III mandolin

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Denver, CO
III mandolin

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"triple I" mandolin
contrivances for the dissemination of quality acoustic music Instructor Geoff Burghardt covers the process in detail in the 13-hour course.

Media Links:
Online Mandolin Building Course (2015): https://lutherieacademy.com/courses/mandolin

Online Course Promo, Youtube (March 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ujpS_Dfl68

CBMS Write-up, (March 2024): https://www.coloradobluegrass.org/newsletter_march_2024

Interview: Voyage Denver (March 2022): http://voyagedenver.com/interview/check-out-geoff-burghardts-story/

Mini-Documentary, Youtube (April 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocvUV425al4

Interview: O'Brien Guitars Tips Du Jour, Torrefied maple (Oct 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-q3T96DwdU

Interview: Mandolin Sessions, (Feb 2011): http://web.archive.org/web/20160811192249/http://www.mandolinsessions.com/?p=746

Interview: You Can Feel It All Over Podcast, episode #2: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QKzjkM8EGK2vv9czqSvLl

Interview: Hilltop Sundial, (March 2018)

Review: American Lutherie #124 (Winter 2015) p. 65 “Reviews: O’Brien Online Mandolin Making Course”
Calkin finds more treasure in the rich mine of Robbie O’Brien’s online lutherie instruction.

10/31/2026

sides, heat, clamps, forms, and carnage. New batch is on its way! #78-80!

10/30/2026

interesting fact from this early mandolin book coming from the mid-1700's in France. The 4th course (g strings) was often tuned in octaves because the strings for that low note at the time had such poor harmonics they needed the octave string to help support those harmonics and balance with the other strings.

10/29/2026

This is the first Hoffee Cases I've gotten besides white or black exterior and I think it is really cool! Like space age tweed! Hoffee cases come standard with my mandolins, I find them to be excellent across the board and highly recommend!

10/21/2026

had Justin Hoffenberg and Dylan McCarthy of Jake Leg over last night giving me an education about resonator tenor guitars for an idea I have for 2027. These things are really cool! The tone is so unique!

10/20/2026

iii #75, Irish Bouzouki
photo credit: Jenn de Groot

10/20/2026

OK, I'm SOOOOO excited to share about this. This is iii #75, my very first Irish Bouzouki! It has a 14" body with 26" scale based off Graham McDonald 's instructional video with the Lutherie Academy and also his bouzouki building book. I used torrefied Adirondack spruce for the top, lattice bracing and East Indian Rosewood back and sides. African Mahogany neck to be light and stiff with rosewood bridge/fretboard/headplate. I did an oil varnish undercoat and topped with french polish. Alex Harvey wanted to go overboard on the inlay so we ordered a design from LuthierSupply/DePauleSupply and I spent way more hours inlaying it than I expected. The mer-goddes on the headstock is in her own sea of east indian rosewood waves. We used my new lightweight bridge design (another post another time) in rosewood and for extra mojo used buffalo horn for the nut. In tone, projection, balance, power, smoothness and anything musical this instrument excels. 2 people told me its the best instrument I've built yet and it's made 2 people who don't really like Bouzouki's want one. I will be making one for myself as soon as time allows and will make it an offering going forward. This was an absolute labor of love and I'm so incredibly proud of it and excited for Alex to put it through its paces! Huge shout out again to Jenny Lynn de Groot for an excellent photo shoot capturing the essence of this really cool instrument. Track her down for any photography needs! Cheers folks, go play your mandolin!

10/20/2026

fretboard removal evening required I make a new metal handle to replace this broken wood POS handle. Nice to hop on the lathe and make some metal shavings... artists knives are pretty cool, especially when they are bombproofed.

10/19/2026

iii #77 glamour shots thanks to Jenny Lynn de Groot

10/19/2026

Address

Denver, CO
80220

Website

http://www.iiimandolin.com/

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