The Mandolin Manual is a comprehensive workshop guide for constructing instruments belonging to the mandolin family: the mandolin, tenor mandola and octave mandola; it describes the various techniques of the craft and explains the science of their unique sound. Detailed instructions explain the techniques of making a mandolin. · Chapters on timber, nature of wood, adhesives, materials and tonewoods. · Sections cover acoustics and dynamics of the bridge, belly and soundbox, string technology, tone theory and playability. · An overview introduces the origins of mandolins, their types and tunings. · Fully illustrated with grid-scale plans for all the instruments' templates. AUTHOR: John Troughton enjoys a varied career - he studied and qualified as an interior designer. His interests now include making mandolins, mandolas and guitars.

He played mandolin, tenor banjo and melodeon in two bands before retiring injured. 121 colour photos.