#40 & 41 are done.

let the pics speak for themselves.......





sound clip of #40.....





and of #41

Tuners, tailpiece & strings onto #40, so all three are now playable (in the broadest sense)

the two As are the most mando sounding. the pinned bridge changes the way the sound is generated and although they all sound good so far, the two As are the ones I'd choose if I wanted something traditionally mandolin sounding!!

the rest of the week will be spent setting up all three. intonation, fretwork, oiling the fretboards, trussrod covers, strap buttons

here's a family portrait.

SO, before work today I got the bridge pin holes reamed out to 5 degrees and the slots cut in the bridge for the strings. at break time I got the strings on!!

Still the saddle to intonate and a load of tidying to get done, but it makes noises!!





#42, I got the tuners on... and they're SO much nicer than the 4 on a plate ones!!





and then a tail piece screwed in place, and a temporary bridge "just to see"





like the dread, there is still a HEAP of setting up to do as the action is WAY too high, and the frets need dressed, the fretboard needs oiled, the bridge intonated as well as a general tidy up.

#40 had another coat of lacquer, so visually very little change.....

Not much to show on 40 & 42. sanding and more finish coats......

41 got the bridge glued in place.....

to do this I rough cut a nut, and then using a temporary tail piece I rig the bridge as a floating affair with just the farthest out two strings, and set it roughly in the right place by comparing the 12th fret harmonic with the fretted note in the same place. when they match, it's right!!

then cut round it with a scalpel and remove the finish. a few drops of glue and then all clamped up overnight.







next in line?

a pair of rosewood guitar shaped bouzoukis based on Stefan Sobell's design.

first project it onto a sceen and push the zoom til the dimensions are right, then draw round the outline & cut it out.

this will become the template to make the body mould.......

mini dread has the tuners on and a bridge that I ventured into the dangerous world of CNC to create.......







the two As?

well #40 got the neck glued on, the heel cap on then a LOAD of sanding and a coat of finish......





and #42 got another few coats too.......





I'm REALLY looking forward to getting some strings on these three !!!