Mandolins and Mandola

Small bodied birdseye maple mandolinn

History

I built my first mandolin in the early 1970s. I based it on the citterns I’d been building for a couple of years; it was really a miniature cittern, with its relatively large body and rosewood back and sides.  It was sometimes described as ‘being suitable for Celtic music’, which I disagreed with; I felt, and feel, it was suitable for many kinds of music.
Over the years I’ve added a smaller bodied mandolin and changed my standard body wood from rosewood to birdseye maple.  Not only do I love the look of this wood, it gives a firm resonant sound that is a little closer to traditional mandolin sound, rather than sounding like a miniature cittern.

Sound

The two sizes have a similar sound, with the smaller bodied mandolin having perhaps a stronger treble and the larger bodied a stronger bass; much as you’d expect, really.  They are not Bluegrass mandolins, they don’t have the throaty chop that suits Bluegrass so well; they have a smoother sound, clear and full with  musical bass and treble, good volume, and just the right amount of sustain.
My preferred (optional) pick-up is the Highlander with in-line battery box; there really isn’t room in the mandolin body for a battery.  I haven’t tested all the available pickups, but the Highlander works really well in all my instruments and is the best I’ve come across.

Specifications

Soundboard:                  European spruce.
Back and sides:             Birdseye maple (carved back)
Body width:                   11.4” small 12.4” large
Length:                            27.2” small 28” large
Strings;                            8 small, 8 or 10 large
Fingerboard                    Ebony
Bridge                              Ebony with bone saddle
Neck:                                Brazilian mahogany.
Tuners:                            Gotoh gold minis
Binding:                           Indian rosewood.
Trim:                                Herringbone
Tailpiece:                         Brass