# General Mandolin Topics > eBay, Craig's List, etc. >  What the heck is this?

## multidon

Anyone have any clue what's up with this item? Obviously handmade but a mandolin?

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/auctions...-13435602.html

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## MikeEdgerton

That is a left-handed Shmergel Devastator.

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Denny Gies

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## journeybear

Looks left-handed but strung reight-handed. It may actually be a dulcimer. Perhaps a mandolcimer or dulcilin?  :Confused:  Perhaps dulcillini can enlighten us?  :Whistling:

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## Jim Garber

For posterior...

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## houseworker

There's a note been added to the listing suggesting it's a baritone uke.

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## Chief

Definitely  a Shmergel. But I can't tell if it's a Devastator or a Termanater.

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## Jim Garber

That is a beaut -- I love the delicate bridge.

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## F-2 Dave

Don't know about it being a Schmergel or not. One thing's for sure, after seeing it in the coffin, it (whatever it is) is in a better place now. RIP

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## Charles E.

By the shape of it, I would say it is a Nugget.

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## Jim Adwell

Sigh.  I was hoping no one here would notice. :Wink: 

This was the second musical instrument I made, 27 years ago, for some reason no longer known to me.  A friend wanted to give his stringed-instrument-loving brother a "unique" gift, saw this thing in my shop, and bought it.  It is not a mandolin, not an ukulele, not anything really, and frankly sounds like crap, but is it, to the best of my knowledge, unique.  My friends brother loved it, BTW.  Go figure.

Do yourself a favor and don't bid on this.

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## journeybear

Too funny!  :Laughing:  Best chuckle I've had in a while. It was at least a learning experience, I'm sure.  :Wink: 

We have some eagle-eyed mambers here, and they don't miss much.

BTW, I guess your friend's brother just didn't love it quite enough ...  :Frown:

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## Steve Ostrander

It's a ukelin!

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Michael Weaver

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## MikeEdgerton

> Sigh.  I was hoping no one here would notice.
> 
> This was the second musical instrument I made, 27 years ago, for some reason no longer known to me.  A friend wanted to give his stringed-instrument-loving brother a "unique" gift, saw this thing in my shop, and bought it.  It is not a mandolin, not an ukulele, not anything really, and frankly sounds like crap, but is it, to the best of my knowledge, unique.  My friends brother loved it, BTW.  Go figure.
> 
> Do yourself a favor and don't bid on this.


Has Diogenes found you yet?  :Smile:

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## Jim Adwell

> Too funny! BTW, I guess your friend's brother just didn't love it quite enough ...


Well, he had it for 27 years...

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## Jim Adwell

> Has Diogenes found you yet?


It would have been hard to lie about anyway, since they took a picture of my name on the label.  But yeah, Diogenes and I are old friends.

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## Michael Weaver

> Sigh.  I was hoping no one here would notice.
> 
> This was the second musical instrument I made, 27 years ago, for some reason no longer known to me.  A friend wanted to give his stringed-instrument-loving brother a "unique" gift, saw this thing in my shop, and bought it.  It is not a mandolin, not an ukulele, not anything really, and frankly sounds like crap, but is it, to the best of my knowledge, unique.  My friends brother loved it, BTW.  Go figure.
> 
> Do yourself a favor and don't bid on this.


This is freaking hilarious!!! Thanks for the laugh guys.

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## Jim Garber

I love this place... Jim, have you made other instruments after that one?

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## Jim Adwell

> I love this place... Jim, have you made other instruments after that one?


I recovered from my inexplicable desire to make unique instruments and went on to make some 800 ukuleles and guitars in Hawaii, and sold them all (except for eight or so, which for one reason or another I decided were too bad to sell, and my personal instruments).  I just recently decided to make something after 17 years in retirement in New York and Florida, so I am making a pancake style mandola, which is now receiving many coats of oil varnish.  Wish me luck!

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## journeybear

> Well, he had it for 27 years...


