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Carving Mandolin Tops
Of all the various parts that go into building a mandolin, the top has the most significant influence on tone quality. If you build it too stiff, the…
4 min read
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Restoring Family Heirlooms
Restoring instruments with family significance brings a real sense of purpose and satisfaction to my repair business. This week I worked on two guitars that belonged to the…
4 min read
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Mandolin Side Bending and Construction
This week I started bending and assembling sides as part of my mandolin build. In the past, I’ve bent each piece individually over a hot copper pipe. As…
4 min read
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A Renaissance Repair
I sometimes receive unusual instruments needing repair, but recently I took on my first Renaissance instrument repair. A local musician brought me his Orpharion, in need of a…
4 min read
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The World of CNC
Computer Numerical Control (CNC), a process which uses a computer to operate tools like mills and routers, has taken hold in the instrument building world over the past…
4 min read
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Testing Mandolin Topwood
Luthiers for centuries have agreed that the wood on the top of an instrument affects its tone far more than any other part of the instrument. Spruce is…
4 min read
What’s On My Bench
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