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Thread: Could this be the construction?

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    Default Could this be the construction?

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    From Goodwill, no ident but looks like Japanese. Most of the fretboard seems to have a black coating fractured at the edges; the back of the neck and the headboard are the same black.
    So, is it possible that the whole neck is a single piece of wood, lacquered black? That is, no separable fretboard. Offhand, I think it would work, although unusual, and some repairs not easy.
    Anybody dissected one?

  2. #2
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Could this be the construction?

    It’s hard to tell from that picture.

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    Default Re: Could this be the construction?

    Looks very much like a Suzuki...especially if there's some neck joint separation. (very common in the 1970's)

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Could this be the construction?

    Some Suzuki bowlbacks actually sounds decent but the one I had from the 1970s left a lot to be desired. Too overbuilt I think.
    Jim

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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: Could this be the construction?

    I owned a Suzuki bowlback for awhile.

    While faithful to its "Calace" design references, the neck was as large as any Louisville Slugger wielded by Roberto Clemente.

    The tone made me reach for my ears to make sure there was no leftover cotton in there from my early banjo practice.

    I never did a DiVinci-esque autoposy on my own but sold it to a woman in Switzerland for an astonishing price.

    As much as that sounds like I'm dissing Suzuki mandolins (and I am) they do have a model which pulls from both Calace and Embergher design influences with a great looking slotted tuner / LE snakehead headstock.

    Not remembering which model number this was but they show up on Ebay often enough.

    Very nice looking design, but I've steered clear due to my previous experience.

    Clemente was a childhood hero on the ball field and in life in general.

    But not in my mandolin adventures.

    Mick
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