CELTIC-CLASSICAL (CC) MANDOLIN

This is one of my newest designs. It seems very simple, but has a lot of design work in it. The outline and body volume closely match the carved A model mandolins, with a simplified neck block and joint. The spruce top starts life as a 5.5mm thick flat top and is bent into an arching by steaming before the two halves are joined. It is then carved and graduated a little before an x- brace and bridge patch are fitted inside. The flat back is slightly arched and braced. The arched and graduated top gives a thicker, more potent sound than the flat top British mandolins I have seen, but the flatter, slightly boxy sound favoured by many British /Celtic players is still present.

The design has enabled me to conserve precious spruce top wood and with the flat back makes for lower material costs, making this the least expensive of my mandolins. The design is still quite labour-intensive to produce, however. I think the extra time in getting a string voice out of a simple mandolin design is worthwhile.

To see a big, high reolution pic of the CC mandolin click on the left (and wait awhile).