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Thread: Flatbacks of note

  1. #76

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    these appear from time to time and i think they're definitely noteworthy. this is a "capri 52" model mandolin from the levin company in sweden. taken off german ebay, details says it was made in 1951 - in beautiful nick. i put a bid in for it but i suspect it will go for a lot more than i'll be willing to spend:
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  2. #77

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    ... and the back:
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  3. #78
    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Bill,

    Thanks for the compliment. Here is my thread from the post a pic section on my Spira. The soundhole rosette is supposed to look like a cat's eye. I had an old clip art bit with the tail modified of a cat inlaid at fret 10 instead of 12 (so it could be bigger).

    When Jack sent me wood samples to consider for the back the Sheoak with it's crazy figure won in an instant, plus I have two orange tabby cats. This mando, to over-extend a bad methaphor, is the cat's pajamas to me.

    Jamie
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  4. #79
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Here is a Galiano labeled flatback that for me further confuses the EastCoastRim menagerie of makers.

    <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Galiano-antique-Mandolin-Vintage-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ260198597034QQihZ016QQcategoryZ1 0179Q
    QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQc mdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Galia....iewItem</a>

    The form is somewhat reminiscent of Weymann mandolutes and the label is quite different from the more frequently seen Galiano labels featuring either Rafael Ciani's name or RC initials.

    Now that Hubert's new book on Washburn instruments is helping me make some sense of the various GreatLakesRim builders, I'm hoping for some of the same viz la nostra costa di levante.

    Mick
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  5. #80
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Here is a another, similar 1949 Levin mandolin on eBay in Denmark. This one has a Buy It Now price.
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  6. #81

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    Quote Originally Posted by (brunello97 @ Feb. 01 2008, 22:00)
    Here is a Galiano labeled flatback that for me further confuses the EastCoastRim menagerie of makers.

    <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Galiano-antique-Mandolin-Vintage-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ260198597034QQihZ016QQcategoryZ1 0179Q

    QrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQc mdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Galia....iewItem</a>

    The form is somewhat reminiscent of Weymann mandolutes and the label is quite different from the more frequently seen Galiano labels featuring either Rafael Ciani's name or RC initials.

    Now that Hubert's new book on Washburn instruments is helping me make some sense of the various GreatLakesRim builders, I'm hoping for some of the same viz la nostra costa di levante.

    Mick
    my bowlback was made by the same ... well, the sticker in it is identical to the one pictured above. if i remember correctly, these instruments were made in the united states under the auspices of the washburn company. don't know why but new jersey comes to mind.

    i've heard of "pac-rim" but this is first i've heard of "eastcoast-rim" - "great lakes-rim" is cool, too.

    howz'about "mare nost-rim?"

  7. #82
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Would that be the case, Bill, I would be very happy. Maybe the Danish-Levin instruments can prompt a tasty 'matjes and mandolins' diversion. I'm going to head up to my fishmonger this morning.

    The Levins have what appears to be exquisite wood tops-and the back on the ebay.dane site is muy rico. I guess you could count on the availability of fine lumber up there. Bill are you considering acquiring one of these?

    Mick
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  8. #83

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    i floundered a bit on your fishmonger reference, i'm afraid ...

    i've got a bid in on a levin that's up for auction on german ebay. if the bidding goes any where near the $800.00 asking price for the one jim posted, i'll be out of the running.

    somewhere in the "bowlbacks of note" thread there are photos of my "a.galiani."

    i wonder if our host will one day say "no more photos! - we've run out of room?"

  9. #84
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (billkilpatrick @ Feb. 02 2008, 04:20)
    my bowlback was made by the same ... well, the sticker in it is identical to the one pictured above. if i remember correctly, these instruments were made in the united states under the auspices of the washburn company. don't know why but new jersey comes to mind.
    New Jersey, maybe. Washburn? Well, aside from the fact there there wasn't a Washburn Co -- it was an Lyon & Healy Brand -- I never heard fo that connection. There were plenty of New York makers like Ricca who copuld have had something to do with it. More likely, I think Galiano was a fairly large concern and made mandolins for others and may very well be associated with Oscar Schmidt of NJ.
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  10. #85

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    i stand corrected. an "a. galiano" search produced mention of luthiers cerrito, ciani, grauso and nettuno, all of whom worked in new york city using the "a. galiano" brand name for their instruments.

    now that i know that ... i'd like to know which of these 4 gentleman made my mandolin?

  11. #86

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    incidentally, my meagre, hoping-for-a-bargain offer for the levin flatback has been superseded and i won't be making a further bid - if anyone else is interested.

  12. #87

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    having never seen a mandolin or any other instrument with a horizontal grain on the sound board, this could be of note for an entirely different reason (taken off ebay france

    ... later - actually, it looks as if the grain is superficial, painted on. but the question is, would horizontal grain impede the sound board?



