# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > CBOM >  New Session King guitar-octave mandolin on the bench

## nkforster

This is the third instrument for Jim, who plays in Australian band "Midnight Oil." Its a Session King, guitar bodied octave mandlin with mahogany back and sides, and a torrefied sitka soundboard.

The body was bound this week. And I'm really pleased with how she looks.







Nigel
https://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/binding/

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bruce.b, 

Dave Sheets, 

Eric Platt, 

Harley Marty, 

John Kelly, 

Markkunkel, 

Marty Jacobson, 

Peter Barnett, 

soliver

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## nkforster

Got on with the neck for this OM today - the neck is made from New Guinea rosewood - a wonderful timber to work with.

Nigel
https://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/necks/

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bruce.b, 

soliver

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## nkforster

Neck carving and fretting tomorrow.

Nigel
https://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/fretboards/

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40bpm, 

DougC

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## 40bpm

Thanks for posting these pix. It's great to see how an instrument takes shape.

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cayuga red

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## John Kelly

What a fine-looking instrument, Nigel.  Those tinbers are lovely too.

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## nkforster

Neck carving. 
That New Guinea rosewood is lovely stuff to carve. It looks great too. THe heel cap is an offcut from the bog oak fretboard, so has a nice radius to match. The head veneers are ebony, front and back.

Nigel
https://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/neck-carving/

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cayuga red

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## Reinhardt

Beautiful work as usual Nigel. you should post this on the Irish Bouzouki Forum as well.

John

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## nkforster

> Beautiful work as usual Nigel. you should post this on the Irish Bouzouki Forum as well.
> 
> John


John, I've a bit of an aversion to Facebook. I found it a bit addictive. So I'm not on it. But aye, if you're in the group it would great if you drew members attention to this thread.

Ta.

Nigel
http://nkforsterguitars.com/

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## nkforster

Latest updates - plentry of writing about it on the blog. Link at the bottom.

There has been plenty going on - the body was sanded and grain filled, then sanded again. Then the neck was fretted, sanded and filled too.












Nigel
https://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/fretting/

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40bpm, 

cayuga red

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## nkforster

So, the finishing is done and the satin nitro is cured. THe next step is to glue on the bridge and neck:



THen string her up and ignore her for a couple of weeks.



After that its time to do the final setup - frets, acrion, relief, intonation, pickup and pickguard.

Now she's off to Jim in New South Wales. Expect to see this guitar bouzouki on the next Midnight Oil tour...



Nigel
www.nkforsterguitars.com

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Dave Sheets

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## allenhopkins

> This is the third instrument for Jim, who plays in Australian band "Midnight Oil..."


How can he play when his beds are burning?

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Eric F., 

Sue Rieter

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## Markkunkel

Oh Nigel, that looks nothing but lovely. I know you have mostly focused of late on your wonderful guitar-bodied styles, but I cherish and play this one every day. Thanks for the musical art!

Mark

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## Baron Collins-Hill

Beautiful instrument! Seems like you've got a pretty wide saddle on there. I'm assuming thats for intonation flexibility. Do you find that the width of the saddle has any effect on tone?

Thanks,
Baron

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## nkforster

> Beautiful instrument! Seems like you've got a pretty wide saddle on there. I'm assuming thats for intonation flexibility. Do you find that the width of the saddle has any effect on tone?
> 
> Thanks,
> Baron


Thats not the bridge I made for the instrument - so you'd have to ask the owner about that one. 

When I make a bouzouki or mandolin I always test out a couple of bridge options - usually an ebony bridge with a bone saddle vs a solid maple bridge. The difference can be significant. 

Nigel
www.nkforsterguitars.com

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## Baron Collins-Hill

He supplied his own bridge for you to affix to the instrument?

Thanks,
Baron

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## nkforster

> He supplied his own bridge for you to affix to the instrument?
> 
> Thanks,
> Baron


I didn't sell the instrument to Mark, Baron. It has had a couple of owners.

I've no idea what happened to the bridge I supplied.

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## dang

I suspect baron meant the original post of your session kings GBOM??
The bridge saddle does seem large to me in post 10 also?

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## nkforster

> I suspect baron meant the original post of your session kings GBOM??
> The bridge saddle does seem large to me in post 10 also?


Oh right. Wondered what he was on about!

Its an idea I saw on a posh guitar by Tom Sands. Its very clever. Wish I'd thought of it. Guitar tops tend to pull forward over time, making the guitar play out of tune. But this way allows you to change the saddle in the future without having to fill and re rout the slot. There is enough space in the saddle to allow for years of adjustments. 

Nigel
www.nkforsterguitars.com

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dang

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## nkforster

And no, I don't find having a wider saddle has any effect on tone. The difference is mass is negligable.

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## Markkunkel

Wouldn't want to derail this thread for the world, but just to celebrate Nigel's work and say thank you thank you thank you. 

I think Nigel originally decided on a maple bridge (no saddle) for this one, and maybe went to an ebony one... then it was off to Andy Marshall, who had it fitted with this bridge and saddle. I have loved everything about it, and even though the original (second?) ebony bridge is in the case pocket, I haven't even tried it. 

Mostly, Nigel, THANKS for your work... and your more recent work is even lovelier, to my eye. 

Mark

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