# General Mandolin Topics > Vintage Instruments >  Gretsch mandolin

## waynebien

I just bought a Gretsch mandolin (see attachment). It was sold as being a Rex model. As you can see in the photo it has a herringbone inlay across a Maple back. The only other Rex model I have seen had no inlay and the back was probably Rosewood. Did Gretsch use a classification method for the Rex similar to the one Martin used in the Style A verses Style B, etc? Any information would be appreciated...

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## Jim Garber

That was most likely made by Stromberg-Voisenet, a company that later became Kay. They made mandolins for larger distributors to sell under their own name.

Here is another one, a little plainer than yours:


As far as the Rex label, Gretsch used that for many different instruments as early as 1902. I would say that Gretsch prob contracted out to S-V for this one.

Yours looks like it is in good shape? Does it play and sound well? 

Jim

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## mandolooter

nice lookin mando!

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## waynebien

This is another picture. The bag in the case is a set of Gibson strings with a receipt from 1978. I think it has been in someones closet for the last 28 years; so, the juries still out on how it sounds. I think it needs to be opened up again. Remarkablely there are no cracks, just a few stratches on the back.

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## Jim Garber

For other discussions of mandolins of this make and shape, see this thread.

Jim

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## delsbrother

That's maple?

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## waynebien

Wow Jim this is just the information I've been looking for. Thanks!

My mandolin sure does resemble the Kays from the 1930's catalog. The other Rex mandolin I saw was on eBay and had a label (mine doesn't). The seller said the label was faded but they were sure it was made by Gretsch between the years 1903-1933.

The little bit of history I found said that once Gretsch moved in 1915 to their new building in Brooklyn they made all their own instruments.

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## waynebien

> That's maple?


Looks like Tiger Maple to me.

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## delsbrother

Looks more like flame mahogany, with the striping... Lots of ukes look similar. But I'll defer to you, since you have it in hand...

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## waynebien

You might be right. The only mahogany I have ever seen is very tight grained. Like the back of this Martin

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## brunello97

Here is a model similar to the one Jim posted above that is currently for sale on ebay. B+J Victoria brand. Slightly different detailing. #I like the simpler headstock on yours, Wayne.

[IMG]http://img165.imagevenue.com/loc432....MG]
[IMG]http://img170.imagevenue.com/loc539....MG]

Mick

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## waynebien

Mick
I agree with you about the headstock. Plus I really like all of the herringbone inlay on mine.

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## markishandsome

This is herringbone:

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## markishandsome

and this is tiger maple. your stripes are going the wrong way. cool instrument nonetheless.

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## brunello97

Wow. I'm approaching my 40s and have worn untold sports jackets, eaten innumerable schools of smoked fish and thanks to markishandsome's post only just today made the link between herringbone and bones of herring. 

ThickHeadedIrishMook,

Mick

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## Jim Garber

I guess "fancy marquetry binding" is better in this case than herringbone.

Jim

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## waynebien

OK. The point I was making was that my mandolin has a binding (what ever you want to call it) across the back which is a better quality wood than the one in this picture of the other Rex mandolin I have seen.

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## Jim Nollman

Here's another one from the same era and style. I bought this on Ebay several years ago. It came without any identifiers, although the seller told me it was part of a bundle of items from the 1920s. 

It has a "carved" top and back. I think the top is a laminate, which gibes with other posts I've read here. However, I believe the back and sides are solid maple, although i guess i can't be certain of that. How do i test it without cutting into the finish?

 I have done extensive work on it, including adding an ebony/bone bridge, a solid brass tailpiece, bone nut, new schaller tuners, and having the neck flattened, reset, bound, and refretted. One thing that really changed the sound was adding a padauk pickguard. i used to make drums and marimbas, and padauk was always the wood of choice for resonance. As an aside, someday, I'd love to own a mandolin with padauk back and sides. #I also inlaid a ceramic woman's face to the headstock.

This beauty has a very full sound with an exceptional bass, able to cut through a room full of guitars and fiddles. I prefer to play the instrument almost on its side like a dobro player does, which let's the thing vibrate to its utmost and really improves the tone. I recently added an armrest to make this easier to do in performance.

I'd love to know what year it was made. The next post shows the case, which may help someone out there tell me when, approximartely it was made.

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## Jim Nollman

here's the case fvor my so-called Kay.

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## Jim Nollman

Here's the mandolin in the above post.

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## Jim Nollman

here's the back.

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## Jim Garber

> For other discussions of mandolins of this make and shape, see this thread.


Beluga:
Yours looks a lot more like the later Kay branded ones (discussed in the aforementioned thread) than Waynebien's. The upper bout, for instance, is a lot smaller on the latter. Plus Waynebien's is a canted flattop whereas your is arched. They are however related -- say, cousins.

Jim

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## Jim Nollman

I posted a pic of the case because that style seems much more common in the 1920s than later. 

I think i differ from you about the headstock? most Kays I have seen after 1940 have a rectangular headstock. It is the early Kays that show the assymetrical wave in the headstock. It's too bad Kay doesn't have a historical photo library on their website. You spend a few months on Ebay and you're going to see dozens of variations of this Rex mandolin. Most of them are cheap knockoffs. a few, like mine and that so-called Gretsch, are as good as anything out there for jazz or blues. i almost bid on that Gretsch, but decided it probably sounded like a twin to what i already own.

One thing I'd like to add, is that tone of mine is clear and loud. A few years back we had a Breelove rep do a demo in our town. In a room of 20 mandolins playing Forked Deer, this Kay easily cut through all the rest of them. of course there were no $3000 bluegrass instruments in the room either. The rep asked me to stay after the workshop and played mine for 20 minutes. I thought of asking him to trade me his Columbia for my Kay, but thought that sounded pretty ridiculous.

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## Jim Nollman

OK, i see the Kay in the other link. Yes, it does look like the Model B from 1935. Mine is a very red sunburst, which is different than the advertised brown sunburst. Maybe it was a custom job. I'd love to find a date for when they started producing these maple rex archtops?

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## Bill Snyder

The back of that Rex looks like sapele to me. Certainly does not look like any maple I have worked with or seen.
Here is the sapele back of a Larivee guitar.

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## brunello97

Here is a nice website overview of Sapele, the wood:

http://www.exotichardwoods-africa.com/sapele.htm

Mick

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## waynebien

Jim, to answer your question[QUOTE]Does it play and sound well? After some minor set-up changes and three days of play it sounds as good as the Martin Style A I used to own. Thanks for all of the information :Smile:

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## cheepro

Any one know much about this Gretsch?   .. It says Gretsch Artist on headstock, no serial number and no label.  Mahogany body, in mint condition with orginal case.  So far I pretty sure it is from 1933-35 time period.

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## allenhopkins

> Any one know much about this Gretsch?...It says Gretsch Artist on headstock, no serial number and no label.  Mahogany body, in mint condition with orginal case.  So far I pretty sure it is from 1933-35 time period.


I'd *guess* -- and that's what it is, a guess -- built by Harmony for Gretsch.  Harmony made some arch-top guitars for Gretsch, and this has a "Harmony" look, IMHO.  Check *this thread;* pic of a Harmony that looks very similar.

How sure are you on that 1933-35?  I'd guess a tad later...

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## cheepro

Stan at Mandolin Brothers, whom I sent some picture was his guess on the date.  However other have said the 20's......Thanks to anyone else who could come up with ideas...

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