Search found 704 matches

by peter.coombe
Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:59 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mandolin bracing. Help needed
Replies: 12
Views: 1360

Re: Mandolin bracing. Help needed

On archtop mandolins they are all X braced. On F soundhole mandolins, the arms of the X are closer together, and the X crosses further foreward.

See https://petercoombe.com/construction.htm for pictures.
by peter.coombe
Thu Feb 08, 2024 10:11 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mandolin bracing. Help needed
Replies: 12
Views: 1360

Re: Mandolin bracing. Help needed

Well Mark it is your mandolin, you can do whatever you like with it. It is true that mandolins are quite different from guitars. The string pulling force is greater than a steel string guitar and the forces on the top are different. With a floating bridge, there is no rotation force on the bridge, j...
by peter.coombe
Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:48 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mandolin bracing. Help needed
Replies: 12
Views: 1360

Re: Mandolin bracing. Help needed

Yep, 3 transverse braces, but the brace under the bridge does not go right across the top, it effectively takes the place of the bridge in a classical guitar. It is not notched, although you can notch it if you want to make it neater and waste some time. With CF on the top notching is not necessary....
by peter.coombe
Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:44 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mandolin bracing. Help needed
Replies: 12
Views: 1360

Re: Mandolin bracing. Help needed

I have repaired a collapsed top before on a vintage flat top mandolin by removing the back. A brace had come loose from a previous repair because the repairer had not tucked the end into the linings. I used steam to remove the sag and re-braced, tucking the bracing into the linings. As far as I know...
by peter.coombe
Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:34 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Vale Frank Ford - luthier and teacher
Replies: 5
Views: 16687

Re: Vale Frank Ford - luthier and teacher

I visited Frank Ford when we travelled to the USA in 1999, and had a good look around the shop. I left one of my mandolins with him and they sold it shortly afterwards. Frank was very generous with his knowledge and many of us benefited, including me. He will be missed.
by peter.coombe
Thu Nov 30, 2023 9:16 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: Small guitar
Replies: 5
Views: 22190

Small guitar

Here is my latest guitar. Not many guitars this year (only 2), mostly mandolins or tenor guitars. This one is a small bodied guitar, short scale length (23.5inches) made mostly from native woods as per the customer's request. Top is King Billy Pine, back and sides Otway Blackwood, neck Blackwood, ro...
by peter.coombe
Wed Nov 29, 2023 11:25 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitar Cases
Replies: 35
Views: 68083

Re: Guitar Cases

Mac Ebony - Maderas barber, and Madinter stock them. CF - I get all mine from carbonfiber.com.au probably dont have the exact size you are lookng for (ps. thats a large CF bar for guitars). LMI yellow - i'd say this willbe non existent, although you could reach out to natalie to see who their suppl...
by peter.coombe
Mon Nov 27, 2023 9:42 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitar Cases
Replies: 35
Views: 68083

Re: Guitar Cases

Resurrection of an old thread. Presto Cases has closed down, so they are no longer an option. The last Cedar Creek case cost me around $1800 and nowadays would be well over $2000, so not really an option anymore unless desperate and the customer is prepared to pay. I did find a quite nice carbon fir...
by peter.coombe
Tue Oct 17, 2023 1:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Tough times for suppliers?
Replies: 12
Views: 55624

Re: Tough times for suppliers?

I suspect a lot are buying from LMI now before they close.
by peter.coombe
Tue Oct 03, 2023 11:09 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mandolin in Engelmann Spruce and RIver Oak (redux)
Replies: 10
Views: 35090

Re: Mandolin in Engelmann Spruce and RIver Oak (redux)

I use bridges made by Vern Brekke. Mandolin, mandola and Octave mandolin, carved top or flat top. They are adjustable but don't use thumb wheels and are adjustable via two allen screws that move two wedges in or out. Very neat design, and Vern can make them to your specifications in terms of bridge ...
by peter.coombe
Sun Oct 01, 2023 9:52 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: **** Stewmac special on European Spruce *****
Replies: 6
Views: 15610

Re: **** Stewmac special on European Spruce *****

Mine arrived on Friday. I have to agree with Martin, the grading is optimistic, but the tops are certainly usable. For the money and free postage I paid a fair price so am not complaining.
by peter.coombe
Wed Sep 13, 2023 9:49 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: **** Stewmac special on European Spruce *****
Replies: 6
Views: 15610

Re: **** Stewmac special on European Spruce *****

Thank you, have just ordered 3 AAA tops. Will see what the quality is like when they arrive. Can always make 2 mandolin tops from them if not so great.
by peter.coombe
Thu Aug 24, 2023 8:54 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: LMI is closing its doors.
Replies: 10
Views: 23617

Re: LMI is closing its doors.

