Ernesto Vassallo mandolin - Montevideo, Uruguay

[mrmando]

Interesting mando. Anyone ever heard of this luthier?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv...336491843.html

[Bruce Clausen]

Interesting. Large body, wide neck like a classical guitar. Looks like a stationary bridge that was intended to take ball-end strings (or tied gut?), with the tailpiece added later. Too bad the case is a poor fit. Wonder what it sounds like?

Mistake in ad: construido por = built by (not for).

Builder's surname is Benvenuto, no?

[DavidKOS]

Very interesting...one branch of my family on my grandfather's mother's side of our family is Vassallo - but they are from Altofonte, Palermo, Sicily.

The neck looks a bit warped.

It was on ebay for $499.99:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MANDOLIN-MAD...p2047675.l2557

[Bob A]

Interesting bridge design, with the metal bar to presumably increase string tension. It would be interesting to hear or have in hand; the $499 ebay price is very optimistic.

Uruguay has been a source for more than a few instruments made by Italian immigrants, if memory serves. Several years ago a few popped up in ebay; some interesting fluted-rib owlbacks.

[DavidKOS]

Interesting bridge design, with the metal bar to presumably increase string tension.

I think the metal part is just a reinforcement of the wood of the bridge.

I've seen many South American instruments with a similar use of metal strings, a tailpiece, and what is basically a classical guitar bridge.

[brunello97]

$250 dollars? Seems worth somebody taking a risk out that way. Looks to be in very playable condition. Nice rosewood back….

Mick

[mrmando]

Builder's surname is Benvenuto, no?

Perhaps so. I'm only familiar with it as a given name but there's no reason it couldn't be a surname. It means "welcome," so it probably isn't meant to precede "Construido por"; that wouldn't make sense.

[Bruce Clausen]

Well, I see this on Wikipedia: "Legally in Uruguay, the use is of two surnames: first the paternal surname, then the maternal surname." So it seems they're both family names. Like Reginald Smith Brindle (file under S).

[DavidKOS]

Looks to be in very playable condition. Nice rosewood back….

Mick

The sideways picture shows what appears to be high action - I'm not so sure how well it plays.

[brunello97]

The sideways picture shows what appears to be high action - I'm not so sure how well it plays.

Yeah, I guess I should retract the "very" in my post and replace it with "possibly". I'm kind of in another of a long series of seduced by rosewood phases.

If the bridge is indeed fixed it might make adjustments at that end a tad harder. FWIW I rotated the side photo in PS and pulled in a "guideline" to check the neck profile. Looks amendable, though, admittedly, un poco sketchioso method of testing. I certainly wouldn't recommend buying it sight or sound unseen.

Here's another couple photos just so it's in the record.

Mick

[Jacob]

The bridge and tailpiece construction is the same as found on bandurrias and lauds.

[DavidKOS]

I've seen many South American instruments with a similar use of metal strings, a tailpiece, and what is basically a classical guitar bridge.

The bridge and tailpiece construction is the same as found on bandurrias and lauds.

Exactly! Spanish design and also made in the Americas and even the Philippines.

[brunello97]

The old Vega labels included bandurrias as part of their offerings. Here is a thread which includes some photos of one.

Mick

[SGraham]

I'm going to try to go see this one later this week.