The demise of my first kit and birth of my next build

Confession time.

The kit building saga was exciting, fraught with challenges and ultimately satisfying in the results. I played the mandolin for a while and even brought it to our Irish session, where it was well received. However, increasing tuning problems had me concerned that something was wrong. Time helped reveal the deadly problem - the mandolin was collapsing - folding on itself, if you will. Slowly but surely the top was bending right across the sound hole.

Here is a discussion on the mandolincafe.com builders forum where we talked about the problems of this instrument.

By now, the top has cracked and the mandolin is not usable as an instrument. However, it is very useful as a scratch-pad for learning and experimentation. Only recently I pulled out all of the frets and practiced re-fretting the neck. I may even end up cutting off the head stock (because I like the way it looks) and turn it into some ornament

But out of the ashes emerges a new project. I decided to build my next mandolin from scratch and not use a kit. There are several reasons for this:

1. The kit that I used, while great for a beginner, has certain parts pre-made, such as a top already attached to a pre-made sides/rim assembly, the neck was complete with a pre-ftetted finger board etc. I want to learn how to build all of the parts
2. The fact that the top was already attached to the sides was an inconvenience when it came to doing the final sound board graduation, fitting the braces and some steps.
3. I want to build a type of mandolin that is not available as a kit and use my choice of materials

And this brings me to the choice of the next build. I decided to use the plans made by Graham McDonald for a "Celtic Model". I will be following the design and build methods outlines in his book The Mandolin Project

This mandolin will have several distinctive design features:

1. Carved Adirondak Spruce top
2. Back, sides and neck made out of black walnut
3. The back will be flat but curved on a radius similar to a steel string guitar back
4. Oval hole

I am hoping for a more resonant and sweet sounding mandolin for use in Irish traditional music, as compared with my Gibson-like A-style f-hole Flatiron mandolin

Future entries will show photos that document the build and occasional notes about the experience