560 RSW The Worlds Finest Mandolin Ever Built By A Human - Part 8

[@mattfubar4268]

I accidentally stumbled onto this channel and I'm not into musical instruments much but WOW! The craftsmanship on this is intoxicating to watch

[@eliasjoe]

If you liked this, check out the series where he repaired a fiddle named Chocolate.

[@staive70ss]

You're hooked! Glad to have you on the bus. I stumbled on this channel during the covid lockdown....watched every video since. He's my second favorite string player named Jerry.

[@iyhgtyea8028]

yeah I'm hooked on this series

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Some of have been here for years.. yes, Jerry is indeed a true and consummate craftsman. ... and entertaining too👏👍👍

[@nacekozo]

I'm the same - along with Tom Johnson, Veradona and Bedo's Leatherworks, this is by new favourite channel!

[@johnthomas2255]

JERRY i LIKE YOUR QUOTE : "There are no mistakes, just happy accidents". Outstanding job you have done on this Mandolin .

[@Escatonic]

I'd not use the fretboard unless I was positive it was dimensionally perfect. Nothing less for the Best Mandolin Made By A Human.

[@bertppichon2684]

That is absolutely correct, do not use it if it is not exactly correct.

[@lyndamcardle4123]

Correct. Just get another fretboard....and stop scrimping. You're supposed to be building the world's finest mandolin.

[@TheOriginalFILIBUSTA]

I agree. StewMac is often the middleman. At least check all measurements before using; I don't trust anyone, and the intonation is everything with this.

[@brendhankolb6561]

Perfection is hard to achieve and your self depreciation is so wonderful to hear…you’re a true artist!…thanks for these videos!

[@mfc4591]

If I remember correctly there were problems with a fretboard you bought recently and it was discovered that the dimensions had changed. I know you said making a fretboard is a pain (to say the least), but you are in for a penny in for a pound with this build! Thanks for this series, I look out for each edition with anticipation

[@billsterling6485]

Good evening Jerry good to be here again watching that beautiful Mandolin come together....Good Better Best never let it rest. Till the good is better and the better is BEST...THAT COULD BE YOUR MOTTO, Just thinking out loud ....😆...

[@wadehampton1534]

Jerry, this build is coming along as perfect as humanly possible. I love all of the extra embellishments, the extra point, the decorative carving along the scroll, and the ablone inlays. You sir are truly a Master Luthier! I never miss a new Shop Talk or one of the new vlogs, and I'm about half way through the older videos. I'm intrigued by your mandolin Nashville Numbering Course. I'm sixty-one years old and I play multiple instruments. I inherited my grandfather's old (early 1970's) Kentucky mandolin in 1995, and I took a couple of years off the other instruments to learn how to play my mandolin. I'm completely self taught, and I could definitely use a proper instruction on how to efficiently play the instrument. I've avoided the Nashville Numbering System for decades, thinking that it would be too difficult to learn. You make it look so easy and natural for the mandolin, so I'm seriously going to be taking your course. Thank you so much for providing us with such a valuable resource, I'll take it and run with it, and let you know what I think about it. I'll be using that new deer antler saddle and the GHS LS-250 Silk and Steel strings that you recommend for a bright mandolin. I'm really liking the softer tone I'm getting now, and the increase in volume, sustain, and note separation from the new deer antler saddle. The saddle and the GHS strings have completely transformed my instrument into something special, thank you Jerry!

[@Badhands55]

Absolutely addicted to watching your channel now- you are amazing !

[@TyinAlaska]

Oooo I'm excited. Please do keep this does going until it's finished! I would love to hear some musicians play this mandolin too!

[@dbhoward56]

If the frets do not line up with a previous fretboard, that would indicate the scale length is wrong, Measure the scale length to verify and if not correct, I would contact Stewmac and tell them the fretboard you received is not correct. I’m sure they will replace it at no charge.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Not necessarily wrong, you can make a fret scale any length you want.

[@dbhoward56]

@@RosaStringWorks You used the old trim piece as a guide and then you find out it doesn’t match the new one, This means it is a different scale and you expected to be the same scale, right? So in this instance it is the wrong scale. I realize, you can make a fretboard any scale length you want, but in this instance that is not relative to the situation. Stewmac gave you a different scale length, relative to your previous fretboard. I use two different scale lengths on the guitars I build, and I build the neck based on the scale length I am going to use, I am sure you do the same. If you use a trim piece off a fretboard from a previous build as your guide on a new build, evidently you are expecting the new fretboard to be the same scale. And if it isn’t then its the wrong scale for the current neck you just built. So I am not sure why you would say its not necessarily wrong, It its wrong for this neck you just made.

