Search found 455 matches

by graham mcdonald
Fri Jan 19, 2024 5:48 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Ukulele book reprint
Replies: 0
Views: 1694

Ukulele book reprint

I have done a short run reprint of The Ukulele, my book on building ukuleles of all sizes. A high quality printing on good paper so the price is A$40 plus $15 p&p within Australia.

http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/ukulelebook.html

Cheers
Graham
by graham mcdonald
Thu Nov 17, 2022 8:12 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Has anyone used Mirotone 3220 over CA glue grain fill
Replies: 8
Views: 5972

Re: Has anyone used Mirotone 3220 over CA glue grain fill

I suspect that the Wattyl product does not have enough plasticisers to allow it to move with the soundboards. Anecdotal evidence over the years suggests just about every nitro lacquer manufacturer has had that problem at one time or another!

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:43 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Somogyi books in Canberra?
Replies: 1
Views: 1709

Somogyi books in Canberra?

Back in 2009 I wrote an article for American Lutherie, the quarterly journal of the Guild of American Luthiers, which surveyed just about all the books that had been published up to then on guitar building. The GAL has recently added that article to the 'web extras' page of their website www.luth.or...
by graham mcdonald
Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:33 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Has anyone used Mirotone 3220 over CA glue grain fill
Replies: 8
Views: 5972

Re: Has anyone used Mirotone 3220 over CA glue grain fill

Why would you use CA as a grain filler on a (presumably softwood) soundboard, which does not have grain to fill. I would think the spruce or whatever is moving with humidity changes, and the CA is not!

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Sun Sep 25, 2022 1:10 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: The Australian mandolin quartet
Replies: 4
Views: 10177

The Australian mandolin quartet

Recently strung up is a mandolin quartet - 2 x mandolins, a mandola and a mandocello - made mostly from Australian timbers. King Billy soundboards, blackwood backs and sides, Qld maple necks with head overlays of gidgee and flamed blackwood. The fretboards are ebony with ivoroid binding all round. G...
by graham mcdonald
Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:09 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Two ukuleles
Replies: 20
Views: 10424

Re: Two ukuleles

Glad the book is helpful!

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The Caldersmith Papers
Replies: 6
Views: 20134

The Caldersmith Papers

Some of the members here may have had the pleasure over the years of meeting and talking with Graham Caldersmith. He was one of the world’s leading researchers into stringed musical instrument acoustics. He combined this understanding with great practical skill, constructing the very finest classica...
by graham mcdonald
Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:36 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Heelless neck joint
Replies: 8
Views: 8365

Re: Heelless neck joint

Think about a hollow neck block, with a mortice for the end of the neck to sit in. Embed a couple of t-nuts in the top surface of the neck (covered with the fretboard) and bolt the neck the neck on from underneath. Pics of a couple of bouzouki bodies to give you an idea. The structure is glued up fr...
by graham mcdonald
Wed Oct 20, 2021 8:57 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: US Postal Service
Replies: 9
Views: 6566

US Postal Service

From the beginning of last month (September), the USPS has stopped sending parcels to Australia. Everything else gets returned to the sender, who can then claim a refund. For a while, the most expensive Priority Express packages were getting through, but that seems to have stopped since Oct 1. The U...
by graham mcdonald
Sat Aug 14, 2021 10:55 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Australian Red Cedar
Replies: 7
Views: 5362

Re: Australian Red Cedar

I have been using it for ukulele and mandolin necks, albeit with a 6x10mm carbon fiber bar as well. Mostly old growth stuff I got from a couple of timber dealers on the mid-north coast. The only problem I have is that the little screws that hold the tuners tend to pull out . I have a mandolin here a...
by graham mcdonald
Sun Jul 25, 2021 12:25 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Kootenay Tonewoods
Replies: 10
Views: 9268

Re: Kootenay Tonewoods

I think Graham Hein sold the business a few years back.

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:04 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Looking of old copies of The Strad
Replies: 5
Views: 4321

Re: Looking of old copies of The Strad

Thank you for the suggestions, but one of the violin shops in Sydney had them and scanned in those articles.

