Here are some of my recently completed instruments, all in my Commodium/ resonator mandolin family. These all use stainless steel bedpans, maple necks and a National-style resonator. The internal structure is stout, relying very little on the bedpan along the path of the string tension and insuring that most of the energy is transmitted directly to the cone. The bedpans are mostly used (pre-owned?), to keep costs down, as a new, US-made stainless bedpan costs about $150. They are sterilized on an open flame and then with a boiling bleach solution. There are small dents and scratches on the pans. I do occasionally have new pans which are available for an added $75. I make the cover plates myself from Revere pot lids, which have replaced the flat-bottomed bowls shown in these pictures. I prefer their rounded profile and they are made from a heavier gauge of stainless steel. An updated picture will be posted in a few weeks. I have also added a stainless strap covering the bridge saddle, for protection of the cone.

    Most of my sales have been of the mandolin Commodium, my first model. I have jigs for both the neck and fingerboard, allowing me to keep the price of the basic Commodium somewhat lower than custom, one-off models. Contact me for prices, at kcary@dcn.org. I have done many different neck lengths and configurations, as commissions. Different hole patterns are available at extra cost, as are different fingerboard woods, and tuners. Custom Commodiums have simpler, more traditional pegheads. The mandolins all use a stainless steel fork as a tailpiece. The long-neck instruments, that have ball-end strings, use spoons as tailpieces.
    I had planned to say that these sturdy instruments would stop a bullet, but a recent trial with a .22 proved me wrong. Dang. 

The classic Commodium resonator mandolin: maple neck, rosewood fingerboard (14.5" scale),  fork tailpiece

    I use a Commodium mandolin myself for old jazz, blues, jug-band and vintage popular music. I personally have never heard an acoustic mandolin that is louder or more directional. My customers include several musicians who play on the street, unamplified. We all agree that volume is seldom a problem. At the same time, the tone is surprisingly warm and natural. If you want to hear the Commodium mandolin, as recorded on the Joy Buzzards CD, check out CDBaby.com. Tracks #2,3,9 and 10 were recorded using a Commodium.
   

    The long-neck Commodiums have all been made on a custom basis, to the needs of the various musicians.
  

 5-string Commodium/banjo:

Plectrum Commodium: