Nava Standard Mandolins

My “Standard” mandolins were first introduced in 2011. The intention being, to focus on the features that influence its sound and playability. It has a simple, elegance which depends only on the instrument’s form and its materials rather than any unnecessary decoration: everything you see is pure mandolin. The Japanese word Shibui best describes my approach to its design.

Below are all the “Standards” that I have made. One thing that I didn’t anticipate was, that players who commissioned one, would ask for custom upgrades, this led to the evolution of my “Standard Plus”.

So here they are in chronological order; from July 2011 to now……

 Scroll to the end to see my new version. It now has a 360mm scale length and individual Gotoh mini tuners.

Standard I

Standard II

 This mandolin had the first prototype of my own design of tailpiece

Standard III

Standard IV

Standard V

One thing that I didn’t anticipate was that players would pre-order a “Standard” and ask for custom upgrades…..

 Standard VI

 with herringbone rosette and back strip upgrade.

Standard VII

with tailpiece and head inlay upgrades

Standard VIII

(with cocobolo, abalone rosette and head inlay, and transducer up-grades)

Standard IX  (residing in Finland)

Standard X

(with handmade tailpiece and Headway transducer up-grades)

Standard XI

English walnut and Sitka (now residing in Portugal)

Standard XII

Mahogany and Sitka (with herringbone upgrade)

2022 New version: 360mm scale length and individual Gotoh mini tuners.

Figured Sapele & Adirondack

Figured maple & Adirondack

Adirondack top. English Walnut, back, sides and neck. Bog Oak fretboard and bridge.

Adirondack top. Indian rosewood, 3 piece back, sides, fretboard and bridge.

Adirondack top. Indian rosewood, back, sides

Rosewood and Adirondack with custom extras

Figured Sapele & Adirondack

Project Phoenix: acoustic 6 string archtop to semi- acoustic bass

Here’s one of my more unusual projects. At the back end of 2024, I decided to re-invent the archtop guitar which I made whilst a second-year student at The London College of Furniture in 1977. The full story is told here in this series of YouTube videos.