Mandolin Oddities

**Jim Garber** · Jun-02-2013, 8:09pm

A lovely f-style on eBay.

**MikeEdgerton** · Jun-02-2013, 8:18pm

That is lovely. Just lovely.

**jim simpson** · Jun-02-2013, 9:27pm

I shouldn't have looked at this so close to bedtime. I know I'm going to have nightmares.

**Charles E.** · Jun-04-2013, 6:22am

Huh, four bids, went for $71.00. Jim, I hope you did not get this.......whatever it is.

**Jim Garber** · Jun-04-2013, 7:15am

No way, Charley! I know it appears that I have bottom-of-the-barrel taste...

**Charles E.** · Jun-08-2013, 12:02pm

Gotta love the headstock on this one.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-MAND...f#ht_837wt_917

**Bertram Henze** · Jun-08-2013, 11:58pm

Originally Posted by Charles E.

Gotta love the headstock

It was made to be a wallhanger.

**Jim Garber** · Jun-10-2013, 8:59am

Originally Posted by Charles E.

Gotta love the headstock on this one.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-MAND...f#ht_837wt_917

I was following that one but final bid was too much for my blood. I like the general 2 point style and the headstock is certainly silly but the soundhole looks way too large.

**oldwave maker** · Jun-13-2013, 11:35pm

Always thought the melondolin was 'normal', at least at Farmers Markets, and the F5 a true oddity!

**Jake Wildwood** · Jun-13-2013, 11:50pm

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

I was following that one but final bid was too much for my blood. I like the general 2 point style and the headstock is certainly silly but the soundhole looks way too large.

I loved the look of that in general but didn't like all the separations I was seeing... and was curious about the big soundhole and neck stability if the neck block wasn't big enough to do the job (like on those funky 2-point lyre-shaped Harmony 20s mandos that ALWAYS die).

**Marty Jacobson** · Jun-29-2013, 5:33pm

This just cropped up in this thread, and is for sale here. NFI

I think it's awesome.. look at that pickguard.. Jim, are you going to buy it? :-)

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**Marty Jacobson** · Jun-29-2013, 5:34pm

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**Tavy** · Jun-30-2013, 11:25am

Marty: those are the standard mandolinettos that show up in the UK quite often with various makers names - usually the "Neapolitan school of music" or something similar - all completely fictitious of course!

I had a more conventionally mandolinetto shaped one of these a while back and it actually sounded quite nice, I dare say this one would as well.

**brunello97** · Jun-30-2013, 1:47pm

I love the shape of these....

Mick

**Graham McDonald** · Jun-30-2013, 5:18pm

I would very much doubt if these oddly shaped mandolins are British made. German I would suspect, especially with that scratchplate (and the German tuners).

The mandolin with strange head that Jim has posted the pics in Post #433 of could quite possibly be a New York made instrument from the 30. If you go to this site there are several pictures of a mandolin built in the shop of Guiseppe Nettuno, a guitar and mandolin maker in New York in the 20s and 30s, probably one of the people who made the A. Galiano labeled instruments for Oscar Schmidt.

cheers

**Bertram Henze** · Jul-01-2013, 1:18am

Not all ugly things are German

This instrument might look much better if the neck had been attached to the other end. As it is, it looks like a viola da gamba met with an accident.

**Jim Garber** · Jul-03-2013, 7:21am

Originally Posted by Graham McDonald

I
The mandolin with strange head that Jim has posted the pics in Post #433 of could quite possibly be a New York made instrument from the 30. If you go to this site there are several pictures of a mandolin built in the shop of Guiseppe Nettuno, a guitar and mandolin maker in New York in the 20s and 30s, probably one of the people who made the A. Galiano labeled instruments for Oscar Schmidt.

Thanks, Graham, for pointing out the similarities with the Nettuno/Faruolo mandolin. it is quite possible that this was an earlier version of the one pictured in the link above.

**Jim Garber** · Mar-20-2017, 11:27am

Wow! Four years since the last posting on one of my favorite threads. Time to bring it back especially for this beauty for sale on eBay.

I would love to go back in whatever time and speak directly to the maker to see what he/she was thinking. 3/5 tuner arrangement, asymmetrical headstock, fanned-out tailpiece, strange carved-out(?) back with smooth neck joint, ultra-funky workmanship, etc. Enjoy!

**Norbert Feinendegen** · Jun-18-2017, 4:53am

Thanks, Jim, for reviving this wonderful thread!

Here's another mandolin oddity built by the German waldzither producer C. H. Boehm: the so-called "walddoline"!

It's actually a flat-back mandolin with Boehm's usual glass bridge and Preston style tuning mechanism.
The walddoline was introduced in 1904 and built until 1941, when the Boehm factory was sold to the GEWA Company.

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For more about these fancy instruments see here: http://boehm-waldzither-page.webnode.com/walddoline/
In my opinion, they even sound quite good, especially the rare Nr. 2 model with rosewood back and sides.

Norbert

**Joey Anchors** · Jun-18-2017, 9:00pm

Here is something odd I'm having build.

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**Jim Garber** · Jun-18-2017, 10:29pm

Originally Posted by Joey Anchors

Here is something odd I'm having build.

Single course, five-string acoustic flattop/pancake mandolin? Not so odd really. Kind of cool, in my estimation.

**Norbert Feinendegen** · Jun-19-2017, 2:48am

Ah I forgot, Dave Hynds has one to sell (if anyone should be interested):

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http://www.mandolinluthier.com/mando...or_sale_04.htm
I'm sure he is open to offers with regard to the price ...

**Nigel Gatherer** · Jun-19-2017, 3:44am

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A Milanese mandolin with a woman's head.

**Nigel Gatherer** · Jun-19-2017, 3:49am

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From a museum in Milan. When you break a string, just move on to the next neck.

**Jim Garber** · Feb-01-2019, 6:03pm

It is way time to wake, mandolin-oddball fans. 1-1/2 years! We must have missed some good ones.

Here is a finely-crafted mandolin, alas unfinished. It is neck, headstock, sides, top, and bracing all carved out (more or less) from one chunk of wood. All you need is to add a back and you'll have yourself a dandy planter... er... mandolin—I think. Here it is on eBay.

And some pics: