'Carpenters of Galilee' - This unique handcarved Mandolin is made entirely from offcuts!

Sometimes I surprise myself with some of the things I come out with.. like this mandolin I just finished. I've never seen one like it. I can't stop staring at it, thinking 'wow! Where did that come from?' Some weird, gothic part of my subconscious imagination, maybe..

Partly because of the difficulty of importing materials (see my earlier post, 'the customs man and the box of wood') but also because of the problem of deforestation, I'm always looking for more locally sourced materials and sustainable ways of making instruments. This mandolin is made entirely from offcuts scavenged from local carpenters in the area of Galilee where I live.

The soundboard is Spruce - an offcut from a roof beam.
The back, sides, tailpiece and bridge are from Bubinga - left over from a table. It's one of the hardest woods I've worked with and has the most amazing burgundy colour.
Veneers are leftovers from a door making factory.
The neck is made from an old mahogany post.
Bits of maple and ebony are off cuts from my guitars. Maybe that's cheating, I don't know. Anyway I never throw anything away and I'm a sort of carpenter after all.

Making a carved instrument is much more work than a flat top, but it's worth it just for the way it reflects the light. It sounds very full and round too.

Scale length 370mm
'Golden-aged', natural shellac french polish finish.

You can read all about the customs man and the box of wood here:

https://steemit.com/guitar/@stillgideon/the-customs-man-and-the-box-of-wood

Thanks for your support