[@Rileyinfo9]

@@dbhoward56 I also believe something similar happened on the last mandolin he made, if I remember correctly. Maybe they are offering two different scales now and weren't before?

[@bigrickRC1144]

Fascinating watching this process Jerry.. I hope we see at least 8 more parts in this series.. might be a good DVD product for anyone looking to build a mandolin. Really enjoying your work. As an amateur luthier I gain so much knowledge.. I wished I had meet you 20 years ago to learn from.. but I suppose KZbin wasn’t available then.

[@MattCaffell]

Looking great there, I know I see it in the shop talks, but it’s really coming to life in the dedicated videos.

[@mgdesigns1952]

Jerry, I would verify the fret slots and check the SM scale. They may have done you a misdeed and sent the wrong scale length. StewMac is good about quickly responding and sending a correct part.

[@stanmoderate4460]

The two ruler levelling trick? They're called 'Winding Sticks'.

[@TyinAlaska]

I love your graphite 1000 pencil! The gold in it is awesome!

[@whythesadface]

I made a similar comment on your shop talk discussion of this short fret scale. It looks to me like StewMac supplied a 13.75" Soprano Ukulele Fretboard instead of a 13.875" F5 Mandolin Fretboard. Also Congratulations!.....You closed the mandolin body on Australia day.

[@philcarver9025]

David Howard i totally agree with you.

[@MeatGawds]

I sure should have had that flame on top. But a damn beautiful piece. Congratulations.

[@Gladtobemom]

Always Interesting.

[@Gruuvin1]

"Perfect is good enough." This might be my new thing

[@bobl2995]

Thanks Jerry another fantastic installment cant wait to see and hear that mando 👍🇬🇧

[@patrickosullivan4354]

If you mount the black channel from your vacuum bag clamp into a board, you can pound the white pipe in with a mallet. Always hated closing those bags

[@TyinAlaska]

The woods used for this mandolin are so so so beautiful. Would you consider keeping the staining/varnish as light as possible?

[@michaelpthompson]

Still love your bumpy rides even if you get ahead of yourself.

[@fenderbass0]

13 7/8” is 352.4 mm. Your board measures 350 mm scale. This is a metric approximation of the standard 13 7/8” scale. I just went through the reverse problem on a guitar I built a new neck for. The bridge was positioned for 650 mm scale but my new board was slotted for 25.5” or 647.7 mm. I had to reposition the bridge.

[@cmsheth09]

Time well spent

[@brad42948]

Wow Jerry, that fretboard is worrying. Not a problem if the error is consistent the whole length, but if it's a few frets cut wrong, that's a real problem! Looking great though!

[@gordonbartlett4164]

??? Does the grain in the maple make it more compliant to bending, for example, over rather than under ??? in other words will the grain work better particularly on a convex or concave bend ??? and can you identify as such and then, in the laminating process, produce specific pieces for inside or outside curves ???

[@denniscleveland669]

You gonna send that “Yellow Rosa” to Texas! 😆

[@that_thing_I_do]

Hence the term "crazy good."

[@WhiteDragon689]

Jerry don't forget the mesh for the f-holes!

[@kevincozens6837]

After attaching the neck to the body you did something I don't recall seeing before. I wonder why a piece of antler was used to fill the slot between neck and body and not another piece of wood.

[@davidwhiren817]

Do you have a granite truing block ??? they work great for sanding flat surfaces !!!

[@saoirsepaddy]

I can't remember what type of wood you use on that neck Jerry ? I having a new Irish Cittern made I ask Lawrence Nyberg I would like Birdseye maple for the neck.

[@tommylitchfield3450]

Quilted maple.

[@saoirsepaddy]

@@tommylitchfield3450 thanks

[@TeacherAn]

With regard to the "decorative piece" between the nut and the beginning of the headstock veneer, you could use the same binding as around the headstock---of course, not using a binding channel, just the thickness of the veneer. Just a thought.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

My compliments for choosing to use a fully fretted, usable fingerboard.

[@zapa1pnt]

He did not do that.

