Finished F5 made from our components

Here is the finished mandolin that was photographed during construction, and described in my new book, The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual. While this book wasn't made from our "kit" per se, I used the same quality and type of materials, pattern carvers, templates, fixtures, and processes that I use in preparing our kits. Although the book contains full size blueprints and step-by-step details on how you can construct every part from raw wood stock, our kits include fully shaped parts that require only assembly, fitting, inlay, sanding, and finishing. So, with our prepared parts and The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual that comes with it, you can have the best parts and the best guidance on your workbench. 

This mandolin was built using the same species and quality of wood components we provide in our kits. The soundboard on this mandolin is Sitka spruce and the neck and backboard are made from our regular commercial grade of curly maple (which, from an acoustical standpoint, we prefer over fancier grades). The peghead back veneer is dyed pearwood and the coloring and grain-contrast-building techniques are fully described in the book along with step-by-step color photos. (Learning how to build grain contrast is important for bringing out the beauty and curly grain of the wood.)

NOTES: 

• Hardware selection and the use of a fingerrest is a very personal choice. Therefore, the machines, tailpiece, fingerrest, inlays, and fretwire are not included in our kit and are left up to your selection.

• Since no two pieces of wood are the same, the grain of the wood in the kits will be similar to, but not exactly the same as the instrument pictured above. As noted, the woods will be the same species and same quality.

• Color of a mandolin will vary according to the stain material, colors selected, staining and coloring techniques, number of coats, and grain-contrast-building techniques. (The finishing materials and techniques are described in The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual that comes with the kit.) 

 

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