Cheers

Graham
by graham mcdonald
Wed Jul 07, 2021 11:28 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Looking of old copies of The Strad
Replies: 5
Views: 4321

Looking of old copies of The Strad

I am looking for a couple of issues of The Strad, the British bowed strings magazine, from December 1981 and January 1982. They contain a two part article by Australian violin and guitar maker Graham Caldersmith on Cremonese varnishes. If anyone has an idea of who might have a stash of these magazin...
by graham mcdonald
Sun Mar 21, 2021 4:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The perils of international shipping
Replies: 2
Views: 4316

The perils of international shipping

A warning to anyone who is thinking about using Pack & Send Australia to send musical instruments within Australia or overseas. They are, annoyingly, not very interested in responding to warranty claims for damage. I recently sent a guitar bodied bouzouki to the US (describing it as a guitar for con...
by graham mcdonald
Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:13 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Shipping to America
Replies: 2
Views: 3198

Shipping to America

Had a nibble about bouzouki commission which would have to be shipped to the US. I haven't sent anything bigger than a mandolin overseas for several years and have no idea what might be the best option for shipping a bouzouki, likely to be in a guitar case, to America. As well, what might be current...
by graham mcdonald
Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:30 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: 3D printing and bronze casting
Replies: 4
Views: 5507

Re: 3D printing and bronze casting

Thank you. I will draw it up this afternoon.
Graham
by graham mcdonald
Sun Jun 28, 2020 4:29 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: 3D printing and bronze casting
Replies: 4
Views: 5507

3D printing and bronze casting

I am investigating making a small run of cast bronze mandolin tailpieces for a mandolin quartet building project. I am thinking that a 3D printed prototype might be used for the casting mould. I know little about 3D printing and less about casting bronze, so all suggestions welcomed. An alternative ...
by graham mcdonald
Sat May 30, 2020 11:05 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Moving to the Desert
Replies: 10
Views: 9843

Re: Moving to the Desert

Lillian I am sure we will eventually get to meet and have lunch, pandemics permitting. Your move could be another excuse to go back to New Mexico. You will have a very different climatic environment there. I was in Santa Fe for a few days some years back in mid-year and it was single digit humidity....
by graham mcdonald
Fri May 22, 2020 9:46 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Courier recommendation
Replies: 8
Views: 7987

Re: Courier recommendation

Try Interparcel. They got a ukulele to Mauritius for me last year remarkably cheaply.

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Mon May 18, 2020 10:43 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: A new classical mandolin
Replies: 9
Views: 10209

Re: A new classical mandolin

Rhodosphaera rhodanthema is the tree, didn't know it was called deep yellowwood. Thank you for that info. Could you take a photo of your tree and post it. I have no idea what the tree might look like! If I am still building in 15 years, keep me in mind if you cut it down 8-) It really is a very good...
by graham mcdonald
Fri May 15, 2020 9:15 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: A new classical mandolin
Replies: 9
Views: 10209

A new classical mandolin

Just strung up this morning, a classical mandolin, for want of a better term. 13" scale, with a body inspired by a carved top Italian mandolin I found a photo of years ago. The soundboard is Sitka, carved to an arching height of 1/2", graduated a little thinner than normal and X braced. The body is ...
by graham mcdonald
Thu Apr 30, 2020 8:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Tenor Ukulele - Tiger Myrtle / King Billy
Replies: 8
Views: 10600

Re: Tenor Ukulele - Tiger Myrtle / King Billy

You are making allowance for the soundboard before gluing the neck and sides together .... :D
by graham mcdonald
Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New guinea rosewood finger board and bridge
Replies: 7
Views: 15744

Re: New guinea rosewood finger board and bridge

A number of classical guitar builders in the modern Smallman style use NG Rosewood bridges. I don't know of any use as a fingerboard material. The large pores of the wood might be a drawback

Cheers
by graham mcdonald
Sat Apr 25, 2020 12:27 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Figured Brigalow
Replies: 4
Views: 6030

Re: Figured Brigalow

All sorted I think. Graham at Loggerheads says he has lots!
by graham mcdonald
Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:36 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Figured Brigalow
Replies: 4
Views: 6030

Re: Figured Brigalow

I had not contacted Graham at Loggerheads, as he only lists Gidgee and Mulga, but I have now!

We will see what happens

Cheers