, we knew all along the nut on your mandolin was broken.

[shooter2]

Wow! Ric, if you made that you are indeed a craftsman of the first order. It looks like a top end Gibson. My Gibson RB4 banjo has ivory. Great sound. Ray, unless you know how to do this, I would suggest a good repair shop as the better way to go. FWIW...

[carpetman]

7br---You knew my mandolin nut was broken. Maybe you could tell as when I sing it sounds like my G string is too tight.

[waksupi]

Shooter, that was the basic design I was going for. I wanted an F style, but didn't have the money. But I did have time and wood.
I'm still trying to decide on a final body shape for the new one. Pretty tough to beat the old Gibson design. But, I want to do one with extensive inlay, and a built in pickup, so I can get away from the annoying stick on types. I've also made fiddles, fretless banjos, and Dobro sound cone type mandolins. That was a weird project, that probably won't be repeated.

Ray, you can most likely fit the nut yourself, but it will take some time to get the height proper. What's time to a pig? You can always take it to the shop if you can't get it right. It's not a major repair, by any means.

[Scrounger]

7br---You knew my mandolin nut was broken. Maybe you could tell as when I sing it sounds like my G string is too tight.

I don't know about your G-string but several people have commented to me that they think your hatband is way too tight...

[carpetman]

Made the new nut out of a toothbrush handle. Used an Oral B so maybe it will be compatible with singing?

[waksupi]

Made the new nut out of a toothbrush handle. Used an Oral B so maybe it will be compatible with singing?

Ray, you are absolutely hopeless. Thank goodness you have so many other redeeming features!

[4060MAY]

Ric
If you ever want to build Irish Bouzouki's or Octave Mandolins, I have plans pictures etc. Are you cutting your own wood? looks like you are in the right place for it.

Carpetman
Corian works well and is easy to fit with sandpaper.

Chuck

[waksupi]

Ric
If you ever want to build Irish Bouzouki's or Octave Mandolins, I have plans pictures etc. Are you cutting your own wood? looks like you are in the right place for it.

Chuck
I'm kind of locked in on a more or less standard mandolin. I have a couple tunings to use that covers my usage. I've never played an octave mandolin, and don't know if I would like the stepped down octave tuning. Although the possibilities of adding another run of strings holds some fascination.
I'd kind of like to see the bouzouki plans, as they have a pretty clean sound and drone to them. How does the scale compare to the mandolin, as far as cutting in frets? I've been known to bugger up several fret boards before I get one that will note right, up the full neck.
The mandolin I play now, I got the face from my wood pile, and the back, sides, and neck were salvaged from a curly maple stock blank. The spruce I have for the next one, is some real nicely grained stuff from British Columbia, and the maple is from Vermont. The ebony I need, I can sometimes get locally, or I order it from a luthier supply.

[4060MAY]

Scale length is 23.5 to 25.5 depending where in Ireland.
Shorter scale is for melody and backup, longer scale is for mostly for backup
The one I play is a 24 5/8 scale same as l1 Gibson guitar
tuned GDAD, some tune ADAD, some tune like a Mando GDAE.
I don't use octave strings like a Greek Bouzouki which is also tuned differently.

Have ACAD, any way to read .dwg files?

Chuck

[carpetman]

After making the new nut out of the toothbrush,I expoxied the old one back together and put a metal brace across the back. It held together and is working. Not to misslead anybody that I can play the thing. I know parts of a couple of songs and don't remember what they are---doesnt matter me or nobody else could tell anyways.

[longhorn]

A tip of the hat, Waksupi-that's a fine lookin' instrument!

[waksupi]

Scale length is 23.5 to 25.5 depending where in Ireland.
Shorter scale is for melody and backup, longer scale is for mostly for backup
The one I play is a 24 5/8 scale same as l1 Gibson guitar
tuned GDAD, some tune ADAD, some tune like a Mando GDAE.
I don't use octave strings like a Greek Bouzouki which is also tuned differently.

Have ACAD, any way to read .dwg files?

Chuck

Chuck, I have no idea what this new computer can read. you can try sending it along to waksupi"at"aboutmontana.net, and I'll see what I can do with it.

[45 2.1]

4060MAY-

To convert ACAD dwg files, do this. Turn background color to white, copy the part of the drawing you want, open paint under accesories, paste in paint, save as a JPEG. Now you can send it to him and he can open it to look at.

[Buckshot]

.............Ric, that is an absolutely superb looking instrument! Some people have talent!

................Buckshot