Mark Swanson's spruce/cherry octave mandolin, cherryburst finish [Pictures]

Mark Swanson - 10:10pm Jan 6, 2003
MIMForum Staff

Here's the Octave Mandolin that I just finished up. It's finished in a cherry red sunburst, to match the new owners' guitar.
The back and sides are cherry, and the top is spruce. The neck is maple.

Here's a side view and a peghead shot.

And the last one with a look inside the soundhole...

Wow! That looks great Mark. Bet it sounds good too. Any chance of an mp3? That's an interesting looking heel on the neck. Looks almost knife like and pointy. I like it.

NICE 'burst as always, Mark.

Have you built a maple octave mando previously? I'd be curious to know how the sound of the cherry differs.

I second the demand for an MP3!!

I just shipped it out! I can't make an MP3, sorry. I could do that with a different one, but this one's outta here.
As far as the maple/cherry question goes, the cherry is just a little bit warmer to my ears. They are much the same but the cherry has a more complex tone, the warmth is something I like a lot.
I think this one is the loudest I've made.

Nice job, Mark!

The body looks a little wider and thinner than most I've seen. What are the scale length and the body dimensions?

I built it from the Westerman plan, Jim. I can get the dimensions, but it'll be a little while...
I did make some changes to his plan. I brought the body in to meet the sides of the neck flush. I used a dovetail, and X bracing.
I just lately got an email from Rich westerman, saying that he saw the pictures I had up of the progress and giving me a pat on the back. That was nice.

Nice! I am curious about the unusual shape of the heel. Did you make it like that out of aesthetic or stuctural considerations? The bridge looks like it is placed rather low on the soundboard, do you regard that position as optimal for these instruments? I assume there is no lower face brace with the bridge that low? Just wondering, I have another one of these things under construction.

I just wanted to make the heel of the neck flow into the body shape in a graceful way, I hope it worked. It didn't have anything to do with the stucture, it's a dovetailed neck joint. I used hot hide glue for most of the construction.
As far as the bridge placement, I just followed the plan I had, it's a 23.25 scale and the neck joins the body at the 15th fret. When I tapped the top it seemed like the sweet spot was very near the bridge location.
Here's a shot of the inside and the bracing that I used.
Thanks for the nice compliments, everyone!

Beautiful Mark, simply beautiful! What gauge strings did you use? Or are there sets available for Octave Mando's? Been thinking about making one since I finished my mandolin.

Thanks, that's nice. I heard from the new owner and he likes it, so that is a good feeling too.
Here's the strings that I used:
E - .011
A - .018
D - .036 & .012
G - .046 & .024wound

The lower two courses are tuned in octaves, like a 12 string guitar.

JustStrings carries string sets for octave mandolins and various other varieties, with both octave and unison bass string versions.

Oh- I forgot to mention that I make my tailpieces to accept ball-end strings. I just think that the loop-end strings are so inconvienient!

Incredible! the finish is awesome. where did you get the cherry from. is it flatsawn? thanks

Thanks Tommy and welcome to the MIMForum- I don't recall seeing you here before.
I got the cherry locally from a friend. It's very nicely quartered, too.

Hi Mark, A fine looking instrument!
I wonder if I might ask you for some advice....
 I'm currently playing with design for a 5-course of about 20in scale. I'd be interested to know a few things about yours:

Is this a nominally flat top, or carved/arched?
What thickness of top, approx bridge height and how much convex curve across under bridge?
For a 'flat' top, I'd expect to arch the x-braces first, then press the braces and top into a hollowed workboard while the glue set? Does that sound right?

I've always put adjustable truss rods in necks, but as this is an instrument for myself, I'd like to take the opportunity to try just a graphite insert glued in the neck. I'll have to mailorder this from some supplier the US, and I have no experience of different grades of this material. Could you please suggest suitable laminate type and c/s dimensions for a zouk neck, and the supplier. ( if supplier's name would breach MIMIT rules, perhaps you could email that directly.)

Many thanks, Simcha Delft.

Sure, I'll see if I can help you out.

Is this a nominally flat top, or carved/arched?

I don't carve the tops, they are made as a flat-topped instrument, but there is a dome built into the top of 20' radius. I use dished workboards, and shape my braces to the dish first. I start with a top .120 thick and the bridge ends up at about 1/2" high. You can go to 5/8" but that is the highest I like to go.

I think with a shorter scale you could get by without a trussrod. These necks get quite a bit thicker as you go up the neck and once you pass the 5th fret, the neck can be quite a bit thicker, and the heel comes into the picture at about the 10th or 11th fret so the necks can be quite stiff. You will have ten strings and that is a lot of string pull on any neck, though so build it accordingly.
I don't know what you mean by "c/s dimensions" for the neck. I make mine from maple, with a 1/8" center stripe of ebony or rosewood.
As far as where to get the CF, I don't know where- the only place I've ever gotten it was from LMI. Our Library might have some sources, or you could start another discussion asking about that in the "Woods and Materials" section.
Let me know if I could help you in any other way.

StewMac also carries carbon fiber in several sizes.

C/S= cross-sectional?

Mark, nice work, as usual.

A few more dimensions if you would. I've got the Westerman plan, but there's nothing in the way of fb dimensions. So, if you'd be so kind:

(1) Width at the nut?
(2) Width at the 15 fret/body join?
(3) Neck thickness at the 1st fret? (I aim for a final 0.82" on steel strings).

Many thanks.

Thanks, Bob!
I changed a lot from the Westerman plan. Mainly, the neck joint and the shape of the area around it- I brought in the sides to meet smoothly with the neck. The neck joins the body at the 15th fret, and the width there of the fingerboard is 1-5/8". The width of the nut is 1-3/8". The depth at the first fret is anywhere between 3/4" and 7/8", depending on what the customer wants. I prefer a bit more than 3/4", and your .82 would be a good place to be.

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