Custom Mandolin

Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, using the offcuts from a custom Mandola that went to Germany. Just look at those colours! Bearclaw Swiss Spruce for the top, one of a number of pairs that I acquired from a special contact. That's the sort of "luck" that builds an instrument like this. It's not luck of course, it comes from a slightly compulsive desire to discover wood from unusual places and knowing where to look. I'm a "wood detectorist".

The neck is cut from a flat sawn board of very old Mahogany, "folded" around an Ebony lamination to get the grain vertical. The Ebony is matched by the fingerboard which has Abalone square diamond inlays, and in turn matches the Ebony bindings. Red lines at all borders and built into the purflings. Gold Gotoh tuners with black buttons which match absolutely everything.

A truly beautiful instrument