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I am building an archtop mandocello (A style) and I'm trying to find out how to make the neck block. It would be more or less like an A style mandolin neck block, but obviously quite a lot bigger. More or less like the image attached. The blank should be aprox 10 x 8 x 12 cm. I'm trying to find a piece of hardwood big enough for this, would it be acceptable if I made some kind of laminated piece? And how should the grain direction be idea…

Hi all, I am building a mandocello, Gibson style but with f holes, currently working on the top. I got to a point where I carved it to about 5 mm in the center and about 3,3 around the edges. If has some flexibility but still feels quite stiff. I tap and listen but having experience only with flat top guitars I don't really know what I'm looking for in terms of tap tone and flexibility. I know there is no correct answer to this, but anyo…

A friend of mine put in my head the crazy idea of building a mandocello. There used to be a building plan available at https://www.hovingtoninstruments.com/ .... but the website seems to be down and it has been for weeks. I am trying to contact Tom Hovington on his FB and Instagram, but does anyone have other sources for building plans of this type of instrument? I've been searching but I can't find any. Thanks in advance, Jorge