Kerry Doherty's Octave Mandolin
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Kerry Doherty’s Octave Mandolin
An Octave Mandolin in the Irish Bouzouki style, with a scale length of 560mm and 15 frets to the body and has a Zero Fret, Pinless Bridge and a side Soundport.
This Octave Mandolin S/N Oct-Mando-TBW-001 was made by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides - Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
One of Australia’s best-known Tonewoods, used both domestically and internationally.
This Tasmanian Blackwood has compression figure.
Back Bracing System - Live Bracing Design
This system increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made to fit a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Soundboard – Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
As a tonewood, Western Red Cedar was "discovered" relatively recently. Over the last 30 years Red Cedar has gained tremendous popularity. Well quartered Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound. This set exhibits all those qualities, plus it is multicoloured, displaying all the colours that Western Red Cedar comes in.
Soundboard Bracing System – “Carbon Fibre reinforced Falcate.”
The soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 40ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Carbon Fiber reinforced Falcate (Sickle shaped) Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into sickle shapes that are radiused to 40ft. There’s a layer of Carbon Fiber between the bracing and the soundboard. The Bracing tops were profiled, and another layer of Carbon Fiber put over the top, effectively making an “Í-Beam” like structure. This radiused and curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Bridge, Bindings, Headstock and Fretboard - Ringed Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Gidgee is considered a pest plant by farmers, sometimes referred to as Stinking Wattle, but it is perhaps Australia's hardest wood. It has tight interlocking grain, making it ideal for these applications. “Ringed” Gidgee is the curly grain form, it can be visually stunning and is considerably rarer.
Tuners - Gotoh Mini 510 series in Gold
These small closed gear tuners are made in Japan, exceptional high quality and recognized as such around the world.
Fretwire – Jescar Evo-Gold
EVO Gold wire is a harder material than nickel silver though not as hard as stainless steel. It has excellent working properties and provides the player with increased fret life. The Fret ends have been individually spherically shaped and polished
Neck – Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana)
Perhaps Australian’s Best Tonewood. Highly sought after by Australian Luthiers.
This Neck has a spine of Ringed Gidgee giving the Neck extra stability and stiffness. It is fitted with a double action steel trussrod, which is accessible through the soundhole. The Neck to Body Joint is at the 15th fret and is “Flat Bolt on Bolt Off” construction, having a Neck extension that is fitted into the headblock and 1 x 6mm metal treaded inserts in the neck heel which are accessible through the Soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Rosette – An Open Wood Segment Composite Design
This rosette is made up using pieces of Ringed Gidgee Heart and Sap wood, New Guinea Rosewood Burl and Ringed Budgeroo. It also has 3 small Paua Diamonds and black dyed maple accent lines.
Headstock Inlay – Black Pearl Triquetra
Nut & Saddle – Hand made from Northern Territory Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The 6mm saddle is a firm fit into the Bridge but can be removed if needed. It has a line scribed along the soundhole face; this indicates the orientation of the saddle in the bridge. The Nut has been slotted to suit the as fitted Strings. The Nut is also a firm fit; a small amount of CA glue has been put under it to hold it in place while changing strings.
Strings – D’Addario Phosphor Bronze, Sizes TBA
Even though this instrument has Carbon Fiber Reinforced bracing, it is not recommended to increase the gauge of string from that as originally fitted.
Pick-up System – KnK Two Spot Transducers feeding into a MiSi Battery-less preamp.
The preamp for this system uses Mi-Si’s custom piezo linearization scheme. A 60 second charge using the Mi-Si Power Charger provides 16 hours of play time.
Finish - High Gloss Nitro Cellulous Lacquer
A hardwearing lacquer that is chemical resistant and easily repaired. Approximately 20 coats of Lacquer are applied over a 10-day period, after a week curing time, the lacquer is hand levelled using wet/dry sandpaper, micromesh pads and finally buffed to a mirror finish.
An Octave Mandolin in the Irish Bouzouki style, with a scale length of 560mm and 15 frets to the body and has a Zero Fret, Pinless Bridge and a side Soundport.
This Octave Mandolin S/N Oct-Mando-TBW-001 was made by hand using the materials and methods listed below.
