Can you help ID this or tell me where to look?
I know not a banjo I just don’t know where to ask.
Asking for a friend
try the mandolin hangout or mandolincafe
My grandpa used to call those "tater bugs" because of the bowl back shape. He had one which came from somewhere in Europe, where I understand they were often cheaply made more as tourist trinkets than serious instruments.
I'm not saying that's what you have, I just know there are a lot of them out there.
But the mandolin cafe probably has entire threads devoted to the topic. I'm sure they'd be more helpful.
Bowl back, round back, neopolitan are three neutral names for these mandolins. Orville Gibson called them tater bug mandolins in a derogatory manner. They are used primarily for classical music. Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto . Like all types of instruments, there were horribly cheap instruments and very fine instruments. The most prized neopolitan mandolins are/were made in Italy. Many USA makers made them before the flatback and archtop mandolins took over in popularity circa 1910. At one time I had a sizable collection of them, bought cheaply because of the contempt expressed by folk/bluegrass mandolinists for this design. 19 out of 20 of them had neck angle problems due to age and people putting metal strings on them. Nice decorations for the music room! They are lightly built and require silk and steel strings or gut strings.
Yours looks like a nicer Lyon and Healy mandolin (I'm guessing). If the neck angle is okay and no loose braces (check brace under bridge based on photo), string it with correct strings and learn some Vivaldi.
I met David Grisman while playing the Beethoven Mandolin pieces in the Cow Palace exhibit hall while trying out a few mandolins. This is the recording I learned from after finding the sheet music in Beethoven's Complete Works at the San Jose State College Library.
Beethoven Mandolin Sonatina in C
I have a nice Lyon & Healey Washburn that could use some fret work but otherwise plays well. Classical mandolin strings are generally light gauge with flatwound D and G strings.
I also met Greg Rich that day for the first time. Same place—but that is a different story.
Edited by - mikehalloran on 12/02/2024 18:01:51
I acquired a modest bowl back mandolin, "The Vernon", distributed by Bruno & Sons quite some years ago, & in researching bowl backs encountered the idea that there was somewhat of a relationship between quality & the number of staves comprising the body.
My budget Vernon has 11 staves, & the OP's instrument seems to have approximately 22+ ?
Edited by - tdennis on 12/02/2024 19:34:39
I also have a "The Vernon".
youtube.com/watch?v=gqQ0kf6vIp0
Someone had rescued the rib molds and jigs from the C. F. Martin dumpster 25 or so years ago. Rick Turner and I saw the listing on eBay, looked at each other and, after a long pause, "Nah..."
Probably Washburn ( Lyon & Healy ) based on the inlays.
