The work-in-progress mandolin, on the right in the picture on the left, as it appeared in the last issue. Kevin's model designation for this mandolin is "GPM" - Guitar Player's Mandolin - and it certainly is designed to be guitar player-friendly with a 12" radius ebony fretboard that is 1-5/16" wide at the nut and features standard acoustic guitar fretwire.

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This gorgeous instrument has padauk back and sides with a spruce soundboard, and boasts a guitar-inspired sound hole.  The sound hole (as opposed to the common f-holes found on most mandolins) and the dreadnought shape work in concert to produce the mandolin's impressive and surprising volume.