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Thread: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

  1. #26
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    As small air conditioner in the workshop works well. The workshop is quite small but cleverly designed to be quite efficiently solar passive, so the air-con takes the edge off in the morning and if the sun is out gets comfortable quite quickly.

  2. #27
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    The two mandolins for the quartet strung up today. A bit exciting! The mandola and the mandocello will get done next week. They sound quite similar, but with subtle differences. So far, doing what they are supposed to! King Billy pine soundboards, blackwood back and sides, Queensland maple necks, ebony 13 7/8"scale fretboards, head overlays are gidgee and flamed blackwood centre strips with ivoiroid binding all round.

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  4. #28
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    The quartet has been strung up and making some very pleasant musical sounds.

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  6. #29
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Beautiful Graham, and the end of a big project. Is the top of the mandocello King Billy as well? It's hard to see clearly from the photo, but the dark streaks make it look almost more like Bunya or Kauri. Have you got 4 players for a recording?

  7. #30
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Oh, and I forgot to ask what finish you used.

  8. #31
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Beautiful suite. Looking forward to sound clips.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  9. #32
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    The cello top is also King Billy, but not as clean as the other three, which all came from the one billet. Finish is Wurth semi-gloss rattle-can lacquer, which Gerard Gilet put me onto. I have several of the local mandolin community offering to try them out, and perhaps make a recording and maybe a video. I do have to try and sell the quartet now!

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  11. #33
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    After thinking about for a while, I decided the mandolin quartet should have sunburst finishes, rather than just clear lacquer.

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  13. #34

    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    I think the Quartet looks beautiful, and much more dramatic in sunburst. Did you also use rattle cans to apply the sunburst?

  14. #35
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Beauties all! I like that the two mandolins are different. I look forward to hearing them played. Maybe you need to issue a recording of various types of music played on these instruments.
    Jim

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  15. #36
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Boy, aren’t they grand! Wonderful concept and workmanship.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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    Clark 2 point
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  16. #37
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    The sunbursts are stains in very thinned satin lacquer out of a touch-up spray gun. Golden Teak, Brown Teak and then Walnut which are the available colours to suit from local manufacturers. I will be videoing some playing on individual instruments on Tuesday and will edit that into a short video. I will then see if I can get four people together for a live recording of the quartet together.

    Next up to to hopefully find a buyer for the whole quartet. I have had one nibble which is a bit exciting!

    Cheers

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  18. #38
    Registered User Schneidly's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Graham,
    When you posted the original finish on the quartet, I thought they looked beautiful and never would have questioned whether or not they should have a sunburst. Now that you have revealed them with a burst, I have to agree they look even better. To my eye the sunburst ties beautifully to the coloring in the headstock and makes a set of even more visually unified instruments. Such stunning work! I, like everyone else, can't wait to hear them!

  19. #39
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    Graham,
    They are truely works of art, and like everyone else I can't wait to hear them.
    Bob Schmidt

  20. #40
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Australian Mandolin Quartet

    There is a link in the video picture etc forum to a short video demoing each of the quartet.

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