I am still exploring and learning my way around this instrument called the mandolin, and I haven’t settled on a single design or set of dimensions or the perfect combination of woods and hardware and finishes. And, given the infinite number of possibilities and variations to explore, I can imagine I will never run out of things I want to test or experiment with or techniques I’d like to try. That said however, I do have some preferences and some natural inclinations: I love natural wood and clear, satin finishes and I like modern interpretations of classic designs. 

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Wood

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Soundboards

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis), Adirondack (Red) Spruce (Picea Rubens), Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii) and Carpathian (European, German) Spruce (Picea abies) are all options and I have made soundboards from all of them. I have read or heard different arguments in favor of each and why one is preferable over another or the best choice for a given sound but at this point in my career I do not have an opinion on the matter. I've also used Alaskan Yellow Cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis) fora couple of instruments and have had good results. I've built a number of Flat Top mandolins with salvaged Fir which I believe is either Noble Fir (Abies procera) or Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and I've been very happy with these instruments. Plus I love the fact that the wood came from a packing crate that had been used to ship some large machine tool and was subsequently stored in a dry basement for more than 40 years until it was given to me. I also have some incredible old growth Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that I salvaged from a post supporting an old hillside cabin I once owned in Cazadero California. The area was once a forest of giant ancient redwood trees and the tree that this post came from was one of them. It was muddy and rough and looked like something to be cut into fire wood but when I ran it through the band saw the interior was a deep maroon color and the growth rings were nearly too close together to see and certainly too close to count. It is nearly as stiff across the grain as it is along the grain. I haven't used any yet but plan to soon. 

 

With any of these woods, what is critical is that the thickness of the top be determined in relation to the particular piece of wood and that the graduations, if it is a carved top instrument, be carefully and accurately done to yield a top with the right combination of strength and flexibility to be responsive to the energy imparted by the strings.

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Backs

I've mostly used Western Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Claro Walnut (Juglans hindsii), Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) and Red Maple (Acer rubrum) for backs. I have experimented with some other woods but like the tonal qualities of maple and walnut and for the present I am happy to work with these. The image at the top of this page is of my son James with come Coastal Live Oak that we had thoughts of using for backs and sides but it really wasn't suitable. Some areas of it did however, yield some beautiful veneers I've used on peg heads. I also have harvested local 'backyard' trees - and Acacia (exact species not determined) and a Sycamore.  The acacia is just now getting to the point I can start to use it.  Images of some of that wood are in the gallery below.

 

Rims

The rim is primarily structural and as such doesn’t have a large impact on sound production. This allows the use of a variety of woods and I have used Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.), Purpleheart (Peltogyne spp.), Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) as well as Western Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Claro Walnut (Juglans hindsii), Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).

 

Peghead Veneers

I haven't done any inlays on my peg heads to this point and probably won't in the future. I really like to showcase a beautiful piece of figured or beautifully colored wood, so if I've used something unusual for the rim, Bubinga say, I might just use that on the peg head. Or, more often now, I'll use a veneer I've cut from a madrone burl or some other interesting bit of wood I've found. I'm always on the look out for burls or other odd tree growths that might yield an interesting veneer and when I find one I cut it up, sticker it and stash it away to dry. 

 

Necks

Curly maple of some variety, either Western Big leaf (Acer macrophyllum) or Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is my standard, though walnut or mahogany make very nice necks.

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