[@MrPetrion]

got that binding so thin, it's only got one side!😎

[@paularcherfiddle0351]

Gibson A style scale length is 13 7/8ins but the F style is 1/16 ins longer at 13 15/16 ins. Looks like you got an A style fingerboard. The offcut is probably from an F style fingerboard. I'm sure this occurred to you but I thought I would point it out anyway. Great videos.

[@zapa1pnt]

Well, there ya go, someone who knows what's happening. The old board is the wrong one. This one will be fine.

[@paularcherfiddle0351]

@@zapa1pnt It's the other way round. The old board is longer therefore is the correct F style board. The one being used is a shorter A style board.

[@zapa1pnt]

@@paularcherfiddle0351: Oh, yeah. I must be cross eyed, today.

[@rosscoyates]

Is the fret board a different scale length?

[@maxradford5089]

Oh no. You can't say it is the finest mandolin anymore. There was a blip in the fret board. It is still a mighty fine piece of equipment non the less. 👍

[@MrPetrion]

not at all, friend. it will be just fine. no worries.

[@scottriddle5468]

That small sanding machine you have is homemade or did you buy that, it's awesome. Thanks Jerry

[@RosaStringWorks]

I made it there are videos on building it

[@alexandriashannon7438]

I’d check the scale of the fretboard and see if stew Mac screwed up. Either way I’d make a slightly longer one given all the beautiful work you have invested. Then you could not slot the scallop area too. Might be a difference between metric and imperial. Seeing this I’m glad I invested in my own slotting system. Curious is this one going to get a truss rod?

[@mccypr]

No truss rod?! The wood is beautiful! Thanks! 😎✌️🌞🎻🪕

[@ericashmusic8889]

Just a thought on Mando' Fretboard , was the 1st layout piece -to a slightly different scale ?

[@cammobox]

I swear to God. I’m gonna be so sad if your channel just starts to take off now as your career hits it’s twilight. Watching master craftsmen is always a joy, no matter the trade.

[@delboyoelmundo4718]

Looks magnificent amber Varnish or cherry?,

[@keithosterberg]

? Did you ever try Super-Soft or another veneer softener/tamer? It helps bending without cracking.

[@Matt-ze3oo]

hey Jerry just curious . is the spacing between the frets on the new bord correct ? or dose it matter ? just a thought ?

[@jthonn]

How do you catch a unique bird, you neak up on 'em. LOL I'm nuts, certifiable ! Well Jerry, I guess you could have got a new fretboard, but you did have a lot of work in that one. I would question their fretboards here on out, maybe buy them without the channels cut. I know that will take even more time, maybe have a transparent one to check them out or something.

[@rickeydenler2385]

Hydraulics will bust anything that's why they make those Factory glue up dowels with the little grooves cut in them there is definatly a such thing as 2 tight of tollarences a friend mechanic showed me this with Teflon wrapped around the threads of a bolt screwed into a old motorcycle engine housing 2 wraps ok 44 wraps it broke the housing

[@TyinAlaska]

I'm sure you're too far along by now, but could you make your own fret board? It would be incredible in maple.

[@denniscleveland669]

That looks like that would be a difficult alignment to make, given the angle of the peg head. If you’re not square to the neck, you’re going to be off.

[@kardRatzinger]

What does it matter whether a fret lines up with the end of the neck? Is it just for looks? I think you mentioned you don't do neck resets on mandolines, so I guess it's not for that.

[@glennselwitz1377]

...I'm worried about that fretboard....something seems amiss..

[@papaslick83]

You didn't forget it at least on this show He just didn't show it You can see it clearly on the f holes right before you put the body together but usually you get to see him put it on

[@joewoodrum5160]

Question Sir; as I see the fret board it appears that the fret spacing isn't consistent with the Old piece you compared. My question is the accuracy of the notes based on the spacing of the frets. The two pieces appeared to be spot on at the top of the neck but then they starting to change at the 6th fret on. Just asking. Love watching you make this mandolin. I am a player. Have you considered making your own fret board. That way you control completely the accuracy of the fretting.

[@OleNavy]

I think I would have checked the fret-to-fret dimensions on the fingerboard before I commit to gluing it to the neck. Stew-Mac doesn't necessarily ship quality-controlled products. I bought a pair of nippers from them that were supposed to be flush cut but were beveled. For the prices you pay them you certainly deserve a product that is worthy of that price. Made in the USA doesn't always mean quality products for premium prices and that bothers me!!!

