JK Mandolins,Ardnadam,Sandbank,Loch Eck Hills

JK Mandolins are individually handcrafted using solid woods and traditional building methods, including tapered dovetail neck joint, and each has a non-adjustable truss rod fitted. Selected timbers are generally spruce for the soundboards and mahogany, rosewood, maple or other hardwoods for backs and sides. I particularly enjoy working with reclaimed/recycled timbers which are old, well-seasoned and stable. Being hand-crafted, each instrument is unique in detailing and finish and scale and fingerboard dimensions can be tailored to an individual’s preferences.

Soundboards are braced using an adaptation of standard guitar cross-bracing with added tone bars which are tapered individually to suit the particular soundboard. The aim is for a balanced tone across bass and treble. The back is traditionally ladder-braced. The instruments are fitted with non-adjustable truss rods as I feel that the short scale length of a mandolin does not require an adjustable rod, but the addition of the rod helps balance the mandolin and may help sustain.

I have experimented with various finishes including French polishing, varnishes and wax finishes. My aim is to protect and enhance the instrument while not deadening the tone. I really like French polish on traditional instruments but for a working instrument this finish can be a bit fragile and players often prefer and ask for a wax or oiled finish. Recent experiments with Behlen products are encouraging.

Spruce soundboard and bracing - JK mandolins

The bodies are deeper than standard for both mandolin and octave and the scale lengths are 375 mm for mandolin and either 520 mm or 540 mm for the octave/mandola model. Nut width is also slightly wider at 34 mm for standard and 35/36 mm for the octave. The increased nut width was decided on because of my own playing preferences and after discussion with other players who also played guitar and found the standard width a bit too restricting. Width and scale lengths can be decided on individually should a player have a particular preference, as can profile of neck.