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Thread: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

  1. #1
    wannabe mandolin wizzard bluesmandolinman's Avatar
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    Default Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    after all those years this is the first post in this forum

    I got a wonderful 1930 National Mandolin which would benefit from a proper set up ( needs new bridge etc )

    is there any repairman in Europe specialized in National Instruments ??

    thanks for any advice

    René
    Carl Martin - Everyday I have the Blues

    My gear : 1927 A0/Ajr , JM-11 , Fender 346 white XH

  2. #2

    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    You can buy a new resonator with biscuit and bridge direct from National.
    9.5" Mandolin / Tenor Guitar Resonator $90.00
    plus shipping, I suppose. I suggest you start with that, because any luthier
    would want the parts.

    I don't know about Europe. If that is all your instrument needs, then maybe
    you could do it yourself or find a friendly luthier. If your instrument needs the
    neck reset, then even in the US it is difficult to find a qualified luthier who
    wants to take this on.

    Please post some photos.
    Thanks,
    sounds_good

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  4. #3
    wannabe mandolin wizzard bluesmandolinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    i hope it is only the bridge , i have fitted bridges to flat and arched top mandolins before but never opened a National ... donīt know what surprises the interior offers.

    but I found this on the National site. Itīs explained for guitar but is the same for mandolin...

    https://0f31319f-656c-4356-8950-a15b...a05400a26f.pdf

    doesnīt look difficult maybe I should try myself... unless I get some seriuos warnings here ...

    I donīt have the mandolin here currently , try to remember to post a pic when I get it back home
    Carl Martin - Everyday I have the Blues

    My gear : 1927 A0/Ajr , JM-11 , Fender 346 white XH

  5. #4

    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    The saddle is just a piece of maple, notched for the strings.

    It fits into a 'biscuit', which is a circle of mahogany (probably) attached to the top of the cone, slotted to take the saddle. It's unlikely this is missing.

    I suggest you remove the cover plate (being careful not to damage the screw heads or lose the tiny screws) to see what it is like inside. If the cone isn't crushed, and the biscuit is still there, a new saddle is an easy fix.
    Last edited by ProfChris; May-31-2022 at 9:22am.

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  7. #5
    Registered User grassrootphilosopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    Well, well,

    there is Jürgen Richter in Hamburg: http://www.gitarrenreparatur.de/sub/resophonic.htm He is a noted repairman. He also built (builds) mandolins (A and F; I tried a nice A-5 style and know of at least 3 F-5 style mandolins). His work on my old mandolin and on my first good guitar was allways good.

    There is Manfred Pietrzok of Manzanita guitars in Uslar (near Göttingen): http://www.manzanita.de/contact-impressum.html I have no direct experience though I heard good things about his guitars.

    Joe Striebel in Munich http://www.striebel-gitarrenbau.de/S...esophonic.html advertizes resophonic builts. I do not know if he takes repairs. I have tried out Striebel guitars and find them nice (being a spoiled picker with quite high expectancies).

    If you go east, I would consider Ondra Holubek the go to resonator guy: http://www.cechhouslaru.cz/holoubek-ondrej/

    There is also lewald in CZ: http://www.resoguitars.cz/eu.html that aparently built Amistar guitars that seem to no longer be in buisines.

    There are quite probably others that I have missed. But these are the ones that I can think of from the top of my head. You could also try to contact people like Wolfgang Reimer (probably via this band https://steffersen.com/die-steffersen-story/; he also posts in the classifieds at times)
    Olaf

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  9. #6

    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    In case it helps, this is the inside of the soprano ukulele resonator I built a few years ago.

    Your mandolin cone, biscuit and saddle should look very similar.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  11. #7
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    Here's one opened up. I owned this quite a while back. I remember making a duplicate biscuit either for this mandolin or a National guitar I owned.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

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  13. #8
    wannabe mandolin wizzard bluesmandolinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    Thanks all for your feedback

    @Olaf... ha thanks for the reminder. I even bought a Mandolin from Jürgen many years ago.

    I will remove the cover first and check situation. I believe I can make the bridge myself... if that is all it needs.
    I am convinced the cone is fine since this mandolin sounds great as is... just the strings have different distances and heights ... homemade mods from someone without clue
    Carl Martin - Everyday I have the Blues

    My gear : 1927 A0/Ajr , JM-11 , Fender 346 white XH

  14. #9
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    All responses that suggest do-it-yourself repairs assume that what you have is a metal-bodied, single-cone mandolin. If that 1930 date is firm (do you have a serial number for it?), that would be correct, as according to Brozman's book, National stopped building tri-cone mandolins about 1928.

    Is the body "German silver" (actually a copper/zinc/nickel alloy), or painted steel? The latter are from the Triolian model series, and may be "polychrome" (sort of a yellowish finish), or faux walnut painted like mine.

    A picture would be nice. If what you have is a single-cone instrument, the repairs suggested above could quite possibly be done by you. I'd not want to mess with a tri-cone, but chances are you have a single-cone. You can't necessarily tell just by looking at the outside, because tri-cone and single-cone mandolins both had circular coverplates. The ti-cone will have a three-armed "spider" under the coverplate, and three small cones; the single-cone will have a central wooden "biscuit" centered on the cone, as described and pictured above.
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  16. #10
    wannabe mandolin wizzard bluesmandolinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    single cone !

    it has a super nice Frosted Duco finish... the only National mandolin with that finish I have ever seen
    as stated above I canīt take pictures in the moment but hope to do so later

    I once owned a faux walnut painted one too... that is the one where my avatar picture is from ... the pirate skull was hand painted by Niles Hokkanen when I visited him many years ago...
    Carl Martin - Everyday I have the Blues

    My gear : 1927 A0/Ajr , JM-11 , Fender 346 white XH

  17. #11

    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    Quote Originally Posted by bluesmandolinman View Post
    i hope it is only the bridge , i have fitted bridges to flat and arched top mandolins before but never opened a National ... donīt know what surprises the interior offers.

    but I found this on the National site. Itīs explained for guitar but is the same for mandolin...

    https://0f31319f-656c-4356-8950-a15b...a05400a26f.pdf

    doesnīt look difficult maybe I should try myself... unless I get some seriuos warnings here ...

    I donīt have the mandolin here currently , try to remember to post a pic when I get it back home
    I suppose you noticed those instructions are for the compensated
    6-string saddle. You can buy just the mandolin biscuit and saddle
    for $20. However, with that you need to make your own string slots.
    It is more involved than just sanding the saddle, but you might as
    well try doing it yourself.
    Thanks,
    sounds_good

  18. #12
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    Default Re: Repairman for National Mandolin in Europe ?

    The saddle will be glued in. If you don't want to disturb it you can file V slots in the string slots with a triangle file, then fill them with maple cut to fit the V. Once done you will be able to space the strings the way you want to make them even. You may not have to do them all, possible only the inside two pair.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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