Introducing the Sorensen CaliMando - The Californian Mandolin

[Steve Sorensen]

A little over a year ago, I was lucky enough to get a challenging build request from a new client -- to create a mandolin version of The Californian guitar.

While I had used The Californian design as the starting point for the Big Hammer 'cello (and more recently, the Big Dog octave), shrinking the spec down to mandolin size was a little more complicated than I had initially imagined.

Finally, the challenge has been met and the build completed. Phew!






Specs for the CaliMando are --

• Top - Curly salvaged Redwood
• Back, Sides and Headstock overlays - Cury Claro Walnut
• Binding, Armrest and Cutaway - Quilted Maple
• Fingerboard - Rosewood with Gold EVO frets, Abalone dots
• Tuners - Rubner
• Bridge - Sorensen Killer Bridge in Ebony
• Tailpiece - Sorensen Killer Tail in Claro Walnut
• Pickup - K&K Twin internal
• Finish - Shellac French Polish

While the CaliMando has nice pop and chop, I think that body style really lends itself to a more jazzy type of play. I really like the results and would love to build this design again.

Steve

[Randi Gormley]

Pretty -- nicely done -- congrats!

[Nashville]

Steve, you never cease to amaze me. You keep carving a notch in my wish list.

[Steve Sorensen]

This morning I woke up thinking about the pictures that I took of the mandolin and guitar together and realized, someday, I would love to build a five-piece matched set of The Californians --

Mandolin, Mandola, Octave Mandolin, Mandocello and Guitar.

That would be a challenging adventure!

Steve

[Dan Douris]

Really amazing! I strive to be at your skill level Steve!

[billhay4]

Fine work there.
Let's hear it.
Bill

[robert.najlis]

do find any tonal differences between the body shapes of your mandolins?

[DougC]

A little over a year ago, I was lucky enough to get a challenging build request from a new client -- to create a mandolin version of The Californian guitar.

While I had used The Californian design as the starting point for the Big Hammer 'cello (and more recently, the Big Dog octave), shrinking the spec down to mandolin size was a little more complicated than I had initially imagined.

Finally, the challenge has been met and the build completed. Phew!






Specs for the CaliMando are --

• Top - Curly salvaged Redwood
• Back, Sides and Headstock overlays - Cury Claro Walnut
• Binding, Armrest and Cutaway - Quilted Maple
• Fingerboard - Rosewood with Gold EVO frets, Abalone dots
• Tuners - Rubner
• Bridge - Sorensen Killer Bridge in Ebony
• Tailpiece - Sorensen Killer Tail in Claro Walnut
• Pickup - K&K Twin internal
• Finish - Shellac French Polish

While the CaliMando has nice pop and chop, I think that body style really lends itself to a more jazzy type of play. I really like the results and would love to build this design again.

Steve

Are the bindings 'rounded off' at the cutaway and lower bout where the right arm touches the body? Very nice! They must be very comfortable.

[Steve Sorensen]

Bill,
I'll try to get some sound before the mandolin heads out to the owner.

Robert,
I tend to use specific graduations and tonebar shaping to adjust tone for different styles of play. I work to have these results be similar for the different body shapes.

Doug,
Yes the built-in armrest and cutaway easements are rounded for player comfort.

Steve

[GarY Nava]

Very nice work Steve, I always like to see a different design.
Cheers Gary

[Tavy]

That hits the spot! Great work as ever!

[Dale Ludewig]

Very nice!!

[Skip Kelley]

Nice work Steve!
The maple binding is a nice feature!

[sgarrity]

I need to play this!

[tree]

Dang, how sexy are those "bare" necks?? Fantastic!

[Steve Sorensen]

The Californian UPDATE --

While The CaliMando is out traveling the world with it's owner, I have kept The Californian guitar as a demo instrument, and lugged it all over for festivals and shows.

So . . . it was so exciting to have George Gruhn drop by my little booth at IBMA 2018 to play some mandolins and The Californian prototype guitar.



It was even more exciting to have him wander back into the booth, the next evening, as the Convention Center was closing, to play the guitar some more. "Now that this place is quiet, I can actually hear this guitar."

George has a very interesting playing style, which is a variation on the Ma Carter thumb and forefinger, and actually plays quite well. He noted that, "As a player, I've earned exactly $49 over my career."

As the staff of the convention hall were trying to kick us out for the night, George continued to play and explore the guitar.

Finally he said, "I've never seen a guitar with this kind of design. I've never heard a guitar with this balanced tone. I've never felt a guitar that is so easy to play. I would like to buy it for my collection and show it to some friends at the Opry. Will you take a check?"

I said, "Yes."



Only later, did I learn that he had come straight from a ceremony where he was honored by the IBMA with a Lifetime Achievement Award . . . to pick that guitar.

Wow!
Steve

[Skip Kelley]

Congratulations Steve! That is just cool! George is such an incredible authority on stringed instruments. Years ago I went to Nashville with some friends to go to Gruhns. One friend was looking for a real nice D28. While we were playing in the showroom, George walked up and asked my friend how he liked the guitar he was playing. My friend said, "do you have any good ones?". George said ya'll follow me and took us upstairs to the room with pre-war herringbones and Loars. He said if you need something, I'll be downstairs.
That was a great trip! George is very cool!

[CES]

Steve, you don’t need any validation, but, there ya go!

[usqebach]

Steve,
I've been a follower of your work for some time, and am amazed by the wide range of styles you make and the quality with which you make each one.

Seeing the 2015 date on the original post tells me that this build got past me when it was first made. And I haven't seen other references lately. (Sorry, I'm not in the market for any new instrument at this time, just a passive admirer).

This model does have some different design elements (rounded armrest area, maple binding, coloration, etc) than I'm used to from you.

1) Once done (or also said, "Done once"), have you incorporated these elements into other subsequent mandolins? and,

2) With the passage of 3 years and many subsequent builds, would you do anything differently to this model today?

Just curious; thanks so much for your time and attention.

Jim Sims

[Steve Sorensen]

Jim,

I think you are asking about the guitar-bodied "Cali-mando" mandolin --

1. I did end up incorporating the built in armrest in the FX, VX, and Stratus builds. The response from players has been to consistently praise the comfort for their right arm.

2. I was really pleased with the results of the mandolin build. Very little that I would change. I will be building another Californian guitar later this year. I will probably tweak the graduations for the top slightly to match other large body builds that I have done since that guitar was built.

Steve