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  13. #88
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    Bill you are right that is faux graining and it is supposed to look like flamed maple. The flame on real maple runs that way on instruments, but the flame runs perpendicualr to the grain. I suspect that the grain running from neck block to heal is more a structural consideration than tonal, but I could be mistaken.
    Bill Snyder

  14. #89

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    here's a distinctive, curious looking mandolin played by jacob reuven:

    http://www.mandolinmusic.co.il/
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  15. #90
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    With Hubert's Washburn tome at my fingertips, I'm able to make a stab at identifying this Style G -(possibly '23(?) due to black binding, etc.)

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....&ih=015

    This just went for $232 on the ebay. #It looks like a pretty cleanly designed example here and #perhaps maybe the competition for Martin's A models of the time. # The Washburn ad Hubert published has them going for $20 at the time. ($245 in today's money-so it held its value well.) #Any idea what Martin As were selling for in the '20s?

    While rising somewhat in price, at this kind of money though, they remain an uncanny value. #

    Mick



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  16. #91

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    would these have had truss support in the neck - adjustable or not?

    martin prices seem to have gone through the roof.

  17. #92
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Bill, as far as I know none of these flatback Washburns featured adjustable truss rods. #You've probably read some of the discussions of the 'black fibre' reinforcing in the necks of the higher end archtop models. # #That said, I have not seen much in the way of neck problems in these Chicago flatbacks-not that I've seen all so many-but they seem to have good wood, geometry and construction going for them. #I've seen more problems with top distortion around the soundhole than anything else. #The rosewood back Regal I have has bit of top wave but it is minor. #And a minor annoyance on a $125 mandolin which sounds this great. #(Remember, we are trying to keep these a secret.) # My Martin A has a small piece of wood added to strengthen the top to the neck side of the top brace which I imagine helps stiffen this whole area against rotational forces from the string tension. # #Or at least that is what it feels like when I stick my finger up in there.

    Martin prices have appeared to go up of late. #I was fortunate to get an A recently at a very reasonable price from a fellow here at the MC and I am thrilled with it. # I think it plays and sounds distinctly better than the same caliber L+H mandolins I've played, but that should not be seen as an inherent knock on them. #For 1/2 or 1/3 the price of a Martin A you can get a lot of Chicago mandolin. #This last Washburn G looked very clean. #Even though I hardly needed it, I'm kicking myself for not bidding. #Prices for those are only going to go up. # #I like the way they look as well.

    You seem to be in the market for a flatback?

    Mick
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  18. #93

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    no-no ... well, yes - but my heart belongs to mike. i ordered a mandola from mike dulac and changed my mind soon after. i thought i might have preferred the lower register but decided against it. having already sent half the money as down-payment, i thought "what the hell ..." and opted for a new, supremely simple, elegantissimo M-1 model.

    other than open my eyes to the wonders of the flat-back, this thread has also made me appreciate my existing M-4 much more. i've seen similar, almond-shaped mandolins up for offer on ebay france and germany but they only cause me to see a-new what i've already got.

    ... always on the look-out for a bargain, however.

    - bill

    ps - my copy of "the complete mandolinist" arrived yesterday. i feel smarter just looking at it.

  19. #94
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Four pages and not one Flatiron? Somewhere around here there's 32 pages or so on these. Come on. . . . . there's the modern flatback benchmark

    Flatiron mandolin.
    The modern flatback benchmark.
    Please make them again!

    Oops, wrong thread.

    f-d
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  20. #95
    Registered User Bill Snyder's Avatar
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    Fatt-dad take a look at the mandolins being made by Dave Newton. They are similar.
    Bill Snyder

  21. #96

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    i wish someone would delve into the history of the flatiron or the army navy mandolin - search results were hefty. i've never played one or even looked for sound samples. off hand, i would have thought their design would be more ancient than modern.

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    Perhaps not particularly a flatback of note.... but I'd note that <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IL-GLOBO-VINTAGE-ITALIAN-FLAT-BACKED-MANDOLIN-VGC-N-R_W0QQitemZ320215895910QQihZ011QQcateg
    oryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this</a>is the first flat back that I've seen by Il Globo who are better known for their fairly plain bowlbacks. I wonder if there are any flatback De meglio's out there in the big mandolin world?

  23. #98
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    I haven't seen any actual de Meglio flatbacks, but I've seen ones with the typical de Meglio scratchplate and side holes.

    Most startling flatback I've seen was a Calace, dated 1944, on Ebay about three or four years ago. Clearly, a wartime austerity product, which combined a typical Calace soundboard with a simple flatback. I bid on it, too, but didn't get it.

    Martin

  24. #99
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Ever wondered what the intermediate stages in the evolution of the Brazilian bandolim were? Here is an old Giannini -- the seller says it's Italian, but it's clearly not. Looks not unlike an old Martin: canted top and flat back. I'd say the 1922 is not the date of manufacture, but either the date of an exhibition prize or the start of the company. Still, 1920s or 1930s sounds about right.

    Martin
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  25. #100
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (martinjonas @ Feb. 07 2008, 12:49)
    Most startling flatback I've seen was a Calace, dated 1944, on Ebay about three or four years ago. Clearly, a wartime austerity product, which combined a typical Calace soundboard with a simple flatback. I bid on it, too, but didn't get it.
    Here is a picture of that Calace.
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