Finished one for my oldest...

[Andy Birko]

Just in time for Bandura Camp in Emlenton PA!

[Jason Rodgers]

There's a CAMP for banduras?! Hmm... I get the feeling that you have something to do with this.

That's cool, Andy. Lucky little dude: my girl has been waiting about 3 years for a guitar!

[Michael Lewis]

That looks like a happy young musician holding a very nice instrument.

[Mario Proulx]

Andy, couldn't you make the neck slimmer, to fit his hand? Oh, that's right there are no "power chords" on banduras.... <wink>

Did he help build it?

[Andy Birko]

In a way, he did help build it! For that sound hole thing (what do you call those anyway?) I really wanted to have that delicate look to it but couldn't figure out a way to buff it out after finishing as the thingies are so thin. We're driving home from grandma and grandpa's place a couple months ago and I'm discussing it with either him or my wife (not that she wants to listen but I babble on anyway) and he suggests "why don't you finish it first, then buff it and then cut out the design?".....brilliant!

Doing so added a lot of other considerations as I usually glue on the bridge after finishing and with this design I can't get a clamp through the sound hole so I had to glue the bridge on before I glued the top down. The end result is that it was quite hard to get the finish buffed well around the bridge...but, it is a kid's instrument so I'm not too concerned about it.

He did help me string it up as well. Being only 8, there wasn't too much I could think of where he could help but, the last few days I was working on it he must have spent about 8 hours in the shop with me watching and asking questions which was super cool. I imagine he'll probably grow out of this at about age 13 or 14 at which point I'll help him build a replacement.

[Neal Carey]

Andy, nice work as always!

There's a CAMP for banduras?! Hmm... I get the feeling that you have something to do with this.

Jason, there's a camp for everything! My daughter and I attend bagpipe camp 3 years running a few years back. We had a blast and a great thing to do with your children!