Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: A couple of new mandolins

  1. #1
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,645

    Default A couple of new mandolins

    Off to the US next month for the Guild of American Luthiers convention in Tacoma WA. I will have a couple of new mandolins with me. The latest of the King Billy and Huon Pine oval hole mandolins, and the third of the D'Aquisto inspired Art-Deco series, this one of Bearclaw Sitka from Alaska Specialty Woods and quilted Big Leaf maple from Bruce Harvey of Orcas Island Tomewoods. I know James Condino will be there presenting a talk and looking forward to catching up with other mandolin folks at the convention.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	KBH23_1.jpg 
Views:	184 
Size:	3.88 MB 
ID:	207869 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	KBH23_2.jpg 
Views:	152 
Size:	3.56 MB 
ID:	207870 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	KBH23_3.jpg 
Views:	144 
Size:	289.9 KB 
ID:	207871

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Deco3_1.jpg 
Views:	179 
Size:	3.99 MB 
ID:	207872 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Deco3_2.jpg 
Views:	136 
Size:	3.93 MB 
ID:	207873 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Deco3_3.jpg 
Views:	129 
Size:	342.1 KB 
ID:	207874

  2. The Following 20 Users Say Thank You to Graham McDonald For This Useful Post:

    + Show/Hide list of the thanked


  3. #2
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    1,745

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Beautiful, Graham!
    aka: Spencer
    Silverangel Econo A #429
    Soliver #001 & #002: A double stack of Pancakes.

    Soliver Hand Crafted Mandolins and Mandolin Armrests
    Armrests Here -- Mandolins Here

    "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage
    to lose sight of the shore, ...and also a boat with no holes in it.” -anonymous

  4. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    332

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    beautiful work Graham!
    Bob Schmidt

  5. #4
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    1,356

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Both are lovely mandolins, but I'm especially enamored of the Art Deco creation!

  6. #5
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Saint Augustine Beach FL
    Posts
    6,633

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Looks great Graham, pine for the top I understand but for the back and sides? Can you enlighten me about Huon Pine?
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  7. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    S.W. Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,507

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Love the Art-Deco lines, great looking mandolins.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  8. #7
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,645

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    King Billy pine is similar to North American Western Red Cedar. I suppose both King Billy and Huon were called a 'pine' by the early European settlers as they are conifers rather than anything else. The arching on a King Billy soundboard needs to be little higher and the graduations a little thicker than when using spruce. I prefer to make instruments as light as possible when I can, so the light weight King Billy works for that. Huon pine is around the same density as mahogany, has a wonderful aromatic smell and is a pleasure to carve. The King Billy/Huon combination makes a delightfully light and responsive mandolin. Both timbers only grow on our southern island of Tasmania and have not been commercially harvested for decades. We are planning a trip there later in the year partially to see if I can track down a few pieces of King Billy for a few more mandolins. The King Billy/Huon mandolin weighs around 760gm, the maple one around 880gm with all the hardware.

    Cheers

    Quote Originally Posted by Charles E. View Post
    Looks great Graham, pine for the top I understand but for the back and sides? Can you enlighten me about Huon Pine?

  9. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Graham McDonald For This Useful Post:


  10. #8
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    3,320

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Beautiful work Graham.

  11. #9
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Westchester, NY
    Posts
    30,753

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    I love the different Down-Under woods especially the names… King Billy Pine!
    Jim

    My Stream on Soundcloud
    Facebook
    19th Century Tunes
    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  12. #10
    Registered User urobouros's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Sunny PNW
    Posts
    399

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    I love the art deco model!
    2020 Northfield Big Mon
    2016 Skip Kelley A5
    2011 Weber Gallatin A20
    2021 Northfield Flattop Octave Mandolin
    2019 Pono Flattop Octave
    Richard Beard Celtic Flattop
    And a few electrics

  13. #11
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    2,758

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Lookin' great Graham!

    I'm excited to see them in person and get in a few laughs at the GAL convention next month. I know there will be several other 'cafe folks attending.
    www.condino.com

    Crafted by hand in a workshop powered by the sun.

  14. #12
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Beautiful as always, Graham!

  15. #13
    Registered User tjmangum's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    ORE-uh-g’n
    Posts
    157

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Are these just for "show and tell" or will they be available for sale at some point?
    " Give me some words I can dance to and a melody that rhymes" - Steve Goodman

  16. #14
    Mandolin tragic Graham McDonald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    1,645

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by tjmangum View Post
    Are these just for "show and tell" or will they be available for sale at some point?
    Most definitely for sale

  17. #15
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Ardnadam, Argyll, Scotland
    Posts
    2,280

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Beautiful instruments, Graham. All the best for your venture to the convention in Tacoma.
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores

  18. #16
    Registered User Schneidly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Washington State
    Posts
    52

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    As always, beautiful craftsmanship Graham! The details of the art-deco one grab my eye and appreciation from a building and design standpoint, but the oval hole wins overall for me. A stunning instrument! Truly, both are stunning.

  19. #17
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    13,103

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Went out to lunch with Graham today on his way home after the convention. We had a nice chat and Graham sampled his first mole negro! I sampled both of these mandolins. He left the Art Deco mandolin with me and I'll try to find a home for it here in the States.

    Graham, I presume you showed these to James Condino? (Someone I've always wanted to meet.) Curious what he thought of them.
    Last edited by mrmando; Jul-12-2023 at 12:32am.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  20. The following members say thank you to mrmando for this post:


  21. #18

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmando View Post
    Went out to lunch with Graham today on his way home after the convention. We had a nice chat and Graham sampled his first mole negro! I sampled both of these mandolins. He left the Art Deco mandolin with me and I'll try to find a home for it here in the States.

    Graham, I presume you showed these to James Condino? (Someone I've always wanted to meet.) Curious what he thought of them.
    Thanks for listing the Art Deco in the Classifieds, Martin. I’m window-shopping as usual, but it’s a fascinating, subtly unique instrument and I would say quite reasonably priced.
    2009 Eastman 505
    2011 Collings MTO GT
    2008 Toyota Sienna
    2018 Sawchyn mandola

    Mandoline or Mandolin: Similar to the lute, but much less artistically valuable....for people who wish to play simple music without much trouble —The Oxford Companion to Music

  22. #19
    Registered User Davy Simpson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Lyttelton, New Zealand
    Posts
    26

    Default Re: A couple of new mandolins

    Wow, that art decco mando is beautiful!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •