My final project from my time in newark, an english walnut archop inspired by some violin making techniques.
The guitar has an overhang as opposed to binding so the top and back can be removed with less destruction if needed in the future. This also allowed me to flute the edge and remove some thickness letting me tweak the tops movement after the box had been closed. I also designed a bridge with wedges so that the string height can be changed easily with the saddle having solid material behind it all the way to the top.
Very happy with this one and it is without a doubt the nicest instrument I've made so far both in quality of the woodwork and also the sound.🪕
#handmade #guitar #archtop #jazzguitar #folkmusic #guitarmaker #luthier #sheffieldmakers #woodworking #whatsonyourbench #forsale
Thank you to everyone who came and to those who heard my rambling ideas that lead up to the event! You both helped create a wonderful evening that helped inspire some of the next generation of luthiers and craftspeople!
Thanks to @alina_ehret_luthier@ask_s_eide@redfern.instruments for being the so intellectual on the spot and in front of an audience!
Thanks @wemakeourway and family for making the magic space which we all enjoyed that night!
A special thanks to @cherylswoboda for making the trip and her overall support and making me proud!
Last week we went down to Falmouth to visit friends. We also went busking, went to a session and got a gig, so quite a musical holiday 🎻
This is Congress Reel, one of our favourites at the moment!
I've been making steady progress on this octave mandolin between visiting friends, going to festivals and all of the other summery things you do in summer.
Yesterday I decided that the fingerboard could use some bling so I spent this morning cutting out and inlaying this brass fern 🌿
#instrumentmaking #instrumentmaker #mandolin #octavemandolin #octavemandola #bouzouki #inlay #woodworking
My latest finished tackhead banjo.
This one has a 12" pot with a 25.5" scale length.
Made from reclaimed sapele and a really nice laburnum fingerboard.
It's been really rewarding to make this one and now that I have a few more moulds and jigs, there will be more on the way.
#banjo #dropthumbsnotbombs #clawhammerbanjo #clawhammer #handmade #fretless #instrumentmaking #oldtime #oldtimebanjo
I've made these acid etched brass logos before as branding on banjos, this is the first time I've tried on as a truss rod cover and I think it works well. It took a fair few attempts to get a clean and deep etch but I'm really happy with the result. #handmade #guitarmaker #guitarmaking #mandolin #mandolinmaker #octavemandola #octavemando #octavemandolin #sheffieldmaker #sheffieldmakers
This is the volute on the back of the headstock, I made a maple backplate for this one, partly to add strength to the scarf join running through the headstock but also because it looks cool.
I managed to get all of the maple used on this one out of one piece of wood, maple varies a lot from tree to tree. Using one piece like this adds a lot to the overall balance of the instrument and keeps it clean 😎
#instrumentmaking #handmade #sheffieldmaker #mandolin #octavemandola #octavemandolin #luthiery #mandolinmaker
Details, doing any joinery in maple is always a challenge compared to other woods. As it is so pale, sloppy work will be extremely visible and every gap will stick out. Id say I love a challenge but I wish this shit was easy.
The latest finished instrument. This one is a short scale bouzouki made out of some really nice flame maple and European spruce. #instrumentmaking #handmade #sheffieldmaker #mandolin #octavemandola #octavemandolin #luthiery #mandolinmaker