[@guyincognito1423]

Fingerboards are cut in a jig. Sitting there measuring fret distance would do nothing more than waste time. Stew Mac just sent you the wrong pliers. You call them up, and they send you the correct pair. If you have a legitimate complaint about a company, complain away. But all youre doing is acting like a Karen because of a slight shipping mistake.

[@OleNavy]

@@guyincognito1423 I am so glad you pointed out my shortsightedness regarding my post. However, may I be so bold to say, you have misjudged the intelligence and forethought that preceded my comments. 1. I am very familiar with the gang saw fixtures used to cut fingerboard fret slots. I’ll go so far as to say, StewMac most likely has a gang saw setup for every scale they cut; whether Mandolin, Guitar, or Ukulele. Jerry put a piece of cutoff fingerboard from a previous project beside the new fingerboard. With the first fret slots aligned, there was misalignment at the second fret slot, and at each subsequent slot, the alignment at each slot showing progressively longer differences. 2. Sometimes errors in manufacture or shipping slip through the cracks. I felt that could have been the case with Jerry’s fingerboard. I used the nippers I purchased from StewMac as one such case. I did call StewMac and they did offer to send another pair, I chose to keep the pair they sent me and grind them down to flush cut myself. I didn’t call them to complain but to advise them I had not received flush cut, just standard ground nippers. A situation they could correct at their end. 3. As for being a “Karen,” I don’t read other peoples comments in order to find fault with them. If people are incorrect, that’s their problem, they don’t need me to point it out. Instead, I read the comments, determine their worth to me, reject faulty comments, and move on. To do otherwise is tantamount to drawing a gun and shooting myself in the foot. Regarding your comments to my post, since I don’t publish KZbin videos, I thought I would make an exception and reply. I hope you never shoot yourself in the foot!!!

[@gerardmclernon8149]

Hi Jerry, Why did you go ahead with the fretboard when it was so obviously flawed?

[@RosaStringWorks]

A different scale length doesn't necessarily mean it's flawed

[@bentwedgestanleybrand5818]

I'm Stanley Jack from Piqua Ohio. I know you use chainsaws for firewood. I just got a brand new neotec 872 chainsaw powerhead Chinese clone. It's a stihl 038. $400 bucks. It came with a 24 inch bar and chain

[@nancymilawski1048]

I would get another Fretboard, maybe from a different source. 😀😀 (Because you've built so many instruments, especially mandolins, I assume you know the proper dimensions of a full size fretboard. Are either of these two from your vendor the right size? Reason I am asking is someone new, building their first instrument would assume it was made correctly. And I don't know the price of these but they aren't free. 😀)

[@denniscleveland669]

Now the tedious work begins!

[@denniscleveland669]

Won’t that throw the intonation off?

[@zapa1pnt]

Jerry, with the fret spacing as off, as it is, will it still play right?

[@RosaStringWorks]

I think it's just a slightly different scale length I don't think there's any real problem

[@johnashton6076]

Jerry, if you make a bigger nut, won't you still have the same different scale overall?

[@stuartdrakley2106]

Jerry, just send the faulty fret board back to Stew Mac. I'm sure that they would want to know about an anomaly like that.

[@ZacVaper]

No truss rod?

[@RosaStringWorks]

I have never put one in a mandolin that I build for myself. That's going on 40 years now and not a single one has been missed.

[@jvanb231]

That sycamore doesn't look half bad on it's own

[@zapa1pnt]

Go back and find the guitar he built using sycamore binding. It is Awesome!

[@mikeyd5969]

Knowing Jerry I’ll bet it’s quarter sawn sycamore, and that stuff is absolutely beautiful.

[@lyndamcardle4123]

Measure twice, cut once ?

[@patrickosullivan4354]

I've seen glue squeeze out the pores on wood over an inch away from a clamp. Some exotic stringy horrible would to work. Almost black wood. Sure wished I used a dark glue as of now it had little pinpricks of white

[@philipsutton2316]

These are a great set of videos, however there was one thing that you skipped over, which was very crucial. The very important part of getting the sound on any guitar or mandolin is tapping the sounding board. Tapping and scraping hundreds of times, until the sound is perfect. Unless I missed the video, you didn't share any of that with us. To me the important thing to make the best mandolin in the world would be to get the sound just right.

[@robertbolding4182]

your glue moisture swells the wood and things fit as expected, meaning the neck won't fit. we have all been there.

[@furmf]

Jerry, Am I missing something or have you forgotten the truss rod again? Not looking for faults, just sayin... Jeff

[@RosaStringWorks]

I have never put one in a mandolin that I build for myself. That's going on 40 years now and not a single one has been missed.

