# General Mandolin Topics > Vintage Instruments >  '24 H4 Mandola

## sgarrity

Thought some of you might be interested in this.  NFI and all that stuff.....

http://www.quincysguitars.com/instru...H-4Mandola.php

----------


## Gary Hedrick

Very nice!!

----------


## Bob A

I'm sort of surprised that they stuck with the clamp-on pickguard.

----------


## MandoNicity

Man that's a beauty!

----------


## Goodin

Wow, that's a nice one.  It even has the original hardshell case.  I think that's a decent price considering the excellent condition and how rare these are.  There are only 15-20 documented H4's from the Loar period on The Archive.  It won't last long.

----------


## allenhopkins

The "serial number upon request" puzzles me a bit.  A lovely instrument, though, and $9K seems pretty reasonable given where vintage prices have gone.  Though I never thought I'd be saying that -- 4X what I paid for my first new car (a Dodge Dart)...

----------


## Gary Hedrick

In 1997 I paid $6k for a 24 from Larry Wexer so that should give everyone an idea of how good this price it.

----------


## danb

I wonder if I'm seeing things, or if there is a repair/crack under the body scroll.. it seems to show up in 3 diff pictures anyway..

----------


## carleshicks

> I wonder if I'm seeing things, or if there is a repair/crack under the body scroll.. it seems to show up in 3 diff pictures anyway..


I see it too. My 22 f-4 had a crack in the same spot.

----------


## Dave Reiner

It's out on approval now to someone in Cincinnati...  They said there wasn't a crack near the scroll.

Dave

----------


## Gary Hedrick

Ah another instrument proablely sold by the major force in mandolin sales........The Cafe............

----------


## Dave Reiner

The Cincinnati buyer sent it back, preferring a modern mandola, so I wound up buying this H4!  I received it today and it's really hard to put down - warm and complex tone, lots of volume, and very playable.  The crack near the scroll is just in the finish, not the wood. The only downside is my wife likes the sound so much, she said "Why don't you just switch from mandolin to mandola?  It sounds so much mellower."

Dave

----------


## sgarrity

Congrats Dave!

----------


## uncle ken

A good choice. I have one like this and it's one of the best sounding instruments I've ever owned. I use it quite a bit around Christmas time. I was just using it the other day, starting to record some holiday music with a friend who plays harp. I'll attach the file.

----------


## Dave Reiner

Fine playing, Uncle Ken, and great tone that you draw from your mandola!

Dave

----------


## Links

Ken  -  the mandolin, playing, and arrangement were all outstanding!!!!!!!

----------


## Andrew B. Carlson

Wow. That was some beautiful playing! Perfect song for me today. I up near Edmonton, Alberta and it's snowing outside. Merry ChristMAS!

----------


## uncle ken

Merry Christmas in May. I guess it's never too early to start working on holiday songs.

----------


## F4Ever

> The Cincinnati buyer sent it back, preferring a modern mandola, so I wound up buying this H4!  I received it today and it's really hard to put down - warm and complex tone, lots of volume, and very playable.  The crack near the scroll is just in the finish, not the wood. The only downside is my wife likes the sound so much, she said "Why don't you just switch from mandolin to mandola?  It sounds so much mellower."
> 
> Dave


Gosh... that sat on the market for seven years or so?   Then, I find it, but you bought it over a year ago!   Arggh, the complexities of the internet!

I am a convert to mandola... and compose specifically for it.  Should you ever tire of this, please, please think of me...  I have a '15 H2 which I absolutely love, but I am ready for another.   thanks!

----------


## DerTiefster

If I read it aright, the first post here was 20 April 2010, and Dave reported buying it on 30 April 2010.  Not quite 7 years.  Here's a mandola of recent construction to hang before your eyes (NFI to me, I just think it's beautiful)...  
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-A-new-mandola
I think that providing that link is appropriate, even though it isn't an H4 style.  The maker (Hamlett) did a stellar job repairing my Dad's L50 guitar headstock, and I appreciate that a bunch.

----------


## Steve Roberts

> Gosh... that sat on the market for seven years or so?   Then, I find it, but you bought it over a year ago!   Arggh, the complexities of the internet!
> 
> I am a convert to mandola... and compose specifically for it.  Should you ever tire of this, please, please think of me...  I have a '15 H2 which I absolutely love, but I am ready for another.   thanks!


If you are at all handy with handtools take a look at Roger Siminoff's mandola kits.  I built a H5 for my daughter and it turned out beautifully.  Took me 14 months, but she assures me that all the hours I spent in the basement working on her instrument were worth it.  He has a H4 kit that looks great too.  NFI of course.

----------


## Willie Poole

A `24 Mandola...Was it signed by Loar?

----------


## allenhopkins

> A `24 Mandola...Was it signed by Loar?


Think Loar only signed the "-5" instruments: F-5, L-5, etc.

----------


## Dave Reiner

> A `24 Mandola...Was it signed by Loar?


It is signed by Lloyd's sister, Madelon.  She may have been the source of the phrase, "Will it play in Peoria?" since that's where she lived once she married Cress V. Groat.

Dave

P.S. Just kidding about the signature.  Allen Hopkins is correct.

----------


## F4Ever

> If I read it aright, the first post here was 20 April 2010, and Dave reported buying it on 30 April 2010.  Not quite 7 years.  Here's a mandola of recent construction to hang before your eyes (NFI to me, I just think it's beautiful)...  
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-A-new-mandola
> I think that providing that link is appropriate, even though it isn't an H4 style.  The maker (Hamlett) did a stellar job repairing my Dad's L50 guitar headstock, and I appreciate that a bunch.


I accidentally confused the "join date" with the date of the thread.... duh!

----------


## F4Ever

> If you are at all handy with handtools take a look at Roger Siminoff's mandola kits.  I built a H5 for my daughter and it turned out beautifully.  Took me 14 months, but she assures me that all the hours I spent in the basement working on her instrument were worth it.  He has a H4 kit that looks great too.  NFI of course.


 That's a bit out of my league... you must be proud of your baby!  You live in my neck of the woods... I'm in Cleveland Heights...

----------


## Willie Poole

Allen, My dumb question, I knew that, I just wasnt` thinking straight....My mind was on whether to watch Del and the jazz band on Letterman ...

   Willie

----------


## allenhopkins

> Allen, My dumb question, I knew that, I just wasn't thinking straight....My mind was on whether to watch Del and the jazz band on Letterman...


*NEVER* "dumb," Willie -- I was interested in your "take" on *Del & Dixieland!*

Just took delivery on a 1925 Gibson tenor lute, another Loar-designed instrument that apparently was pretty much a flop; hybrid of a mandola and a tenor banjo.  Cost approximately 1% of a Loar-signed F-5.  Me, the cheapo collector...

----------


## Capt. E

> The "serial number upon request" puzzles me a bit.  A lovely instrument, though, and $9K seems pretty reasonable given where vintage prices have gone.  Though I never thought I'd be saying that -- 4X what I paid for my first new car (a Dodge Dart)...


My first car was a 1962 VW Beetle purchased in 1969 for less than $400.

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> The Cincinnati buyer sent it back, preferring a modern mandola, so I wound up buying this H4!  I received it today and it's really hard to put down - warm and complex tone, lots of volume, and very playable.  The crack near the scroll is just in the finish, not the wood. The only downside is my wife likes the sound so much, she said "Why don't you just switch from mandolin to mandola?  It sounds so much mellower."Dave


Those Cincinnati folks are so picky!  :Smile:

----------

