Doing Things Wrong

Other Guitars

Instruments with non-standard tunings.

Other Guitars


This body is maple plywood over a hollow pine core, double-bound. It came out very lightweight, too light to balance even a guitar neck. This was originally going to be the 12-string, but I realized that it would never balance. So I shuffled parts and bodies between some other projects - a planned six-string got canceled and became the twelver. That left this body free. I thought about it a while and decided it would make a good mandolin.


image

This is the initial layout. The material is 24" x 18" x 0.22" acrylic from Home Depot, about $25. I cut it in thirds lengthwise on the bandsaw, enough for three generously wide neck templates. The bandsaw cut this stuff well, the big blade makes a good heat sink, and as long as you keep moving along in a straight line at the right speed, no melting.