Re: Why not cheap baroque mandoliins?
Baroque and early-music instruments are generally built by individual luthiers; I know of no "factory" producing them. As a result, you pay "artisan" rates for them; the tradeoff is that they're almost invariably beautifully constructed to individual specs.
Here in Rochester we have some lutenists and early-music plucked players, centered around the Eastman School of Music. Local luthier Bernie Lehmann is a bit of an early-music specialist, either for construction or restoration.
Baroque mandolins are such a niche instrument, that it's unrealistic to expect any large-scale shop to be building them. Maybe if the music they play becomes more popular, Gold Tone will have them built; worked for the ukulele-banjo...
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Bookmarks