New Conservancy project

[Richard500]

Just bought this one, based on too few photos, which I think is a mid-range American Conservancy bowl back with top sinkage. Hasn’t shipped yet, but looks otherwise pretty good. Will try wet clamping rather than steam to get the top flattened if nothing else is wrong. Seems to have worked on the Rover I just finished, but time will tell!

[NickR]

Conservatory! Jim Garber can probably help ascertain if it is.

[Richard500]

The label says AC; it’s the year and position in the line that I don’t know. Will post pix after it arrives for that purpose.

[NickR]

Pleijsier's book shows an L& H ad that has a 12 string American Conservatory mandolin with the same design on the guardplate and the same tailpiece. The inlays are just four dots on the board and the purfling design and headstock shape are different. A mandolin is mentioned in the ad but no illustration.

[Jim Garber]

Yes, American Conservatory and the closest from this 1912 catalog page is #603.

[Timbofood]

I love this place!
A treasure trove of some pretty obscure instrument information!

[Jim Garber]

I love this place!
A treasure trove of some pretty obscure instrument information!

That would sounds like a description of my house!

[brunello97]

Just bought this one, based on too few photos, which I think is a mid-range American Conservancy bowl back with top sinkage. Hasn’t shipped yet, but looks otherwise pretty good. Will try wet clamping rather than steam to get the top flattened if nothing else is wrong. Seems to have worked on the Rover I just finished, but time will tell!

Fair play to you.

I hope you can correct what is wrong with the top. Please post some photos of the top issues if you can and your process of correcting it.


I've long touted American Conservatory mandolins as one the best value / $$ quality ratios on the used instrument market.


I hope yours proves to support that claim!

Mick