Beltone electric???

[mrmando]

Here's what appears to be one of those Beltone/BlueBird mandos converted to electric:

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/msg/4596927002.html

(I struggle with what to call these. In my experience, the tone ring and extra soundholes don't add much volume, if any. People call them "resonators" but they're not, and more cynical people call them "fake resonators" but they're not really that either ... the tone ring isn't fake, it just doesn't do anything. But I digress.)

What's odd is that this appears to be factory work. That's a very old blade pickup from around the same time this was built. If it were a conversion job you'd expect to see F-holes in the top, and there are none -- but there are screw holes from a now-departed pickguard of the same type an original Beltone would have. I suppose it's conceivable that someone retopped it as part of a conversion job, but if so, whoever it was did a fantastic job of matching the original finish. The painted stars around the ring are right where the extra soundholes would go, with their little screen covers, but one sees no evidence that holes were ever actually drilled in those locations.

The kidney bean tailpiece isn't to spec (most of these have cloud tailpieces), but that's all I can see that looks like it doesn't belong there.

Anyone ever seen something like this before?

[allenhopkins]

...Anyone ever seen something like this before?

Never, and I concur in your analysis; seems originally built as an electric. Mandolins of this design are often seen labeled "Blue Comet" as well as "Beltone." Often their construction is attributed to Regal, but I don't know on what authority. According to this website, Beltone mandolins were distributed by Perlberg & Hapin in NYCity, Blue Comets were sold through Montgomery Ward.

I've not found a Regal electric mandolin with a similar "blade" pickup, but who knows what "one-ofs" may have been created over the years?

So: ya gonna buy it?

[spufman]

Cool. There's an article about these in the current issue of Vintage Guitar, but no mention of an electric version.

[jaycat]

It would be nice if the tone and volume knobs were a little closer together. (I assume that's what those are).

[Jim Garber]

I have never seen a Blue Comet/Beltone/Medalist/Artistic, etc. resonator-like mando-thinger (the technical term) with that accessible back plate (see last photo) or with binding around the inner body top or the fretboard. Here's some pics before the thing disappears. Also, I believe that the std acoustic version has smaller and a greater number of those little grommet holes. Anyway, this makes me lean more to an all-original electric version vs. a conversion.

[mrmando]

Well, maybe I'll go for it after all.

You are correct, the acoustic version of this has 18 soundholes around the perimeter, whereas this has only 12 of the stars. The perimeter on this was never perforated. The top binding does seem to be fairly standard, though, judging from photo evidence:
https://www.google.com/search?q=belt...ih=714&dpr=0.9

[Jim Garber]

I know it is hard to tell from the small photos on the CL site, but the "binding" on most of these I believe is painted on. I sold my acoustic one years ago so don't have an actual example to look at.

[mrmando]

Body binding on the CL one appears to be painted as well, but the bound fretboard is indeed unusual.

[mrmando]

Looks like it might go to a local buyer ... Eddie?

[Eddie Sheehy]

I'll have a look...

[Eddie Sheehy]

The case is one of those cardboard ones, and it's falling apart (I was hoping it was a teens Gibson A case). Definitely an electric only model, it has almost no volume unplugged. The binding on the neck i well done. Frets are worn. No cracks, splits or issues. Slight bow in neck but it's very playable. The P/U cover is missing and you can hear something moving around inside - probably a screw off the P/U cover. I didn't plug it in, but the seller says it works great - if I was going back I'd bring my Roland Cube. He is firm at $200. I have no interest in it.

[mrmando]

Ah, well, he said he wanted to sell to someone local, but maybe he'll call me back if everyone in California passes on it. Given the removable back, one ought to be able to find out what's rattling inside of it.

[Eddie Sheehy]

If you want, Martin, I can get it for you and maybe Bruce could bring it back to Washington next time he's down?

[Eddie Sheehy]

I should have mentioned that the saddle may be reversed because the E strings are deep in big grooves and have a Sitar sound...