Starwind Mandolins

Al playing my latest. A Walnut, slope shoulder Dreadnought.

2012-02-17T15:55:00.000-05:00

What this BLOG is all about.

2011-09-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

Someone asked me what this blog is all about.

Apparently it isn't as clearly defined as I had hoped, so here is an outline:

It's ALL ABOUT ME !

..me and my journey through the eyes of a musician / guitar builder.

Read everything, I am easily distracted by shiney objects and get off- topic but I'll eventually come around and pick up where I left off.

The main reason for this blog is following up from the website of the same address and that is

TO SELL CUSTOM SMALL SHOP GUITARS AND MANDOLINS

while having as good a time as I can..

Tools of the Trade

2011-09-03T01:04:00.001-04:00

This is just something for the Tool Guys out there.

Most of these were made in the 19th century. (1800's) The chisels and gouges are made of Cast Steel and can hold a super sharp edge for a long time. (click on photo to enlarge)

I use these every day and they never cease to amaze me.

They were passed down to me from my Great Grandfather only after the toolbox was raided by an uncle or two. I have repaired two handles and there are several more to go. Unfortunately, no one believed in the the old saying - "The proper tool for a proper job." Certainly not my ancestors. In the photo at right there are three Mortising Chisels that are meant to be struck, preferably with a Mallet. The two on the right and obviously the second from the left.

No handle yet.

They have a massive tapering socket to allow a matching tapered handle with a generous shoulder to absorb the shock of the hammer blows. They are expected to get damaged and replaced. Also, if you turn the chisel sideways you will notice that it is at least twice the thickness closer to the handle. This is to prevent bending the blade at or near the handle when levering chips out of the mortise. This also is the reason the back of the chisel is radiused.

Paring Chisels on the other hand (the two in the center) are meant to be PUSHED. They will have a very shallow bevel and are meant for finishing cuts. I keep these razor sharp. they don't need the extra mass and steeper bevel. The tang of the handle on these extends at least halfway into the handle and the ferrule at the bottom of the handle prevents the handle from splitting when you drive he tang into the hole. These chisels will last a lifetime, and in point of fact have already lasted almost three lifetimes.

One of our Favorite Mandolins

2011-08-07T08:23:00.009-04:00

Pictured is our all Walnut Flat Top Mandolin with traditional adjustable bridge and

cantilevered fretboard.

The neck is solid walnut as are the sides, top and back..It has a resonant bass with vibrancy in the upper registers. It rings like a bell....unfortunately someone else liked it as well and chose too remove it from the wall of the music store that it was consigned to and it was never seen again.

Book matched American Black Walnut Back, Sides and Sound board

The fretboard and headstock veneer are Macassar Ebony.

BatMandolin - Another of Our Instruments

2011-08-03T16:33:00.009-04:00

Bat Mandolin

Eldery Mandolin player auditioning the BatMandolin

More Old Stuff

2011-07-28T15:17:00.001-04:00

This is my latest find. A 19th century Wooden Block Plane. You can understand why it's named that. It started out as a BLOCK of wood approx. 10" x 4" x 4" There are no mechanical adjustments. You simply wedge the blade in a tapered slot by tapping on the tapered wedge to roughly position the blade then tap on the front or back to force the blade deeper (Tap on Front) or shallower (Tap on Back). Then tighten wedge to lock all parts in place and make a pass to check shaving thickness. Adjust as above for proper curls.

Block Plane

Flat Tops vs Carved Tops

2011-07-26T11:43:00.015-04:00

A2 F-Hole Mandolin $495

Walnut "BatMandolin" - $795
Top photo hows Offshore "A" type that has been "Hot Rodded"; Black lacquer finish, Corian custom Bridge and Saddle, Elm Burl Pick guard and Headstock. The top and back are pressed plywood. I wouldn't take any less than $495 for it now. Sounds much better than s tock with amazing resonance and increased volume due to the 1 pc bridge and saddle.

Street price fors stock offshore instrument $175-$195

I don't know about you but I don't think there's enough of a difference in tone or volume between a well constructed flat top Mandolin and a carved top Mandolin to warrant the extra cash. Right hand photo shows my best selling Flat Top The Famous "BatMandolin" I would pay good money to anyone that would compare this to an $800 Epiphone F5 and tell me thay tone and volume beat any Flat Top on these pages.
I do agree that more time is required in constructing an F5, particularly in the Scroll. Or as it is called -the $1000 Strap Hook.

And why does every company have to try to re-invent the F5?
If it ain't broke buy an old one.

At least then you are getting antique value, survivability, and aged tone.

Anybody want to take a shot at this one??

Headstocks

2011-07-22T12:50:00.012-04:00

The Plate on the left is Walnut w/ an Ebony star. The one on the right is Maple w/ no inlay.Headstock Plates are technically a reinforcing veneer of the Neck/Headstock 15 degree scarf joint where the neck bends back to create a pressure point for the strings at the "0 " (zero) fret.

These two have been laser cut and etched. The one on the left is for a Mandolin. 1 1/8" width of neck at the nut. The other is for a Guitar at 1 13/16" at the zero fret.

The laser beam is so thin that I can take the star from one and insert into another for a perfect inlay.

Mix and match woods and various other matreials. eg. MOP or Abalone.

Brass gold or silver. Aluminum which can mimic pewter or silver can also be used.

