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Here are the complete steps toward building a 3-stringed musical instrument, taught and inspired by the Andy Mackie Music Foundation. the instrument has a dulcimer's tuning, and sounds & plays beautifully. I teach a musical instrument building class to public middle school students in the adjacent high school wood-shop. Here, students have built dozens upon dozens of guitars, of various shapes and flavors. I shall make best attempts at teaching you my techniques, including what works well and areas needing improvement. Students get to bring home their finished instruments, such a joy to see their pride in ownership!
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Signing UpStep 1Start with a Stick!
When choosing your stick, make sure it is planed evenly on all four sides, doesn't bow or bend, and is straight & true!
I use "instrument-grade" wood such as mahogany and black walnut. Once I built one out of a African wood called bebinca. All our wood is donated to the Andy Mackie Music Foundation, for the purpose of teaching children to make and play their own musical instrument.
If acquiring these kinds of wood is just not possible, heck, then try using what is available to you, such as ash or another type of non-instrument-grade wood. The reason I suggest ash, is that it may bend more easily in a future step. Experimentation is most encouraged!
Here the measurements can vary. If you want to make a wider one to accommodate more than three strings, that will work too! Our kids have made many with varying lengths, including 12 inches longer than 30.5 inches, as well as shorter "ukulele-sized" instruments with less of a fretboard range.
Noting the direction of grain is important, such that when it is time to cut the fret wire grooves, the saw slices perpendicular to the grain.
I use "instrument-grade" wood such as mahogany and black walnut. Once I built one out of a African wood called bebinca. All our wood is donated to the Andy Mackie Music Foundation, for the purpose of teaching children to make and play their own musical instrument.
If acquiring these kinds of wood is just not possible, heck, then try using what is available to you, such as ash or another type of non-instrument-grade wood. The reason I suggest ash, is that it may bend more easily in a future step. Experimentation is most encouraged!
Here the measurements can vary. If you want to make a wider one to accommodate more than three strings, that will work too! Our kids have made many with varying lengths, including 12 inches longer than 30.5 inches, as well as shorter "ukulele-sized" instruments with less of a fretboard range.
Noting the direction of grain is important, such that when it is time to cut the fret wire grooves, the saw slices perpendicular to the grain.
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I'm very sorry your friend passed away, but thanks to your posting this, his legacy reaches even to Australia! Thanks again, I'm going to have a go at this soon!
Your comment made me realize that i had completely left out the step for making the bridge, as well as where to measure and place the bridge. I shall edit this, and add a step to alleviate confusion. (I wasn't sure what you meant as backwards.)
What I do realize is that I wasn't clear enough on the tuning measurements, That the Nut side close to the tuners, is where the first fret groove is sliced. Thanks for pointing out things I need to clarify!
Also, I guess we had put the tuner pegs facing up as a default, without much thought... I'll make a few with the tuners going the other way. (sometimes when they get set on a tabletop carelessly, the instruments will slip out of tune.)
Additionally, Your instructable taught me a few things which I'll modify for the next one we build! Thanks for that!
Evan
I understand they are tuned to DGD. Do you know if DAD tab's work the same on the DGD?
Thank you
Guy
DGD works of course, although I had often tuned them to GDG!
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Mr. Mackie's family states the tuning for GDG but in the videos when Mr. Mackie hands the stick over to another person to tune it, he tunes it in DGD.
My first one is GDG right now but that may change. I'll string the next one tonight and perhaps in GDG to see how the TABS work in that tuning.
I plan to finish the Friger build in DAD like my dulcimer.
For now I guessed at a height for a bridge and it seems to work but I feel it is on the tall side, I guess it might be players choice in the end.
Thank you
Guy
I just updated this post. The last step shows a picture of which strings to use. They are: GHS strings, for Dulcimer, Banjo, Tenor Banjo, or Mandolin. They come in a 4 string set. The thickest string measures: .020 inches diameter *(tuned to low G.) the next two strings measure: .012 inches diameter, and are tuned to D, and high G.
Sincerely, Evan
This last saturday, November 5th, Andy Mackie passed away. He was 72 years old. To those of us who all loved Andy, he will be very much missed. His legacy continues to flourish, bringing music to children.
Sincerely, Evan.
Here is the article in the peninsula daily newspaper:
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20111106/NEWS/311069987
also pic says #784 wire when the discription says #764. just saying
specifically for fret wire: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Stewart-MacDonald_Fretwire.html
764 is the correct size (for just the three below tuner holes) thanks for pointing out the error. The size on these probably don't matter as much, they can also be 141 size. The metal wire just prevents the strings from carving into the wood. Just make sure the NUT (first fret) is thicker size to ride higher above the rest of the fretboard wire.
FYI: Andy Mackie has visited my son's school a couple of times, and I have him myself. Very down to earth guy. He's one of my son's heroes and even asked me to take a picture of Andy and him together.
Andy is an inspiration to us all! I had the great privilege of working with Andy all during the 1st year at Chimacum. *(this is now the Third year of the program.)
As of this writing, he recently suffered from yet another heart attack, and is presently in the care of a hospital in Michigan. Please check his facebook page for updates. We are all thinking about him!
Another technique I use, is to double or triple the thickness of the end piece. Then I just sand the corners until they're round on the belt sander.