Pear Blossom Octave Mandolin

This is my "Pear Blossom" Octave Mandolin build . Again we are Bumpin' Heads Studios in Nashville Tn . Markus Stadler is playing the build . Thanks again Markus ... Amazing Talent !

Mand-Jo Build Bumpin Heads Recording Studio

Went to SPBGMA in Nashville TN this past weekend and spent several hours with a friend in His recording studio .  Bumpin Heads Recording Studio .  The Musican is Markus Stadler .   I have several Videos and sound Bites that I will post on various builds in time . This one is the Mand-Jo I built for the challenge .  On Markus advice as a Professional Musican , he re-tuned it to Banjo tuning and this is what we have .

I had a blast with Markus .  I hope you enjoy the video !

Gateway Area Luthiers Assembly & Show

We had the 2nd annual Gateway Area Luthiers Assembly and Show  this past weekend at Hibdon Hardwood in St.Louis Mo.  Approx 34 people attended wich was a step up from last year . Hibdon Hardwood and Lenox Band saw blades were our sponsors and did a wonderful job in making the attendees feel welcome .

We had 4 different demo's done by attendees . Thomas Rein did a demo on graduating a soundboard properly .  He was Followed by John Ressler on carving out a Guitar neck . That was followed by Mike Boggeman who did the same using a pin router . And certainly not the least was the  time we spent in the Saw room watching the sawmill make fast work of a Hard Maple log .

I have included a few photos of attendees . If you have interest in attending next year  we would love to have you .   Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed your visit .

Working on Purple Heart Finsih

I have spent a few hrs wet sanding the Laq and buffing the Purple heart build . The following is sanded to 3600 and buffed

Front at the neck joint . The dyed neck with the distressed look came out nice . If you look carefully you will see purple in the neck in distressed areas.

The top was sanded to 3600 as well and buffed . No matter how I try it doesn't seem that I can get all the scratches out . I guess it will get better with practice.

The top of the tuner head and the fret board . Tough area to work and get looking good.



Joint at body . This is a glue joint and is another area that is difficult to get looking just right.

Thanks for stopping by . Have a great day .

Cherry Dulcimer Walking Cane

I have started a Cherry Dulcimer that will also double as a walking Cane . Here are several pics showing the progress of the build . Below is the headstock beefed up to double as a cane handle .

Below is the back layout and reinforced .

The next pic shows the headstock after its been sanded and shaped . Note it has a back strip in the tuner area for additional strength . It will make it a smidgen harder to string , but should make it stronger.

The next pic shows the dulcimer glued together and the F holes placed and cut.

This one is solid cherry , top back sides all cherry . I'm not sure how it will sound but hopefully good.

The headstock mounted and ready for the walnut trim and a little idea I have cooking in my mind for the next post .

Thanks for stopping by . Hope you enjoyed your short visit.

Padauk Mando with Pick Guard

I went to Nashville Tn last weekend to the SPBGMA Bluegrass festival and took along the Mando you have watched being built . While I was there approx 24 people played the Mando-Lind and gave me feed back and good suggestions that they would like to see as a player to make it a better instrument . I will be tweaking this one a bit and making application of the suggestions I got on future builds . It was A great weekend for sure . Chris Oliver of Infinity Luthiers went as well and we had a great time . The " Rude Dogs " put on a great weekend of music and the Bagpipe Parade was a huge hit. If you have never been to SPBGMA and like bluegrass , You have no idea what your missing . I have included a short vid of my Mando-Lind being played as well . " No that's not me , I WISH " :lol:

Thanks for stopping By

Padauk Mando Finished

I still have to mount a pick guard on the mando , but for all intents and purposes she is done . It sounds very good , quite a bright sound . If I can get time I will post a you tube of he being played . I have moved the F holes on this unit down toward the lower bout 1" to experiment with the sound . Please have a look at the following pics and thank you for stopping by.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoying my woodworking passion .

Build Challenge

Over at the Official Luthiers Forum http://www.luthiersforum.com/ We have started a Build Challenge for Builders who are Members from around the globe .

If you are not Familiar with the site I recommend that you stop by there . You will find allot of great looking Guitars and find some very friendly people .

This Challenge goes as Follows :


( 1 ) Any stringed instrument you wish to build .
( 2 ) $150.00 Maximum cost , or comparable cost to the land in which you reside " see Spirit of Challenge comment ". To include Wood , Hardware , and Finish IE : Laq , tru-oil , etc:
DO NOT count tools , Molds , glue , tape , sandpaper , cases etc: Materials on hand should be given an
honest value . See Spirit of challenge comment .
( 3 ) Woods must be Indigenous to your region " within reason " See spirit of challenge comment .
( 4 ) No CITIES Materials
( 5 ) Must be Participating OLF member and throw your hat in the ring prior to end of Jan 2012
( 6 ) Finished for judging by end Of may 2012 , allows for 1 month of judging to take place in June .
( 7 ) Pics and utube sound clip for judging .
( 8 ) Judging will be done by OLF public vote and the one with most votes at the end of June wins
( 9 ) This is about FUN and CREATIVITY , so lets not get bogged down in petty stuff . Police yourselves and
Keep in mind the SPIRIT of the Challenge .

START BUILDING AS OF JAN 1ST 2012 , AS OF THE LAND IN WHICH YOU RESIDE

It should be an interesting time , there are a good number of builders involved . Stop by often and check up on the Build Challenge progress !

Electric Build

While I was waiting on some parts to come in for a couple of the guitars I am working on ( hardware stuff) I decided to do some basic work on the electric I have been thinking about .

The body is Mahogany and the neck is Maple . I have added a "heel" at the body joint to give it a different look . The design is for a Strato-caster



The front is partially milled at this point , It will have Humbucker pickups and a black pick guard . A Inset Plug and electronics pockets yet to be routered in.




I have A friend in the luthier world who does custom inlays for people and he made this head plate for me along with several others . His name is Stephen Ziegenfuss and can be reached at www.ziegenfussguitars.com

Thanks for stopping by my little shop and having a look

More Of " Tool Cane " Series

Hello again . I got to thinking about this and decided , Whats the good of a Hammer if a man doesn't have a Nail to use it on ? Sooooooooooo Instead of making a plain dowel I turned a piece that is " Supposed " to resemble a nail .

Turned it out of Maple as well , a cut off from the orig. piece .

Fitting the tip and getting a close dimension of the drilled hole .


I decided to just use Lemon oil wipe on finish , easier for the user to refinish if needed .

Look anything like a nail at the end of the Hammer ?



Thanks for stopping by and enjoying my little Passion .

Walking Cane Series

The Third Build in my Walking Cane Series . I have a friend that has recently been using a cane allot , so I decided to take a break from luthery to make him a cane . He was a Carpenter most of his Life So I thought a 24oz Framing hammer was appropriate . The head was formed to allow for proper hand size and the proportions based on that .

I then started the handle , I had intentioned at first to make it full length but the proportions did not look right . I cut the handle down to the proper size and it will have a 1" maple dowel coming out of the bottom of the handle with a rubber cane tip applied .

The Square at the base of the handle will be remover after its drilled for the Dowel.

Tried to make the transition into the head look as close to the old style Maple / Hickory handles

Thanks for stopping by . Have a great day .

Cocobolo Build Started

While I wait on Items to come in from LMI and StewMac , I started a Cocobolo Build . Working on back and sides now . Kerfing in place and Bracing for the back

Thanks For stopping by .