[@hopalong4822]

Because of your stated goal to build the perfect mandolin I truely believe that the setback of waiting for , or making a new fretboard is an absolute necessity. The length, spacing, and the nut are not correct.

[@brianogrady7900]

Gerry watch reloved guitars he’s very confused at times ha ha Best wishes

[@razvanbutiac7684]

Hello Jerry, seems that the finger board is out of tune I will say... if the distances from the frets are out. I don't know how much this it will afect the playability of your mandolin, an by this I mean it will give false notes...if this will be in a guitar it will be a disaster, distance in between frets have to be fraction of an millimeter accurate.

[@RosaStringWorks]

You can make a fretboard any length you want as long as the scale remains consistent I don't think that's the issue at all

[@razvanbutiac7684]

@@RosaStringWorks Right... I agree with you.... the rule of 18, and it involves successively dividing the scale length minus the distance from the nut to the previous fret by 18. So as long this constant value is maintained should work. It will just not work for your instrument, your mandoline neck is to long.

[@7thString84]

I really don't want to be too picky, since the results are always great! But... for "the world's finest mandolin" I hear way too many things like "by eye", "approximating", "close" and "good enough". And hopefully, this mandolin never needs a neck reset. Because it's build quite unrepairable. Otherwise, I really like, what I'm seeing here. Since years! Your craft is outstanding! No offense!

[@nacekozo]

It's like Tom Johnson's trademark 'I think it looks pretty good' when looking at a piece of perfection :)

[@VtWildabeast]

for $50, wouldn't it have been worth the wait on a new fretboard?

[@mandolinman2006]

"If it looks straight, it is straight." Me, someone with depth perception, "If it looks straight, it may be straight or may be a ski ramp."

[@matthewjones5450]

the worlds best needs you to make a fret board right not compromise jerry

[@RosaStringWorks]

It is not a compromise. You can make a fret scale any length you want. Its just that I wasn't aware this scale was slightly different from the previous one.

[@o.b.haleyjr8901]

call that company that sold it to you.

[@AndrewSmith-pc8eq]

You should name this mandolin, "Out of Order", because you posted every video of you making it, .......out of order. 🤣

[@dannyboyhornsby]

*26/01/2022

[@dannyboyhornsby]

I'm only kidding. I really enjoy your videos, you are extremely talented. Thank you so much for the entertainment and education.

[@zekehartmann3076]

Dude refuse the fretboard. Stewmac will make it right.

[@RosaStringWorks]

bought it months ago. and dont know which one is off

[@musicbro8225]

@@RosaStringWorks So what you're saying is that one, if not both the instruments (this one and the one the offcut came from) are not going to ever be in tune across the range of frets?

[@agwbcfjc2]

"If it looks straight, it is straight."... I don't get it. If it looks straight it is straight is true, why did humanity invent rulers, levels, plumbs and these days laser levels? I thought we couldn't depend on line of sight to be accurate. I'm stumped.

[@RosaStringWorks]

It boils down to your skill level line of line of sight is the straightest line there is nothing as straighter than that

[@dannyjonze]

You've got to at least ask the supplier. The work on the fretboards is done at the factory in the country it came from, Indonesia etc. Why put up with it

[@markmcmillen138]

I was really disappointed when I saw the fretboard from StewMac with the fret slots already cut. Seems to really go against this being a completely handmade instrument? This would also solve the issue of getting fretboards cut differently from the vendor.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Have you ever cut a fretboard you ought to try it

[@wjm52358]

A CNC cam do it much more accurately tham one can by hand. A lot of builders do this

[@markmcmillen138]

Understand, but a CNC machine can also carve the top much more accurately than you can do by hand as well. The point was a handmade instrument?

[@wjm52358]

@@markmcmillen138 why not forge your own fretwire while you're at it? I don't care how my instruments are made. If you use a CNC to get you closer to the final shape, more power to you. But a CNC isn't capable of the final fit and finish that the human hand and eye are.

[@voskevantboske7854]

Very frustrating ☹

[@moline800hdyup4]

STOP !!! If your making the finest just wait and get the correct board don't compromise, you will regret it later. Remember your going to pass this on in your family. Please don't use that piece.

[@stu-j]

Why don't you just make a fretboard instead of buying Chinese junk from the evil empire of stewmac? Its not that time consuming and then you know it will be correct?