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Conversations here too often posit this as an either / or proposition which I find both amusing and saddening in equal measures.

In this case "versus".

I started off learning by ear and...

Yikes, Martin, how did I miss this? Too much work at the end of the semester.
That's a handy sized accordion.
Just enough basses to really add some chordal texture to your playing and not too...

"So am not dictating what makes a mandolin, was just aware of reading here of crass ignorance of what a mandolin actually is to sum it up. Not what many here would agree, but if they have never been...

Here's a handy link to the Ikegaku online store.

Mick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsGsCvJWEo8

See attached mandolin tab.

Mick

This is looking good...Do you have some side views of the neck alignment?

It looks as if the neck sheared off from the neck block from picture #2. These were integral in Italian bowlbacks as...

"....we adapt to suit the genres and taste of modern music.....which is another story, but glad to see it not abused in the rap world, at least so far as that would be the pits.

Here we go!

...

I've gotten numerous preslotted ebony mandolin fretboards from Allen Guitars for making tapered replacements on bowlback mandolins to correct insurmountable neck angle problems.

They've worked...

Here's a good tune to play on it once repaired (or replaced.)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FApWsL8Mq1g

Mick

And, of course, the Mandolino Bresciano with FOUR strings.

I've never heard one of these fitted with an electric pickup but probably tried out in some Northern Italian garage band.

Mick

I believe the label is from a "Stridente" mandolin.

I'm seeing an "IDE" on the fragment with the familiar circular surrounding border.

I'm away from my files right now but will track down a...

Thanks for the photos. Very nice looking mandolin, and I certainly enjoy maple bowls...

The action looks to be in quite playable condition.

The thickness of the new fretboard makes me wonder...

We can safely narrow this down to Sicily.

Mick

I’ll second Bob’s recommendation for the Calace Dolces. I use them on my bowlbacks and flatbacks.

And even have a set of the Medios on my Gibson now. (David is probably rolling his eyes…��)
...

I agree with Nick.

This is certainly pre-war, and certainly not 'factory made' but likely from a small(ish) shop that produced a lot of MOR mandolins for export to England, France, Germany etc and...

Thanks, David, Martin, Simon, Dagger...and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone..

It seems we're once again converging on some of the same great music.

I think I've let on that I've been slipsliding...

John, I was following (or trying to follow) this discussion in another thread where some research papers were testing the sound characteristics of a bowlback.
You've summarized the summaries nicely....

A few nice nuggets of information from the site Mike linked to, filling in a bit more on the 20s scene in Chicago, particularly JR Stewart:

"The Le Domino model was the brainchild of James R....

Well, you could swap out the light gauge strings for some heavier ones and watch your Washburn implode on you while you're fiddling with your strap attachment.

Mick

Thanks, John and Bren...great tales.

I love this: "....They are unlocked and are open to anyone seeking shelter while walking or climbing in the Scottish mountains."
And the shared ethos of...

Thank you, John, for the music and video.

And now I know what a bothy is. True delights for the architect in me.

Mick

Thanks!

I dig the Waldo, front and center.

Mick

I've got a half dozen or more of these "Leland" model flatbacks with a few different labels, including one from Wurlitzer.

I've long been of the opinion that these were made by Vega.

Others...

Might be time to get a bowlback mandolin to help break your folks out of stereotypes of what a mandolin looks like, sounds like or plays like.

And I'll bet you'll enjoy it yourself!


Mick

Volare, il mio amico.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IjJav7xbg

Mick