New owner of a bowlback mandolin

[Jive Shive]

I recently wound up with a broken down bowlback Cremona mandolin from Czechoslovakia. The strings were tight and had pulled the neck away from the body right at 1/2"! I was afraid to even touch it! I truely was but I liked it for some reason. We bartered on some other items and this was thrown in on the deal! I loosened the strings and luckily didn't snap the neck completely off. I got the neck glued back together with the body but it still had a long way to go to play! I have never dropped a guitar but somehow I dropped this mandolin and it banged off the floor and I almost died! I had a local luthier work some on her and I absolutely love the results. That is what brings me here!

[Jive Shive]

[Jive Shive]

[DavidKOS]

When I worked at a music wholesaler/dealer we used to sell those particular mandolins. They were budget bowlbacks, but they were pretty decent when set up properly.

Make sure you use the lightest gauge strings, ones with .009 E's.

Is it marked "Strunal"?

Some were.

Check this thread, too, please.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...nd-information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strunal_CZ,_a.s.

[Jive Shive]

Thanks David. Yeah she ain't worth much but I believe she has a great sound to her! I tried a little " Copperhead Road" and probably has too steep a hill to climb but I am only a beginner at mandolins starting with this one,, I somehow fell into some little tune of my own that I think sounds old time for sure.. kinda of like Hillbilly Bluegrass seems to weep from it... I know... I can get out there... but.... I believe I have a little gem here as... I couldn't afford a real nice one.

[DavidKOS]

Thanks David. Yeah she ain't worth much but I believe she has a great sound to her! I tried a little " Copperhead Road" and probably has too steep a hill to climb but I am only a beginner at mandolins starting with this one,, I somehow fell into some little tune of my own that I think sounds old time for sure.. kinda of like Hillbilly Bluegrass seems to weep from it... I know... I can get out there... but.... I believe I have a little gem here as... I couldn't afford a real nice one.

Well, if you are planning on playing tunes like " Copperhead Road" and styles like "Hillbilly Bluegrass", in the long run you might want to consider getting a mandolin that's more typical of the genre. Like the F style in the video for that song.

As much as I love bowl backs, most folks playing the types of music you seem to like don't use "tater bugs", as they used to call these older mandolin designs.

For those of use that play Italian music, classical, and other styles, they are ideal mandolins, even a well-set up budget instrument...but you won't see many of these at a Bluegrass session! You might see a few every now and then in old-time music.

Kenny Hall was one of the few players that often had a bowl back, but he was unique, and played a wide variety of songs in his own folk style.

It's great that you love the sound of your mandolin, that will keep you practicing and happy while learning. Enjoy your instrument!

[Jive Shive]

Thanks again for your interest in my new world!! I am just a beginner and a hobbyist at best but have a love for most music. I am going to try and put a video here that I came up with as the first song I have come up with on my mandolin!

[brunello97]

Well, if you are planning on playing tunes like " Copperhead Road" and styles like "Hillbilly Bluegrass", in the long run you might want to consider getting a mandolin that's more typical of the genre. Like the F style in the video for that song.

As much as I love bowl backs, most folks playing the types of music you seem to like don't use "tater bugs", as they used to call these older mandolin designs.

For those of use that play Italian music, classical, and other styles, they are ideal mandolins, even a well-set up budget instrument...but you won't see many of these at a Bluegrass session! You might see a few every now and then in old-time music.

Kenny Hall was one of the few players that often had a bowl back, but he was unique, and played a wide variety of songs in his own folk style.

It's great that you love the sound of your mandolin, that will keep you practicing and happy while learning. Enjoy your instrument!

You know I’m not much of a BGer, David, but I love playing Jerusalem Ridge and enjoy ripping those low end runs on a bowlback.

I think Copperhead Road would sound good on a bowl w a zero fret playing open strings.

Thanks for the tip, Jive Shive.

Play whatever you like on that bowl.

When the time comes to conform to the mandolin police you’ll know what’s right for you.

Mick

[DavidKOS]

You know I’m not much of a BGer, David, but I love playing Jerusalem Ridge and enjoy ripping those low end runs on a bowlback.

I think Copperhead Road would sound good on a bowl w a zero fret playing open strings.

Thanks for the tip, Jive Shive.

Play whatever you like on that bowl.

When the time comes to conform to the mandolin police you’ll know what’s right for you.

Mick

As you know, I'm with you!

I just was giving the OP a fair warning.