This is a picture of a mandolin top without the tone bars, and without the rim, and one with tone bars and rim.
What are tone bars, you wonder?
Well, the two little sticks do a few good things. First, they reinforce the tops strength, which is necessary to keep the strings from pushing the top down flat.
The little sticks also help transmit the tops vibrations through out the entire top, thus adding to the overall sound.
Another important aspect of having the little sticks is that the sticks can be shaped to alter tone, in other words, the sticks can tune the top to a specific note. That is cool for overall sound performance. And you thought they were just two little sticks.
Building guitars, and now the much smaller mandolins, one realizes just what can be done with a very small amount of material.
Love your workbench, Edwin and the sawdust on the floor gives a wonderful aroma to the whole house! Will we have Mandolins for Christmas?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful talent you have... I want to see the finished ones.
ReplyDeleteMandolins by Christmas? Soon after I should think. There will be a new guitar by Christmas however. It is a cooooool design, and should sound FANTASTIC. I will post a picture when it's done. Just waiting for the finish to cure, then it will be put together. Thanks for the comments, Edwin
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