Re: Has anybody heard of an English maker called Frederick Winslo
Frederick Winslow was a mandoline player and teacher who lived in Swindon, south of England near London. Before forming the Serenaders Mandolin Orchestra he led a mandolin 'quartette' that promoted J E Dallas (London mandolin and banjo maker) flat back mandolins, mandolas and mando-cellos. He seems to have started on mandolin making by adapting existing mandolins to his new stringing/ tuning system, for which he was granted a US patent in 1927. Later on he made a few curved-back, canted top mandolines using his compensated stringing system.
His instruments are high quality, in the J E Dallas tradition with a few refinements, notably the stepped MoP bridge tops and nuts, which were strung overlapping rather than parallel both behind the bridge and above the nut. I don't know anyone who has tested his claims about the tuning advantages of this system but I do know it is a PiA in practical terms. I have a couple and the prospect of breaking a string is terrifying. You can see photos I supplied to Graham McDonald in his book 'The Mandolin: a History'.
Kevin
Anglocelt
mainly Irish & Scottish but open to all dance-oriented melodic music.
Mandos: Gibson A2, Janish A5, Krishot F5, Taran Springwell, Shippey, Weber Elite A5; TM and OM by Dave Gregory, J E Dallas, Tobin & Davidson.
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