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Smokin' Mandolins

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Cigar Box Mandolins

Members: 115
Latest Activity: Dec 30, 2021

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4 or 8 strings?

Started by Steven. Last reply by Mark Bliss Oct 12, 2017. 1 Reply 0 Likes

Hey all I'm new around here. I've been playing mandolin for a few months now and i love it. I'm thinking of doing a CBM build.My question is 4 or 8 strings? If i go with 4 strings would the CB Gitty…Continue

Can I make a neck out of a pice of maple that's 2" squared by 18" ?

Started by Anne M. Fridley-Owen. Last reply by Brian Archer Dec 20, 2016. 1 Reply 0 Likes

Would that be wide enough for a mandolin neck?Continue

Playing chords with the melody

Started by Paul Cooper. Last reply by Craig Franklin Wolford Oct 13, 2014. 21 Replies 0 Likes

I am new to cigar box nation, I learned to play the violin so I can pick out a few tunes, but I've never learned to play chords, Is it possible to play the melody with chords so as the tunes are…Continue

Tags: chords, with, melody, the, Playing

Cigar Box Mandolin help

Started by Dakota McGivern Sep 4, 2012. 0 Replies 0 Likes

i am new to the cigar box world and i was hoping to get some tips on Cigar Box Mandolins! Continue

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Comment by spencer on November 22, 2009 at 5:03pm: oh yeah, forgot about the rest of the question...right now I'm moving away from neck-thru altogether except for mandolins because of the pressure. So it is still neck thru...I make a 2 piece neck to avoid dampening the soundboard. Consequently I do have to do what you said...the string pressure is just too much for a simple glue joint, so I use screws as to reinforce and keep her together. seems to work well

Comment by spencer on November 22, 2009 at 2:37am: I dont have a router...everything on the headstock is done with a dremel

Comment by Rick Torzynski on November 14, 2009 at 6:15pm

Comment by Rick Torzynski on November 14, 2009 at 6:12pm: Here's a link to a youtube video of me playing the Smokin' Mandola - I hope I'm a better builder than player!

Comment by Rick Torzynski on November 14, 2009 at 6:08pm: Very nice Spencer! Like the peghead - just routed out?

Looking at the neck - looks like you use a neck-thru design, but are you just running the bottom of the neck (ie, the heel) through to the back and then screwing it to the top part of the neck at the heel? Does that help address the problem of the string pressure pulling on the neck?

Comment by spencer on November 13, 2009 at 5:52am

Comment by Mark Werner on November 11, 2009 at 12:56pm: You can see mine as my avatar or just go to my photos...It's almost the same as Rick's. (who provided me with valuable advice!)

I really like the way it sounds, but I'm going to re-build it shortly. I need to re-finish the neck (I used some nasty acrylic that's wearing off) and replace the copper-wire frets with brass bar stock.
Probably tweak the action just a tad as well.

Comment by Rick Torzynski on November 11, 2009 at 5:41am: Randy, love the cut-a-way mandola! I've been meaning to make a cut-a-way like that - looks good! Too bad the paper was so torn up. I figure with all the extra boxes I have, I can match the wood/paper when modifying the box.