Official Luthiers Forum!
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/

Mandolin Neck attachment
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=4838		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Mike Mahar [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:10 am ]
Post subject: 
I'm working on my first carved top mandolin and things are going pretty well. It is an A2 style. The plans that I have calls for a dovetail to attach the neck. I'm not jigged up for routing a dovetail in a mandolin so I'll probably cut it by hand. In some other thread (here or elsewhere), I heard reference to "the dowel method" to attach a mandolin neck. I don't have a clear definition of this method. I once recall seeing a drawing or picture of a mandolin neck that had dowels but I don't know if that was what people are refering to when they talk about the dowel method. I've sketched out what I remember seeing. Is this what they are talking about?

Author:  Wayne Clark [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:59 am ]
Post subject: 
That looks like the type of joint described in the Siminoff book. He makes a dovetail joint and ties the heel to the neck by putting in two dowels right where you have them in your diagram.
Author:  Mike Mahar [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:11 am ]
Post subject: 
I thought this joint was a straight mortice and tenon. I've wondered you the neck was pulled tightly against the body. I looks like you have to set the neck and clamp or strap it in place before you drill the dowel holes. On a violin you use big rubber bands to pull the neck in. Is is similar on a mandolin?
Author:  Mario [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:06 am ]
Post subject: 
You have it right, Mike. This is usiually a straight M&T, though tapered in the same shape as the heel. You make a jig to hold the body and neck to their proper relationship, and glue it up. Once the glue has set, drill for a 1/4" dowel on each side to lock the joint.

It's a really, really strong enck joint, and can still be dissasembled readily if the neck ever needs to come out, as long as you use hide or titebond glue.

I use this joint, still, on my mandolins. I prefer it to the dovetail, as it locks the neck more tightly, with more surface area, with less finicking in the fitting. I make mine with a slight taper, so it is also a shallow angle dovetial. Basically, I just carry the fretboard's taper up into that area, which along with the heel's taper, creates a shallow dovetail. Add dowels, and you have a joint that will never move...
Author:  tl507362 [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:21 am ]
Post subject: 
Why not a bolt on neck like a guitar and make a long hex T to go in through the end pin hole. I found an old custom Mando in ebay a yr back, and someone had built a new neck and used a butt joint bolt on. I haven't strung it up yet, but it comes off and on really easy. Before I glued the back on I put the bolts in the hole and taped them in place. Then when I need to put the neck on, I grab my custom long T hex screw and go through the end pin hole to screw the neck on. Seems to be the easiest joint I know of. Have no idea how it will hold up, but they guy who set this up says he does this on all his mando's with no problems.
Tracy
Author:  Daniel M [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:31 am ]
Post subject: 
yeah... What Tracy said. It's not easy to get the bolts in & out with F holes, but possible. If you're using a round or oval hole, it's a snap.
My bouzoukis have a bolted M&T joint & it's plenty strong.
Author:  Mike Mahar [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:54 am ]
Post subject: 
I do use a bolt on for my flat top mandolins. THe A2 mandolin does have an oval sound hole so we could use bolts. I just want to have an understanding of what all the options are. I had heard of the dowel method and wondered what it looked like and what it's merits were. (Thanks Mario)

The heal block on this mandolin is pretty big and I wonder if bolts might add a bit more weight than I'm willing to accept. Right now, I don't know.
Author:  Mario [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:47 am ]
Post subject: 
Bolt-ons are used on mandolins. Gisons were made like for a good while. Unfortunately, those were also bad years, and guess what? The market turns its nose at bolted neck mandolins. So..., until we have a Bob Taylor and/or a Bill Collings to come along and break the tradition like they did for us in the guitar markets, you won't be seeing a lot of bolted mandolins.

Besides, with its short neck, and arched top and adjustable bridge, resets on mandolins are rare. Even dropped, they rarely break a neck, it being so short and strong.
Author:  John How [ Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:53 am ]
Post subject: 
Not to mention getting to the bolts to tighten/loosen.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/