Yes I got the email. A very big bummer. Some things are now going to be very difficult or impossible to get.
by peter.coombe
Mon Jul 17, 2023 10:11 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: R.I.P. David Churchill
Replies: 5
Views: 17898

Re: R.I.P. David Churchill

Very sad to hear this news. I met David a number of times at the Port Fairy FF in the instrument makers tent. Got to chat with him and examine his guitars closely, and listened to his guitars at the instrument makers concert (they sounded really great). Got a few ideas from him when I first started ...
by peter.coombe
Wed Jun 14, 2023 10:24 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts
Replies: 9
Views: 18090

Re: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts

I have used Pack and Send before several times, but they don't have a local office (nearest is Canberra) and the local couriers they use are hopeless. It is always a big hassle to get anything picked up. Couriers are also quite a bit more expensive than Australia Post, so with the smaller packages (...
by peter.coombe
Fri Jun 09, 2023 10:08 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts
Replies: 9
Views: 18090

Re: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts

I agree with you Allen, and have done what you suggested before, but in this case the mandolin was worth nearly double the threshold and I was not willing to take the risk. This is a particularly difficult shipment because not only is there the crap I have to deal with, but the customer has to deal ...
by peter.coombe
Thu Jun 08, 2023 2:20 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts
Replies: 9
Views: 18090

Re: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts

Update. Success!! Woo hoo. I now have the magic number (EDN) from Border Force and can post the mandolin to the USA. After my quite shirty but polite (it did need to be modified from the original before sending) email to them they appear to have accepted that they screwed up. A rare success, but the...
by peter.coombe
Thu Jun 08, 2023 1:53 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts
Replies: 9
Views: 18090

Warning - Border Control have shifted the goal posts

I have been in this game for nearly 30 years, and over that time have sent probably over 100 mandolins and a couple of guitars and an octave mandolin to north America, Europe, UK etc etc. I have used Australia Post and DHL. Never has it been so damn difficult to export a musical instrument from Aust...
by peter.coombe
Mon May 01, 2023 11:33 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falcate Braced Guitar No CF
Replies: 13
Views: 26785

Re: Falcate Braced Guitar No CF

My thoughts are that not using carbon fiber means the braces need to be bigger and hence heavier so the top will be heavier. The top itself also may need to be thicker and hence heavier so overall you won't get the maximum benefit from falcate bracing. As for the argument about carbon fiber on the t...
by peter.coombe
Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:55 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Carbatec 400m Drum Sander Problem
Replies: 35
Views: 42417

Re: Carbatec 400m Drum Sander Problem

This has been an ongoing issue for me for many years. My machine was made in 2001, so now has been 22 years of problems. The right hand side tends to slip out, and it sometimes takes many attempts to get a sanding belt to stay in place, so sanding belt changes is something I hate doing. It has been ...
by peter.coombe
Mon Mar 27, 2023 10:05 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Timber Species for Tenor Ukelele Tops
Replies: 5
Views: 5514

Re: Timber Species for Tenor Ukelele Tops

I made a mandolin with a 3 piece Pinus Radiata top, and recycled ash for the back and sides. At first I did not like the sound, but after a few months it developed into one of the best sounding mandolins I have made. Got it back for some fret work some years later and it sounded even better. The mai...
by peter.coombe
Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:42 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: GS Mini / Mandolin
Replies: 9
Views: 15503

Re: GS Mini / Mandolin

Why the longer scale length for the mandolin?
by peter.coombe
Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:40 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Carbon fiber Nut n saddle
Replies: 15
Views: 18535

Re: Carbon fiber Nut n saddle

I am with Steve on this. The reason to use carbon fiber is because of it's very high stiffness to weight ratio. The is no advantage of a high stiffness to weight ratio material for a nut or a saddle, and bearing in mind the disadvantages, there is no good reason to use it.
by peter.coombe
Sat Feb 18, 2023 8:52 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Carbon fiber Nut n saddle
Replies: 15
Views: 18535

Re: Carbon fiber Nut n saddle

I use a carbon fiber rod (1/4 x 1/2inch) as neck reinforcement on all my mandolins instead of a truss rod. Works great. I would never use carbon fiber composite for a nut. It would be the quickest way to wreck all your nut files, so if you want to keep Stew Mac in business go right ahead. Should wor...
by peter.coombe
Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Shape of Braces - Is conical cross-section the best shape?
Replies: 13
Views: 6601

Re: Shape of Braces - Is conical cross-section the best shape?

As described above, you can reduce mass by making braces tall and thin, or drilling holes in them. However, carbon fiber has a very high stiffness to weight ratio, no wood even comes close, so the most effective way to make braces stiffer and lighter is to use carbon fiber tow. It is no coincidence ...