Help identifying and any further info on this A style (w/ Pics)

[adge]

Hi guys and girls!

Last week after digging around in my grandfather's garage/workshop/storage I found a Mandolin. Im a bass player and guitarist but was immediately fascinated in the idea of playing "Mando". So after some digging around on this website and others I've decided to get this old girl singing again.

I took it to a very knowledgable luthier buddy of mine here in Sydney, and he waxed lyrical about how it was built, he also had the idea that it was Pre WW2 built and while it needs some work, there was no reason why it couldn't be a good little unit!!

What we do know thus far:

Bakelite machineheads
Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard
(Maybe Brazilian) Rosewood back and sides
Spruce top
Hand Carved bracing
Needs a bridge and scratch plate

Sooooo, anyone out there that can help with any information?? The research I've done on Barnes and Mullins has produced a lot of info on Mandolin Banjos, but not much that helped me specifically. Please peruse the below pics!! Thanks in advance gang!!

[Ray(T)]

Google - http://www.bandm.co.uk/barnes-and-mu...p#.Us0jRssgGSM

[pfox14]

Not much info there on their instruments or who made them. I am not familiar with this brand at all.

[Jim Garber]

Some info here -- no doubt the OP has found this site about British makers:

BARNES & MULLINS

Samuel Bowley Barnes and Edward Mullins were boyhood friends in their home town of Bournemouth As young men they decide to join forces to become dealers in musical instruments; mainly selling, and mandolins in which they were particularly interested. Being- players of no mean ability. their public appearances helped them to sell their goods and soon they were despatching instruments all over the country because of their advertising and the launching (in February 1894) of their monthly fretted Instrument magazine called “The 'Jo." ("The 'Jo" title was changed to “The Troubadour" after a couple of years.) They started to sell their "own" make of banjo but these were made for them by J. G. Abbott, W, E. Temlett. Windsor, Matthews, etc. - the usual makers "to the trade" at that time. It was in 1897 they patented their “mute attachment" which was fitted to B. & M. zither-banjos and worked from under the vellum. At the end of 1900 they moved to London and established themselves at Rathbone Place, off London's Oxford Street, as a wholesale house in all musical instruments and merchandise and, soon after, started their own workshops at Harrow, Middx. which at first were under the supervision of John G Abbott. During the dance-band boom they marketed- their "Lyratone" banjos plectrum banjos and tenor-banjo which enjoyed considerable popularity. A feature of these instruments was the all-metal construction of the hoops. They ceased making banjos soon after the outbreak of World War II. the instruments branded "B. & M." sold from about 1965, have been made for them in Germany.

Dave Hynds has a picture of a B&M mandolin that resembles a DeMeglio and he attributes it as sourced from Italy. The OP's flatback could also be imported from Italy or France.

[adge]

Thanks guys!

I had been on the B&M website and had read their company history... there really doesn't seem to be much info out there about this Mando!!

That being the case, we might have a little fun getting it going again, rather than have to "restore" it.

Thanks for everyone's help.

[Graham McDonald]

I would think Italian made, probably 1920s or 30s. It should be possible to make a scratchplate from a plastic turtleoid guitar scratchplate and a simple ebony bridge. I would hunt around and put some light GHS 240 strings rather than a heavier modern set

[brunello97]

Love the Barnes and Mullins label on this one. Very proto - 60s graphic design. Much nicer than another B+M label I have in my files.

I'm with i miei ragazzi and their estimate of Italian provenance. I'd go as far as suggesting Sicilian, even. The top still has a nice arch to it. Strung up with an nice ebony bridge and I bet it will sound pretty good. The intonation on these can be muy sketchioso, though. I hope that's not the case here.

Mick

[adge]

Graham and Brunello- wow!! thanks guys!!

A lot of knowledge here on this forum!!

cheers!

[MidwinterSun]

Hi - good to see this post, and thought you might be interested in a similar discussion here https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...54#post1801654.

Did you get yours restored, and how did it turn out?

Carole