Here's a great woodworking project for a hands-on person looking for a new project with a beautiful, functional result. This mandolin kit comes with all the materials you'll need to create a brand new, high-quality mandolin. Includes pre-cut sections of various woods: spruce top, maple back and neck, rosewood fingerboard (pre-fretted), peghead, and bridge, nickel-plated hardware, as well as binding and strings. Detailed, clear instructions are included. The top, back, and peghead are left a little oversized to allow you to customize the final graduations and finish work to your own personal taste. You'll need your own tools, sandpaper and clamps, so this isn't necessarily geared toward the first-time woodworker, but if you've got some skills and confidence, and are looking to produce something you can proudly own and play (or present as a truly meaningful gift), this will be a very rewarding project.
