Flat, no hole, open back mandolin

[sbhikes]

They had a mandolin at a local store that had no hole, was flat, open back and perfectly round. I would ask them about it but I'm afraid if I go back I might buy it. It seemed to me to sound really great but I don't know if that's because the open back directs the sound to me. Do you know anyone who makes similar mandolins? I can't find anything via google. I would like to read some info about this kind of mandolin.

[Charles E.]

Sounds like a banjo mandolin. Go back and take some photos and post them here so we know what the heck you are talking about.

[TX2AK]

There’s another current thread with a banjo mandolin for reference. That is what it sounds like.

[sbhikes]

No it's not a banjo mandolin. It was all wood, perfectly round and flat, no hole with an open back. Some kind of specialty mandolin. Imagine a flatiron mandolin without a hole and no back.

[rcc56]

DeWick and Paramount both made some wood topped round-bodied mandolins in the early 20th century, but they had backs on them, sort of like a wood topped banjo-mandolin with a resonator. https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...resonator.html

Whatever you're looking at, I would hope that the rim is rather thick, or I would worry that it wouldn't hold its shape over a long period of time

[sbhikes]

Well, I guess I have to go back in there and look again. It's very similar to that without the back. But it looked new. I was amazed how good it sounded.

[Mark Gunter]

I remember a discussion here a few years ago about the need for soundholes and their true function; someone posted pictures of instruments with no soundholes - but they probably had backs.

If you go back to look (or even purchase), please take some photos and post them here. It would make your thread way more meaningful and somewhat timeless.

[DavidKOS]

I recall seeing a few instruments some years ago that had open-back round bodies with thin wood soundboards. Most were types of 5 string banjos, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone made or makes a mandolin version.