Details

Model A1-S #5 "The Jester"

Based on 1950-1960 Stella A-style mandolin
Pecan, salvaged ebony & Douglas fir, maple, tagua nut

This is my first mandolin with a hand-carved peg head. As with the others, the top is first-growth Douglas fir, salvaged from a demolished Portland warehouse. The sides are "tiled" pecan and ebony, and the back is ribbled with pecan and ebony. The binding has alternating pieces of tiger maple and ebony. The ebony on the binding and sides are cut from piano keys removed from a junked piano. The jester head is hand carved from a tagua nut. This is a very hard, large nut from Ecuador that resembles ivory when carved, and it's possible to carve very intricate details in it.

E-mail or call for price and availability.

Head, Back, & Soundhole

Model A1-S #3

Based on 1950-1960 Stella A-style mandolin
Salvaged Lacewood, ebony, recycled Douglas fir

My third mandolin is made out of lacewood (Australian Silky Oak) that was given to me. The lacewood was lumbermill cast-offs probably destined for the chipper. The mandolin's back is "ribbed" like early European stringed instruments. This instrument has a very warm sound-not overly bright, but pleasant.

Sold at the Bellevue Arts Museum ArtsFair, 2007

Head, Back, & Soundhole

Model A1-S #4

Based on 1950-1960 Stella A-style mandolin
Black walnut, ebony, recycled Douglas fir

My fourth mandolin is Eastern black walnut. Another warm-sounding instrument.

Collection of Beth Anne Seiler, Charlotte, North Carolina

Head and Back

Model A1-S #1

Based on 1950-1960 Stella A-style mandolin
Mahogany, recycled Douglas fir, Eastern black walnut, antique ivory

Many years ago my wife's brother gave her a Stella mandolin. It was one of Harmony's inexpensive line of instruments and had a painted/stained finish instead of the standard instrument finish. Part of the top was coming unglued, which I fixed. For an inexpensive instrument, it did sound nice. When I decided to try building a mandolin, I drew plans using the Stella as a model. Here is the first result.

Sold. In the collection of Marchand & Kandra Venables.

Head & Soundhole

Model A1-S #2

Based on 1950-1960 Stella A-style mandolin
Cocobolo, ebony, Douglas fir, antique ivory

For my second mandolin I tiled the sides in the same way I did with my earlier guitars. The sides are cocobolo with ebony strips. The back is bookmatched cocobolo. Great sounding flat-top mandonlin.

Sold. In the collection of Mary Margaret Obler, Prescott, Arizona