Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Good to hear from you Alan, I've been contemplating a visit to see you for some time, maybe I can watch as you finish yours.

This project has been on the bench for about a year and has been a delight to create. I have started two more, both on the bench at the moment. The design and plans were from Graham McDonald’s book. Extra thanks go to Graham who advised on pick-up placement, and Bob Connor who was my mentor extraord...

I completed the first stage in the testing phase by laminating a sheet of black maple veneer to the back of the fossilised redgum side and then sanding to 2mm thick. The side successfully bent to shape with the use of a heat blanket. The veneer seals the back of the side to openings and assisted in ...

I had considered resin, but I was concerned about wether I could sand the set to thickness, after a resin fill, and if the sides would bend with a resin fill?

...you crack me up Martin! Good suggestion Allen.. I'll try bending an off-cut first.

With Bobs assistance I was able to get some thin slices of fossilised redgum from a small section I acquired some time ago. It has been been carbon dated at 40,000 years old and I want to use it for the back and sides of a Flat Top Mandolin. I realise it's not acoustically ideal, but I really like m...

Hello Luthiers, I know this is off topic, but I need to ask a question relating to Cello design, in the hope that someone out there might have an answer. My daughter is left handed and has always played it using the bow in her right hand. Is there any reason why she cannot play the Cello holding the...

Hi Rod, I deliberated over cutting the soundhole and purfling for some, time as I didn't have enough confidence in my hand skills. In the end I made a new perspex base for the Stewmac router base with a small brass tube in the perspex, which acted as the router bit guide. I then found a friendly las...

This is a Flat Top Mandolin I've been working on for about a year...I'm determined to finish it within the next month. Just the bridge to make, along with finishing and assembly to complete. The back and sides are Blackwood, with Bear Claw Sitka Spruce Top. The neck is laminated Queensland Maple wit...

Thank's for your responses. It's now clear that I cut the initial fret slots too shallow, so I will cut them to 3mm deep next time, as suggested. I also like Martin's idea of using a piece of fret wire (tangs filed off) to test the depth of the slots. I tried this today and it really helped ensure t...

I am seeking your advice on the best procedure of slotting radius fretboards. I was working on a small fretboard for a Mandolin over the weekend using a Stewmac Jig and fretting saw. Started by cutting the slots to the correct depth on a blank 5mm thick fretboard - then trimmed the fretboard to fini...

Thank's to everyone for your advice. Glued up the laminated neck yesterday and took clamps off this morning. Will post pics of finished Mandolin. Thanks Allan for your offer of belt sanding…must drop in to Ballarat and have a chat one day very soon.

I want to make a laminated neck for a mandolin, more for aesthetics reasons than strength. I have a piece of quarter sawn Qld Maple large enough to cut out a one piece neck, but I was thinking of adding a thin blackwood stripe down the centre, bordered by maple and black veneer each side of the blac...

I've always wanted to do rope binding on an instrument and this guitar looks fabulous. I know a lot of people don't like this style of binding but I think it has it's place. I'd really like to see how you've made this binding at some stage?

Looking good Martin, can't wait to hear how it sounds.

Where do you get plans for the jig used to mortice the guitar body and neck? Or did you create your own?

Thank you both for your response.

I am a little confused as to how the Falcate Bracing maintains the correct curved radius when the bracing is not pre-shaped to the curve before being glued down onto the top, unless I've missed something? I understand that the go-bars are forced the bracing into the curve of the radius dish, but I w...

Wow!...what a wonderful, creative, innovative and generous group we have in this forum. Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions. They all have great merit and all have been absorbed, if not for this project, but another. The various explanations have increased my understanding of stringed instr...

Thank's Greg L and Dennis.

Hypothetically, if I wanted to make a Concert Ukulele to a 15" scale (using my existing plans), could I increase the neck and fretboard length by a 1/4", ensuring the 12th fret is at the body and then move the bridge and saddle if required?

Thanks Greg L & Allen for your feedback….I'm not a musician and am now very confused! Sorry for asking further questions, but the Plans Allen sent me for a Concert Ukulele indicate fret spacing for 14.750 (375mm) Concert Ukulele, so I created a drawing following Stewmacs fret scale for 14.750. I jus...

Thanks for your thoughts Dennis, following Allen's suggestion I compared my two templates (Martin 24.9" and 25.34" scales & Classical guitar 650mm and 660mm scales) with the fretboard plans of both instruments, neither of the templates matched or were close to the fret lines.

Thank you to all for your helpful ideas: - Your method are very reassuring Martin, can measure from nut as suggested, using scalpel to draw line and the chalk idea is a brilliant way to assist with the close-up work. - Unfortunately FretScale is Windows based software Jeff, and I use Mac. - I've alr...

I'm embarking on two new instruments…a Concert Ukulele (Plans courtesy Allen McFarlen) and Flat Top Mandolin (Graham McDonald Plans). As these may be one-off instruments I'm not sure the high cost of a Fret Scale Ruler or Fret Template is warranted? Am I unwise to attempt fret cutting without these ...

Do you sell these?

Hello Alan,

You're most welcome to come and visit, and have a play of this Weissenborn guitar. We'd love a visit from you, and perhaps we could have a meal together. If need be we could drive to Bendigo. Send a PM.

Kindest regards,