This was supposed to be a fiddle but it sounded awful and was impossible to hold. So off with the fingerboard and on with a fretboard to make it a four string mando. Mahogany plywood top taken from a salvaged interior door. Much better as a tater bug mando than the fiddle I intended.
Read more…
I get gourds that are already dried. Then I cut them open and clean all the seeds and material out. It's amazing how strong the dried gourd is. Usually I sand the outside and spray a clear coat on it. I've got some a few years old and no signs of problems! I've saved some seeds to try growing my own and I understand they have to dry out about a year before they're ready.
Comments
This is unique. How is the tention holding up?
Cool!
I get gourds that are already dried. Then I cut them open and clean all the seeds and material out. It's amazing how strong the dried gourd is. Usually I sand the outside and spray a clear coat on it. I've got some a few years old and no signs of problems! I've saved some seeds to try growing my own and I understand they have to dry out about a year before they're ready.
I'd love to do a gourd-based instrument some day. How do you prepare the gourd and how do you keep the thing from rotting?