We Should Build Mandolins is the story of Tom Ellis, legendary mandolin builder and inlay master. After successfully building some of the world’s finest mandolins from 1970s to the early 1990s, Ellis quit building instruments altogether to run a successful company (Precision Pearl Inlay) building parts for other instrument manufacturers.

In this new Fretboard Journal documentary, we go behind-the-scenes at Ellis’ Austin, Texas workshop to hear the unlikely story of how he got back into building again, thanks to the help of one of his employees (Pava Knezevic). The pair’s collaboration has resulted in an entirely new line of handmade, affordable mandolins.