Work is now underway on my next chambered body e-mando. Below you can see the all work that goes into its core which, once the instrument is complete will never ever be seen! I always treat my wood as precious and try to keep waste to a minimum; therefore, rather than machine the core from one large lump of wood, I laminate it from strips.  Also, this method allows me to cut channels for the wiring to run through the body and creates a cavity under the where the bridge will sit. Once all the of the core has been glued together, a strip of hardwood (maple in this case) is used to reinf ..read more

The restoration is now complete and in this video, I give you a demo of what this vintage bass sounds like. The bass is played with the tone knob set at its two extremes and using fingers and then a pick ..read more

 In this video, the bass is stripped down and some of its secrets revealed! It gets its re-fret which, as predicted, is far from straight forward ..read more

This is an introduction to my latest side project: the restoration of vintage mij Top Twenty bass guitar. In this video, I tell you what I know about the bass so far and look some the issues that need to be remedied ..read more

I’m glad to say that the latest e-mando has been completed and as I write this, it’s in transit, on a 7500 mile adventure! Below is the last video in the series and some nice photos ..read more

Cocobolo tonewood for sale I’m thinning out my tonewood collection and offering two sets (back and sides) of wonderful Cocobolo for sale. I’ve made a number of great sounding mandolins from similar wood and I’m sure it would be suitable for other smaller instruments too. I’ve had this wood in my humidity-controlled workshop for many years, so it’s ready to use. I originally purchased it from Andy at Prime Timbers and if you know of him, you’ll know that you won’t find better quality or better prepared wood anywhere. Beautiful, quarter sawn wood, ranging from warm orange to rich brown: can only ..read more

With most of the construction on the e-mando now complete, it’s time to concentrate on the tailpiece and bridge and getting the mandolin set-up. And that’s exactly what I look at in this video! And just in case you’ve been wondering……..here’s the latest Standard. It’s rosewood body has been fully bound in cocobolo and the next step is fit the neck ..read more

Amanda and I have just heard the sad news that Phil Hare passed away last night. He was so thoughtful and kind and we always enjoyed his visits to our home/workshop, not only to hear him play but also listen to his anecdotes. He will be sorely missed by all those who knew him and enjoyed his virtuoso playing. If you don't know of  Phil you should RIP Phil, we’ll miss you ..read more

Here’s the latest e-mando video. In this one, I demonstrate how I shape/carve a neck. Although I’m working on an electric mandolin which has a relatively short neck, the process is the same for any of my instruments. Also below are some choice photos ..read more

  I’ve just been lucky enough to get my hands on this lovely vintage bass guitar. Although it’s lost its head badge/logo, I do know it’s a “Top Twenty” made in 1968/9. These were made in Japan by Teisco at a time when they were being taken over by Kawai. This brand was sold via Woolworths in the UK, and I can distinctly remember seeing Top Twenty Guitars along with Audition amplifiers in my local branch. Whilst researching, I came across this interesting catalogue page. It seems the bass originally costs around £29, which according to the Bank of England inflation calculator equat ..read more