I just build a concert size (15 inch scale length) cigar box ukulele and use Aquila 30U strings (Nylon Soprano Fifths). I only use 4 strings. The neck is poplar with a aspin fretboard tapered to 1 1/4 inchs at the nut. I also put in a rod piezo pickup in the bridge with a preamp. I have also made them with the full width neck (1 1/2 inchs) and also cut down neck to 1 1/8 inchs. I love the sound and I sometimes play along with the uke group, if the song has easy 2 finger chords.
First, you need to understand scale length for different stringed instruments, including the mandolin. Stew Mac has a great explanation on their website here:
Mando scale lengths are typically 13" to 16 or sometimes 17". This, as you will now have learned from the above link, is the distance from the nut to the bridge ( or 2x the distance from the nut to the 12th fret). Your neck length to the body will vary, depending if you do a neck-through, a bolt-on, or set neck, as well as needing to determine how many frets you want to add past the 12th, and whether or not you want the fretboard to overlap the box top. These are all design variables you will have to determine, after researching here on CBN, and places like mandolincafe.com
I am finalizing an octave mandolin build. No real plans to speak of, but the scale length is 545mm. My hands are too big for a standard mando and the octave scale is much easier to play. It has a full, deep sound.
I had the neck join the body at the 12th fret due to the size of the box I used - Cohiba Gigante.
Because of the way I build my headstock, I'm fighting a bit of a string issue that I need to remedy so I've only played it with 7 of the 8 strings. The A is only a single right now, but I'm very happy with the way it sounds.
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http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Fretting/Scale_Lengt...
Mando scale lengths are typically 13" to 16 or sometimes 17". This, as you will now have learned from the above link, is the distance from the nut to the bridge ( or 2x the distance from the nut to the 12th fret). Your neck length to the body will vary, depending if you do a neck-through, a bolt-on, or set neck, as well as needing to determine how many frets you want to add past the 12th, and whether or not you want the fretboard to overlap the box top. These are all design variables you will have to determine, after researching here on CBN, and places like mandolincafe.com
Well, hello there.
I am finalizing an octave mandolin build. No real plans to speak of, but the scale length is 545mm. My hands are too big for a standard mando and the octave scale is much easier to play. It has a full, deep sound.
I had the neck join the body at the 12th fret due to the size of the box I used - Cohiba Gigante.
Because of the way I build my headstock, I'm fighting a bit of a string issue that I need to remedy so I've only played it with 7 of the 8 strings. The A is only a single right now, but I'm very happy with the way it sounds.