I have just discovered an article published in the Windsor Magazine Vol. XVII in 1903 about a mandolin workshop in the UK. The author describes the steps used for making a mandolin in the workshop of J. G. Winder. Winder had started the making of mandolins in the UK. He is also known as a builder of zither banjos.
This is a great video about the construction of a classical guitar:
Classical guitar making. My 24th guitar build
Highlights from making my classical guitar featuring the builder playing the finished instrument. www.booneguitars.com
The back and sides of this guitar are Indian rosewood. The top is western red cedar. The neck is Spanish cedar. Fret board is Macassar ebony. The rosette is a maple burl.
Another video showing how a classical guitar has been built during a workshop within 10 days:
10 Day Guitar
Highlights of a guitar being built in 10 days in a private course with Robert O’Brien – obrienguitars.com
Bruce Weber was one of the master luthiers at the former Flatiron site after Gibson had bought Flatiron. Gibson built mandolins in Monatana until 19976 when the production was moved to Nashville. Bruce Weber and some other luthiers decided to stay in Montana, and one year later in 1997 Bruce Weber found his Sound to Earth company and started his own line of Weber mandolins.
You can find many details about the history of Sound to Earth on the homepage Sound to Earth in the sections About Us, History and Luthier Bio.
Weber has designed a very interesting line of mandolin instruments – mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins and mandocellos. You can find almost everything from instruments for beginners to master instruments like the Weber Fern mandolin or the very special 10th Anniversary model that sells for a list price of 25000 $. Recently Weber has also added a line of archtop guitars and resonator instruments to its producton.
New instruments can be configured individually with all kinds of variations and upgrades. All the standard models are presented with pictures and specifications on the Sount to Earth homepage.
Bruce Weber has built some very special instruments for Bruce Graybill, a mandolin player from Pleasant Hill, Missouri. I have met Bruce Graybill two years ago during a workshop or mandolin symposium in Trossingen (Germany). Bruce is a great mandolin player who plays bluegrass, jazz and also classical music. For some years he was the presidant of the Classical Mandolin Society of America (CMSA).
Bruce Graybill has presented his Weber instruments in a very interesting set of youtube clips. Bruce shows his instruments and tells about the special features of each instrument. Then he plays the same piece on different instruments to show the differences between those instruments.
This is my playlist with the complete set of youtube clips
Playlist -Bruce Graybill and his Weber Mandolins
Not only Bruce Graybill shows his Weber instruments, many other proud owners of Weber mandolins have made youtube videos playing their instruments.From this video clips you can dicover the great sound of the Weber mandolins and at the same time discover some interesting music. I have mainly collected clips with Weber Fern and Weber Yellowstone mandolins in the following playlist.
Playlist Weber Yellowstone and Weber Fern Mandolin
I have just written about the guitar construction movies by Tiyoto Kanaka which show the construction of a guitar in many detailed steps.
Some time ago I have found the following video which shows the construction of a classical guitar using time laps in little more than 5 minutes.
The guitar was built within 10 days in a private training course by Rober O’Brian from a kit by LMII.
If you ever wanted to see how a classical guitar is constructed from wood and glue you should watch this movie. This is a good introduction for the detailed movies by Kiyoto Tanaka.
Highlights of a guitar being built in 10 days in a private course with Robert O’Brien – obrienguitars.com