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Rating: 
Summary: A pretty good book
Review: "Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin" is an inspirational book for amateur luthiers, but does not live up to its name, "A Complete Technical Guide". The book has good drawings for making patterns but lacks precise measurements which are necessary for a complete understanding of the construction process. If you intend to use this book to build an F-style mandolin I suggest you first acquire a complete set of f-style mandolin blueprints. (This will cost you about $15-$20.) The pictures and text of the book in conjunction with a good set of blueprints are more than adequate to build a fine bluegrass style mandolin.
Rating: 
Summary: The Definitive Amateur Mandolin-maker's Bible - for sure!
Review: Here, in Bonnie Scotland, even in the relatively commercialised central belt,books like this are as rare as hen's teeth in our local bookshops,and my copy, which I acquired via the local library, was a real joy to read.Being a left-hander, this book was a necessity for me to partake in bluegrass mandolin-playing on a limited budget. I was not disappointed This book should be a model for all aspiring technical authors, never mind amateur mando-makers. Every detail in the process is discussed in a way that makes you believe that you really can achieve success in the (at first thought) daunting project that lies before you. Loads of tips and shortcuts that I personally had never seen before - and the whole process from selecting the woods down to inlaying is covered with an friendly, readable style. The best How to do..book thatI have ever read- that's why I'm ordering a copy now! Take a bow, Mr Siminoff!
Rating: 
Summary: Good but missing some information.
Review: The author does a pretty good job explaining a topic as complicated as instrument making. However, he misses parts of the construction process (e.g. installing the tuning machines, cutting out the soundboard), so the reader is left to guess how this is done. I would recommend reading the book cover-to-cover before beginning, and always buy the hardware before you buy the wood. I've not read his Ultimate Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin book, but I hope it is more complete than this one.
Rating:
Summary: mandolin
Review: Upon reading the book preview I thought all info. needed would be there, not so. I strained to see what the carving was like and what the edge thicknesses were.The drawings in the back were pretty good but I was baffeled many times as to what the next move should be.The book needs more measurements readily available. I had to search elsewhere for more information.
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