That should qualify it for antique status. Thus it is vastly underpriced. Especially considering it is an early example of the work of an American craftsman active for decades with an astounding output of over 800 instruments. The seller clearly has no idea how to spin market-speak.  :Smile: 

BTW, its currently bid up to $40. Regardless of Mike E's sig line, it's a bargain.  :Wink:

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Jim Adwell

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## allenhopkins

> That is a left-handed Shmergel Devastator.


Sacrilege!  Blasphemy!  Mr. Adwell's well-intentioned venture into free-form instrument design, bears *NO RESEMBLANCE* to the unexcelled glory that is the Shmergel Devastator!!

Besides, it's well-known that because of its 92 coats of hand-rubbed (by Circassian virgins) polynomial centrifuge-purified Ecuadorean bumble-beeswax, the Devastator does not register in photographs, either film or digital.  Light is deflected around it, leaving only a faint, sparkling halo.

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## joemcg

My favorite part is the case. It looks like a coffin  :Frown:

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## journeybear

Thank you for enlightening us all, Allen. I knew it wasn't a Shmergel because I could see it, but I wasn't sure how to explain that adequately. Sometimes words fail ...  :Whistling:

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## Jim Adwell

More weirdness, as I've just remembered that the tailpiece for the not-Shmergal was made from a piece of metal I got from dismantling an Epson dot-matrix printer I had lying around (before I made unique instruments I was a computer programmer/nerd).

Now that I think of it, there may be a steel rod from said Epson printer embedded in the neck...  What the heck was I smoking back then?

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## P.D. Kirby

> That is a left-handed Shmergel Devastator.


Wonder if this is a previously documented Shmergel or possibly a new find? Can we get the serial number?  :Whistling:

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## MikeEdgerton

> Sacrilege!  Blasphemy!  Mr. Adwell's well-intentioned venture into free-form instrument design, bears *NO RESEMBLANCE* to the unexcelled glory that is the Shmergel Devastator!!
> 
> Besides, it's well-known that because of its 92 coats of hand-rubbed (by Circassian virgins) polynomial centrifuge-purified Ecuadorean bumble-beeswax, the Devastator does not register in photographs, either film or digital.  Light is deflected around it, leaving only a faint, sparkling halo.


I'll have a ham sandwich.

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## Rodney Riley

> I recovered from my inexplicable desire to make unique instruments and went on to make some 800 ukuleles and guitars in Hawaii, and sold them all (except for eight or so, which for one reason or another I decided were too bad to sell, and my personal instruments).  I just recently decided to make something after 17 years in retirement in New York and Florida, so I am making a pancake style mandola, which is now receiving many coats of oil varnish.  Wish me luck!


Can you post some pictures in the  http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...tures+progress thread? I know it's a Mandola, but would still like to see it.  :Smile:

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## multidon

Mr. Adwell thank you for enlightening us. You told us what it isn't not a mandolin not a uke. But what is it really? And how would it be tuned? What kind of strings? What scale length? Even though you say it sounds like crap I have to admit I'm still inexplicably intrigued!

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## Bill Snyder

For those that thought this might be a Shmergel you can see (well sort of see) a photo of one *HERE.*

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Bob Clark

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## Jim Adwell

> Mr. Adwell thank you for enlightening us. You told us what it isn't not a mandolin not a uke. But what is it really? And how would it be tuned? What kind of strings? What scale length? Even though you say it sounds like crap I have to admit I'm still inexplicably intrigued!


The answers to your questions are lost in the mists of time, IOW I don't remember.  I'm pretty sure it sounds like crap, though.  I am speculating that it would be tuned like the highest four strings on a guitar, since I was playing guitar at that time. It also seems to have seven sides (probably because at that time I had no idea how to bend wood), so I guess it's a Septaphone.

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## multidon

Aha. That makes sense. Based on the overall length I estimated the scale length at 21 or 22 inches or so. That would make it a tenor guitar in "Chicago" tuning. With the appropriate string gauges I should think it could be made to play in CGDA or GDAE. I LOVE the name "Septophone"! Perfect name! I did not bid on it but there is some interest. It will belong to someone tomorrow.

