Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Here is a mandola recently finished. All Aussie wood except for a bit of Ebony in the fingerboard, headstock, bridge and pickguard clamp. King Billy Pine top, Blackwood back, sides and neck, Myrtle pickguard and Ivorywood bindings. Sounds like a lovely sweet sounding mandola.

I was hoping to have this for Port Fairy, but the case turned into a nightmare, and 6 months after ordering the case I still don't have a case. I ordered a case from Presto in August last year, in plenty of time, but they closed down before they made my case. Also ordered a Presto tenor guitar case and that is a problem as well, although I should have a solution to the tenor guitar case problem soon. The mandola case is now waiting for Cedar Creek to make it and that could be another few months. Cases are a huge problem at the moment. I was using AP cases for my mandolins, but they disappeared as well! They were the only off the shelf case that actually fits. The Chinese are making mandolin cases that are too big. All of them are too damn big. I got a case from Artist guitars that is so big the mandola body fitted in it! Pity the case is too short for the mandola. AARRRRHHHHGGGGG!!!!


Sigh. Enjoy the pictures.

That's lovely Peter.

I'm having the same issue with cases. Just get something fits perfect and can get reasonably quickly and then the supply dries up. Drives me mad.

Yep drives me mad as well. Last year I thought the case problems were solved, but then it all turned to shit. Maybe I should build classical guitars, no problems with cases so long as you stick with a standard shape and size. Hey wait a minute, I have just finished my first classical guitar, woo hoo. Pictures later.

For cases, I say look to China, and rigid polyfoam, they protect best. ie, check alibaba, and contact companies direct with your specs, ask for Swiss made waterproof zips for an added bonus. it will cost you 1/4th price with orders of multiples. You can also get label imprinted.

1/4 of presto I meant