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Thread: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

  1. #1
    Registered User dwmand's Avatar
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    Default Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    I am now the owner of this mandolin made by Fred Elchuk of Winnipeg in 1936.

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    In doing online research I found one of his mandolins in this thread:

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...found-in-Kenya
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    I also found the mandocello from Folkways which provides a description of an instrument made by H Elchuk.
    https://www.folkwaymusic.com/oldmuse...jogallery.html
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    I found a mandolin similar to the Kenya Mandolin in the Timmons Today publication as Timmons was was home to the Ukrainian Mandolin Orchestra.
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    The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra has a FB page with a MandoBass with a similar headstock and inlays as the other mandolins.
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    The mandolin I have looks like a unique design based on a Gibson A-C Century of Progress Mandolin and is dated around the same time - 1936. However, it has f-holes and an A5 fretboard extension. My main mandolin is a Gibson A-1 and I feel most comfortable with the wide nut mandolin and this Elchuk has a similar neck profile. The mandolin needs a lot of work, but I'm going to have it restored by Micah here in Denver.
    We dropped a mirror in the f-hole and found quite a bit of information in pencil.
    1. Hand Made Instrument Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Man 1936 Nov 26th
    2. I cannot make out some of the other penciling. Maybe someone here can help.
    Peogop Urszyk Bumminer Ma Kanaya 1936 ioga 26 HarSpa

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    Dwight

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  3. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    Very cool to find a maker I never heard of from the olden days and obviously one who had some luthiers skills. And you did some excellent research on the history of his instruments.

    I used to be able to read at least phonetically Cyrillic script but the only thing I can make out is Канада which is Canada. I think he wrote the same thing in English and in Ukrainian. I am pretty sure the first line in the last photo is his name in Ukrainian/Cyrillic script
    Last edited by Jim Garber; Jul-25-2022 at 7:48pm.
    Jim

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  5. #3
    Registered User Jonathan K's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    Says “Fyodor Elchuk, Winnipeg, Ma(nitoba), Canada, 1936”
    Last edited by Jonathan K; Jul-25-2022 at 9:03pm.

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  7. #4

    Default Re: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    Thanks everyone for the information on Fred Elchuk.

    I found one of his mandolins in an on-line auction from Winnipeg a couple years ago and just got it back from restoration here in Ontario this week.

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    It's a very good instrument.
    Maybe not as loud or as complex sounding as a Gibson from the same era (1930s/40s I'm assuming) but significantly better than anything else I've played from that time period. The neck is straight and the action is low and I would never take that for granted in an 80-90 year old anything.
    It plays so well I was suddenly doing stuff up the neck with my fat fingers.

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    Mike Spicer in Hamilton Ontario did the restoration and, as usual, it's perfect and you would never know he was there. I do some repairs but Mike always does the heavy lifting. This mandolin had really started to pull apart.

    My instinct is to try to find someone to buy it back in Winnipeg; I needed to rescue it but I don't need to keep it. There's lots of folk music and so on in Winnipeg and I would be happy if this guy went home and got to be the life of the party after decades of neglect.

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  9. #5
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    I'm reviving this thread because an Elchuck mandolin (1934) has come up for sale in Winnipeg. I've asked the owner to send me photos. Here's one.
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    https://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/winni...ola/1687648764
    Cary Fagan

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  11. #6
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukrainian Mandolin - Fred Elchuk Winnipeg Manitoba

    One more:

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    For anyone interested, he's asking $1500 Canadian. New truss rod and fretboard.
    Cary Fagan

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