Back and Sides - Tasmanian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
One of Australia’s best-known Tonewoods, used both domestically and internationally.
This Tasmanian Blackwood has compression figure.
Back Bracing System - Live Bracing Design
This system increases the backs interaction with the soundboard during playing, resulting in a fuller more complex sound. The Bracing has been made to fit a 20ft Radius, which increases the stiffness and structural integrity.
Soundboard – Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
As a tonewood, Western Red Cedar was "discovered" relatively recently. Over the last 30 years Red Cedar has gained tremendous popularity. Well quartered Red Cedar offers exceptional tonal quality. Although the wood is less dense and softer than Sitka Spruce it produces a crisp balance of sound. This set exhibits all those qualities, plus it is multicoloured, displaying all the colours that Western Red Cedar comes in.
Soundboard Bracing System – “Carbon Fibre reinforced Falcate.”
The soundboard bracing system has been made to fit into and was assembled in a 40ft radius dish, which increases its stiffness and structural integrity. The Carbon Fiber reinforced Falcate (Sickle shaped) Bracing is made of strips of King Billy Pine, laminated into sickle shapes that are radiused to 40ft. There’s a layer of Carbon Fiber between the bracing and the soundboard. The Bracing tops were profiled, and another layer of Carbon Fiber put over the top, effectively making an “Í-Beam” like structure. This radiused and curved symmetrical bracing system is of low mass and is incredibly stiff.
Bridge, Bindings, Headstock and Fretboard - Ringed Gidgee (Acacia cambagei)
Gidgee is considered a pest plant by farmers, sometimes referred to as Stinking Wattle, but it is perhaps Australia's hardest wood. It has tight interlocking grain, making it ideal for these applications. “Ringed” Gidgee is the curly grain form, it can be visually stunning and is considerably rarer.
Tuners - Gotoh Mini 510 series in Gold
These small closed gear tuners are made in Japan, exceptional high quality and recognized as such around the world.
Fretwire – Jescar Evo-Gold
EVO Gold wire is a harder material than nickel silver though not as hard as stainless steel. It has excellent working properties and provides the player with increased fret life. The Fret ends have been individually spherically shaped and polished
Neck – Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana)
Perhaps Australian’s Best Tonewood. Highly sought after by Australian Luthiers.
This Neck has a spine of Ringed Gidgee giving the Neck extra stability and stiffness. It is fitted with a double action steel trussrod, which is accessible through the soundhole. The Neck to Body Joint is at the 15th fret and is “Flat Bolt on Bolt Off” construction, having a Neck extension that is fitted into the headblock and 1 x 6mm metal treaded inserts in the neck heel which are accessible through the Soundhole with a 4mm Allen Key.
Rosette – An Open Wood Segment Composite Design
This rosette is made up using pieces of Ringed Gidgee Heart and Sap wood, New Guinea Rosewood Burl and Ringed Budgeroo. It also has 3 small Paua Diamonds and black dyed maple accent lines.
Headstock Inlay – Black Pearl Triquetra
Nut & Saddle – Hand made from Northern Territory Buffalo Horn (Syncerus caffer)
The 6mm saddle is a firm fit into the Bridge but can be removed if needed. It has a line scribed along the soundhole face; this indicates the orientation of the saddle in the bridge. The Nut has been slotted to suit the as fitted Strings. The Nut is also a firm fit; a small amount of CA glue has been put under it to hold it in place while changing strings.
Strings – D’Addario Phosphor Bronze, Sizes TBA
Even though this instrument has Carbon Fiber Reinforced bracing, it is not recommended to increase the gauge of string from that as originally fitted.
Pick-up System – KnK Two Spot Transducers feeding into a MiSi Battery-less preamp.
The preamp for this system uses Mi-Si’s custom piezo linearization scheme. A 60 second charge using the Mi-Si Power Charger provides 16 hours of play time.
Finish - High Gloss Nitro Cellulous Lacquer
A hardwearing lacquer that is chemical resistant and easily repaired. Approximately 20 coats of Lacquer are applied over a 10-day period, after a week curing time, the lacquer is hand levelled using wet/dry sandpaper, micromesh pads and finally buffed to a mirror finish.