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. 

The only version still available directly from me are ring-bound copies with the full size, fold out  plans in the back.

The Australian price is A$35 (inc postage within Australia)

US$40 including postage to the US or Canada

€40 including postage to Europe.

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) and Luthiers Mercantile (in the USA).


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.


If you are somewhere else in the world or none of the options suit you, email me to check the postage and what currency you can pay me with. Preferred payment is through PayPal, though cheques in A$ and cash are fine as well. Click here to order a copy.


Graham McDonald Stringed Instruments

Contact:    Click to  Email

                        Phone: 0402 026 962   +614 02 026 962

                        PO Box 365 Jamison 

                        ACT 2614 Australia