Here's a helpful chart that I made up using info and formulas from Prof. Bruce Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood". (Highly recommended!) If left in an environment with a specific humidity level,...
Here's a helpful chart that I made up using info and formulas from Prof. Bruce Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood". (Highly recommended!) If left in an environment with a specific humidity level,...
The copies of The Mandolin - a history that were ordered as part of the Kickstarter project were mailed from the printer on Friday. They should arrive at American addresses next week, hopefully the...
All of the commercially built instruments you have ever owned were probably built at around 40% humidity, and the reason that they can survive being used in high humidity environments (think about a...
You can think of wood taking on moisture and drying out like a sponge, it absorbs moisture quickly, but dries slow. If you are trying to acclimate your wood I would wait a minimum of two weeks or...
An interesting thing happened to me once- I was building a guitar in my "humidity-uncontrolled" basement, and had just glued the transverse braces onto a mahogany back. These are the braces that pull...
Hi Steve,
I deal with humidity fluctuations all the time living in Minnesota. We get your humidity levels in the summer and desert dry in the winter. I acclimate my wood pieces before and during...
You can draw your own or you can buy plans (not sure where, I draw my own stuff). The point is, you need to know what it is you are building (in detail) to know what your neck angle is, where your...
I haven't really looked at the Crystal Forest plans, but if they are well thought out and have proven to be of a good design that has been successfully built, they should work fine.
Beware when buying goods with Paypal.
If you're asked to pay using the (Friends and Family) Option you have NO comeback against Paypal if something goes wrong with the transaction. You are basically...
Hi Steve, I've used a 2 degree neck angle on my flat tops. By the time I was finished they could have been 3. I don't think 3 would be to much. As for the truss rod I just used 3/16" cold rolled...
There are lots of classically-trained musicians who can read but can't improvise. I'd much rather be able to improvise.
Different strokes.
I like it! looks really nice!... Just a thought though, If you really want to be able to take it on and off easily without having to unhook the strap from your rawhide "button" consider permanently...
My bridge looks like that in the middle of the winter, but in the summer it is almost all the way down with very little space between the wheels and the foot. Does your mandolin move a lot with...
Steve,
I'd measure your current bridge height at the saddle and talk with the guys at Cumberland Acoustic. They make top quality bridges and make them in different heights. If your bridge is...
One tip for stabilizing a bridge that is raised this high is to get a second pair of thumbwheels and install them on the screws next to the base. This will prevent some teetering and movement.
From your photo, it appears that your saddle is bending or "sagging" under the down force from the strings. You may not have a problem now, or even for a while, but eventually that saddle could...
The action is the thing. If that's right then you have no problem as long as there is enough screw length in the saddle holes to keep it stable.
Sounds like natural distressing to me. Some people pay extra for that "worn" look on a new instrument.
Thought I'd share this. I like many others find it hard to permanently alter a nice mandolin with a strap button. I've been trying different methods of tying around the body and head stock and...
Hello from France (and sorry for bad english !)
Perhaps some accustomed of this forum remember my manufacturing out of carbon (amateur) I was likely to find very good wood, dried 40 years and...
Years ago I knew a woman who was a compulsive shopper. On Saturday she would spend all day shopping and buy hundreds of dollars worth of clothes, only to return most or all of them on Sunday. She saw...
I still think Rob's book is so clearly written it almost makes me want to buy a junker and make it "work"!
I think you're all missing the point. Paypal deducts the fee from the seller, it won't tack it on to the buyer. I really don't think they care what arrangements are made between the buyer and seller....
I disagree as to its being ridiculous. There is an obvious, practical business reason for this; I alluded to it above. If you wish to offer the PayPal service, PayPal expects that you offer it at the...