© 2009 John Kelly - JK Mandolins ©

I have been building my mandolins here at Ardnadam on the shores of the Holy Loch in Argyll since 2005, having decided, on retiring from a career in teaching, to pursue my interest in acoustic music and acoustic fretted stringed instruments.  

I attended on a part-time basis the excellent Stringed Instruments Course run at Anniesland College in Glasgow.  Here I was fortunate enough to be tutored by three superb instrument builders, Paul Hyland, Bill Kelday and Michael Ritchie.

While at  Anniesland I designed and built a travel guitar and this instrument gained the Best Musical Instrument Award and Gold Medal for Best in Show at the 2005 Craftex Exhibition run annually by the Trades House of Glasgow and open to all students on craft and creative courses in Glasgow FE Colleges.  

Since then I have continued to develop my skills and have concentrated on building flat-backed mandolins.  The fascination in building the instruments is in trying to achieve that blend of playability, looks and sound that define a really great instrument.  Each instrument I construct adds something to my fund of knowledge and the quest goes on.

Although I have no desire to build full-time or commercially I have been very encouraged by the fact that fellow players who have seen and heard the instruments have liked them enough to want to play them  and even acquire them.  Contact me should you be interested in learning more or in acquiring one.

I am keen to make contact with other builders and players to share ideas and discuss instrument building and playing, so please feel free to e-mail me at: info@luthierjohn.co.uk

Music  playing is an MP3 of Off to California, played on one of my instruments.