Or insert an Abalone Star from StewMac from which the pattern was taken. Pretty cool, eh ?!

Typically they would be .125 x 7" x 4"-5" wide. Materials are yours to decide but remember the Olde Tymers would usually match the bridge and the headplate leaving the fingerboard to be Ebony or Rosewood or the client's preference.

INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE

2011-06-27T08:00:00.022-04:00

DHS100-14 Being fited for back plate

DHS100-14 Walnut Dreadnought $895.

Case $100 Extra.

HS50-12 Fret / 000 style $795.

Case $100 Extra.
OK .... Enough chatter. Here's some of our instuments. Some have been sold. Some in stock and have been taking up space on my Studio/Showroom/WC for too long and have to go:

A place for everything ...

2011-06-26T23:32:00.012-04:00

... and everything in it's place. At least that's what my Furniture Design and Construction instructor would say if he were still with us. My shop is not the model for that old saying.

"A place for everything and everything in it's place"

I walk into it with all good intentions of:

a) completing the neck for the A-Style Flat Top Mandolin. I am still not decided whether to put 4 strings on it and call it a "Ukolin" or a "Mandolele" and at least acknowledge that there is a ground swell of Ukeleles out there.

Or:

b) String it up as a Mandolin and be done with it.

But I wind up doing something else. Totally unrelated. Like sharpening my hunting knife. I Don't even hunt !!

Which in and of itself is not wrong. But I have too many other instrument-related jobs I should be ding

I am obviously easily distracted by shiny objects.

I am not a hunter. Never have. Never will be. I have only discharged a weapon in the direction of a living entity once and that was at the urging of my stepfather who thought it might be entertaining to watch a 10 year old wind up on his ass after pulling the trigger on an old 12 ga. shotgun. Just for fun. I think he was after Ptarmigan . Just for fun.

But I fooled him I did not wind up on my butt.

And the bird flew away!

More Old Stuff

2011-06-21T23:52:00.001-04:00

Mallet included in my Great Gandpa's tool box. Well used, not abused. Weight approx 2 kg. Not intended for chopping dovetails...!

Shopbuilt Insrtruments

2011-06-19T15:29:00.000-04:00

Necks for Mandolins and Guitars

2011-05-31T23:11:00.013-04:00

Necks and Fingerboards are the interface between the musician and the music.

Everyone will have their own likes and dislikes. Width, thickness , soft "v", "d" or round, eliptical or flat. The luthier will take his cues from the musicians present or desired instruments and try to ferret out the shape that best suits the client.

Our necks are completely hand carved to allow adjustments to be made. Having the client handle the neck during the course of construction when changes are easily made is the best way to accomplish this.

Materials are Mahogany for most dark Body Woods.

Lighter Body woods like Maple are best suited being Maple for looks more than tone. All woods being Quartersawn of course.

Spool Clamps

2011-05-22T15:20:00.012-04:00

Both 2" Large and 1 1/2" Small have a 5" opening and cork face.

Large - $25 cdn - Set of (8)

Small - $25 cdn - Set of (10)

Smaller qtys - - - $3 ea Any Size

Solid Hard Maple jaws 1/4 x 20 Allthread with butterfly nut.

Instruments

2011-05-19T11:57:00.006-04:00

Here's one way to kerf your linings

And here's a better way.Semi-automatic (re: Frank Ford - www.frets.com)

Flat Tops vs Carved Tops

2011-05-17T18:44:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you but I don't think there's enough of a difference in tone or volume between a well constructed flat top and a carved top Mandolin to warrant the extra cash.

Anyone care to comment?

I may be playing the Devil's Advocate or not....?

I do agree that more time is required in constructing an F5, particularly in the Scroll. Or as they call it -the $1000 Strap Hook.

And why does every company have to try to re-invent the F5? If it ain't broke buy an old one.

At least then you are getting antique value, survivability, and aged tone.

Anybody want to take a shot at this one??

Hey folks I am opening the forum. Lets have some fun!

Mandolin Bridges

2011-05-09T07:39:00.011-04:00

After having some difficulty adapting the "Traditional Adjustable up and down 4-piece Bridge to my flat top Mandolins and Mandolas I came across a web site featuring solid, fixed height one piece Solid Bridges. now really, how many players have to adjust their bridges after they find that sweet spot...? Hard Maple, according to their extensive research proved to be best. (see above)

I have a long held belief that one piece of anything transmits vibrations better than multi-piece anything.

So, I am offering, with apologies to that currently unnamed website, (I will locate it again and publish it on this blog). My versions are made from Solid Surface Corian. It seems to be working so far and Rosewood with Bloodwood and Hard Maple. Shown on an Offshore A -model with a curved top. Either one of these bridges will be included with my flat tops and I am currently working on a version for flat top Guitars. Pinned and Pinless.........I'll put pics on here after I find the MACRO setting on my camera...

Mallet - A Universal Tool

2011-05-03T08:44:00.007-04:00

Here is what what I consider to be the perfect symbol of craftsmanship. This is the tool a Woodsmith would either have to find in the forest or wood pile or carve/turn in order to strike a chisel or gouge when shaping wood. One of the the Machine Tools of it's time in use for thousands of years .. It would be used every day in cabinet making, carpentry, chairmaking or when the need arose,. the construction of other machines, tools or jigs as required.

2011-04-24T14:09:00.002-04:00

Here's a few photos of our work.