The Mandolin Project

A Workshop Guide to Building Four Styles of Mandolin 

The Mandolin Project details the construction of four mandolins, including
- a flat-top/flat-back,
- a bent-top/flat-back,
- a Celtic carved-top/flat-back and
- a fully carved A style


The book is comprehensively illustrated with photographs, diagrams and plans and includes an extensive chapter on the history of the mandolin.

The original print run has now sold out (June, 2017) and is being reprinted in shorter digital print runs by Independent Publishers Group in the USA and available through Amazon and other booksellers


In Australia it can be found on Amazon.au

It is also available as an epub for US$9.99. Please click on the button below. The downloaded .zip file contains the plans as a printable pdf. After the payment is finalised, you will be redirected to another page with a download link.

Wholesale distribution for the printed version is through Independent Publishers Group in Chicago Il. The book is also available from Guitarwoods in Australia.


A pdf of the full-sized plans is available here, as the link printed in the book no longer works.

The Table of Contents, the introductory chapter (500kb pdf) and a History of Mandolin Construction (1Mb pdf) can be downloaded as samples.


The epub format is  used on iPads and other Apple products, but epub readers for other operating systems are available. The Firefox web browser has an epub reader, Cool Reader is another, and Calibre is an ebook reader and library software as well as converting files between ebook formats.




Graham McDonald Stringed Instruments

Contact:    Click to  Email

                        Phone: 0402 026 962   +614 02 026 962

                        PO Box 365 Jamison 

                        ACT 2614 Australia