Need help identifying mandolin

[samdaman]

Hello all!! This is my first time on Mandolin Cafe. #I'm posting because I need some help. #I am involved in a production of the Musical Once Upon a Matress. #I've been cast as the Minstrel that narrates the story as the musical progresses. #As part of the role, the script calls for a lute. #Well, being the adventurous type I am went on a Lute hunt. #I was looking for a reasonably priced Lute (under a $100 or so... nothing too expensive). #HHAHAHAHA... That was the biggest error of my life. #Lutes are really cool instruments and sound wonderful, but they are not inexpensive. #So before I moved on to plan B I resorted to my last option... Ebay. #Well lo and behold there was a "lute" on Ebay for a very reasonable price (So reasonable, I couldn't loose, It was less then twenty five bucks after everything was said and done). #After close inspection (I'm not a string player... I'm a trumpet player, therefore I can't identify things with strings very well) I come to the conclusion that it is not a lute but more then likely a mandolin. #I've had some help in fixing it up. #After some cleaning and some time in the wood shop with a repairman, it looks like a beaut. #Now the question still is... What is it? #I'm pretty sure it's a mandolin but I'm not sure. #So here you go sports fans, NAME THAT INSTRUMENT! #Any info about this instrument would be greatly greatly appreciated. #I would like to learn how to play it but I'm not sure what type of strings I should get (Right now it has standard mandolin strings from the local guitar store) or what tuning it should be. #Thank you so much for all your help!!! God Bless.

-Sam Tate

And now... the pictures
GOTO=> http://community.webshots.com/album/558257097rwYGcT?start=0

Those are all the pictures I have as of now, but if you would like anymore just let me know. #Thanks again so much!!!!!!

[F5G WIZ]

Welcome to the Mandolin Cafe! Well I can get you started. What you have there is indeed a mandolin commonly refered to as a "Tater Bug" Or "Bowl Back" Mandolin. Probably pretty old, possibly home built, most likely as we like to call a "wall hanger" meaning it is pretty much just for lookin at. Not to say it can't be played if properly repaired. Tuning is GDAE, strings are paired. I would go with the lightest gauge mandolin strings you can find. Beware! Mandolins are an addiction and you may become afflicted with what is commonly known as M.A.S. (Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome). Have fun and good luck. You came to the right place and there may be others who have some more info on your new Mandolin.

[allenhopkins]

Definitely a member of the mandolin family. How big is it? If it's larger than, say, 24 inches long, it could be a mandola, the next larger size (tuned like a viola, CGDA, as the mandolin's tuned like the violin, GDAE). Since there are probably a hundred mandolins for every mandola, chances are it's a mandolin.

By the way, if you ever find yourself in need of a "lute" appearing instrument, and you can play guitar, and you don't have the $$$ to acquire a lute, search for "lute guitar" on eBay. You'll usually find some lute-bodied guitars, fingered like a guitar but with the characteristic "bowl-back" bodies. Mostly these are for sale from Germany, which means a bit of expense and hassle shipping them to the US, but there are almost always some available. I was tempted to get a cheapo and use it to get gigs at Renasissance Faires, but haven't done it as yet.

[JeffD]

Ditto the light strings. Ultra light strings made for the bowl back.

[Jim Garber]

Echo from other comments, re strings: GHS A240 strings from juststrings.com

Fix that back crack tho, before tuning to pitch. Also, it is possible that the bridge is in the incorrect place. With the exception of Vegas, most bowlbacks have the bridge positioned to play in tune on the soundhole side of the cant (the sharp bend in the top.)/

As far as ID: initially I thought that the tailpiece was a Washburn type but it looks to be a copy of just the shape. The pickguard shape does not look like anything I have seen either nor does the headstock shape tho that could have been reshaped mnay years ago. Big puzzle.

Jim

[MandoSquirrel]

Definitely a member of the mandolin family. How big is it? If it's larger than, say, 24 inches long, it could be a mandola, the next larger size (tuned like a viola, CGDA, as the mandolin's tuned like the violin, GDAE). Since there are probably a hundred mandolins for every mandola, chances are it's a mandolin.

B
If you keep looking, there are pics with a hand & a foot, to me they size it as mandolin.

[Martin Jonas]

By the way, if you ever find yourself in need of a "lute" appearing instrument, and you can play guitar, and you don't have the $$$ to acquire a lute, search for "lute guitar" on eBay. You'll usually find some lute-bodied guitars, fingered like a guitar but with the characteristic "bowl-back" bodies.
Indeed, although as they are almost invariably German, searching for "Laute" on Ebay Germany is the more promising route. There are always several at any one time.

Here are a few currently on offer:

No. 1 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250097280493)
No. 2 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170094203982)
No. 3 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230108255629)
No. 4 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250097070258)
No. 5 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180099745953)
No. 6 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150104219208)
No. 7 (http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120101046970)

All of these are dirt-cheap and all are advertised as lutes ("Laute") when in fact they are lute-shaped guitars. There was a big fashion for these around 1900, when medievalism was all the rage in Germany, but nobody could be bothered to learn how to play an actual lute. No idea about their musical merits, but I don't think they were intended as serious instruments (although some are rather neatly made). At the same time, and for the same reasons, the German waldzither also enjoyed a big revival, but in contrast to the lute-guitar, the waldzither was actually derived from a proper historical renaissance instrument, the cittern, and thus very much more creditable. Both lute-guitars and waldzithers often came with a carved head of Martin Luther at the headstock, because of a very silly legend that credited Luther with inventing both these instruments.

Martin

[Paul Hostetter]

Elderly has a lute guitar for sale right now. Looks like a lute, plays like a guitar. Great stage prop!

http://elderly.com/images/vintage/200U/200U-1068_front.jpg

Cheaper than the shipping from Germany.