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## carver60

> More weirdness, as I've just remembered that the tailpiece for the not-Shmergal was made from a piece of metal I got from dismantling an Epson dot-matrix printer I had lying around (before I made unique instruments I was a computer programmer/nerd).
> 
> Now that I think of it, there may be a steel rod from said Epson printer embedded in the neck...  What the heck was I smoking back then?


I was bidding on this instrument just a few minutes ago on Shop Goodwill. Decided to Google your name, as the maker. Had bid it up to $80, when I decided to check. Fortunately I got outbid while I was doing the search.
Thanks for giving your opinion of the sound when you did! :Laughing:

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## Jim Adwell

> Thanks for giving your opinion of the sound when you did!


I COULD be wrong about the sound... it's been a few years. :Whistling:

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## multidon

Who cares about sound? I just want it so I can take it to a gig and have somebody ask "What the heck IS that"? so I can answer, oh so condescendingly, "That's my Septophone! What did you think it was?"

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## journeybear

You do realize that if the intonation is correct, you can just slap on a pickup or two and wail on it. It could be a beast as an electric.  :Mandosmiley:  It's still too bad the tuning pegs are on the wrong side. Oh well!

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## multidon

Well the auction is over and the Septophone went for $101. I hope someone here got it so we can hear what it sounds like and what  was done with it.

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## ptferris

No more suspense ......    new member here, and new owner of Septophone.  I, too, was curious when I saw the listing and Googled the maker's name.  When I happened upon this thread, I suffered a sudden onset of recurring GAS.  I justified the expense by knowing that I would likely have the only one in existence and that alone imparts great value.  It didn't hurt (or rather, help) that I could avoid shipping costs by picking it up on an upcoming trip to Spokane.

So ...  now I will save up for a reconstruction job so that if Jim Adwell is willing, he can put the tuners on the right side, upgrade the dot-matrix-puter-printer tailpiece to a color-laser model, remove and bend the sides and then sign the interior before reassembling it.  Of course, keep the number at 7 ....   else, a new thread would have to be started to come up with a new name.

And maybe, just maybe, whatever Jim was smoking back then COULD have affected his hearing.

Cheers.

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Rodney Riley

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## Jim Adwell

Although I made two Septophones, the other one had an...accident... with a band saw and is thus no more, so ptferris' purchase is indeed the only Septophone in existence, at least on this planet.

Making changes to such a unique object would be sacrilege, so I must politely decline any modifications to your Septophone.  It shall and must remain a one of a kind musical instrument, standing apart from all others, even the fabled Shmergel.

Cheers, Jim

PS: If the thing is actually playable and sounds at all like a stringed instrument I expect a recording of ptferris playing the Septophone to be posted here forthwith, although I am cringing slightly at the thought.

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## journeybear

Welcome to the Café! And congratulations. I hope this works out for you. Waiting to hear your report on its sound. As remember - if it doesn't work, consider the electrifying method I proposed.




> ... I would likely have the only one in existence and that alone imparts great value.


Well ... Value, perhaps, but _great_ value?  :Confused:  We shall see.  :Whistling: 

I have two, um, artifacts from this maker, and I seriously doubt they have much value, either as instruments (utterly unplayable) or folk art. I just found them irresistible, ugly ducklings that they are.  :Wink:

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## Rodney Riley

Welcome to the Cafe pt. Maybe it "opened up" and sounds amazing now.  :Laughing:  If it doesn't sound good acoustically I'd take journybear's advice and electrify it. Just do a search for "pick-ups" and you will be busy reading for awhile.

Took too long to post  :Laughing:  Thanks for the input 'bear.  :Smile:

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## ptferris

Well, with Halloween nearing, it's time to resurrect, from a coffin, no less, the ghastly ... er, ghostly Septaphone. TBT ... I have not opened this thing up since I purchased it in 2013.

I'm cleaning house and getting rid of a couple of dozen guitars and the Septaphone was hiding among them.

If anyone wants to upstage a Shmergel owner, this is your chance to get a real unicorn.

<Removed by Moderator. Posting Guidelines Please limit commerce to the classifieds.>

Also ... the tuning keys are not on the wrong side.  This is a lefty that got strung wrong   :Wink:

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