Somebody got a deal

[MikeEdgerton]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131706467340

[Timbofood]

Wasn't me!
Doesn't look bad, Interesting terminology, carbon fiber neck? Looks like maple to me. Hope whoever got it has fun with it!

[Tobin]

I think they meant it was a carbon fiber reinforced neck, not a carbon fiber neck?

[MikeEdgerton]

It was carbon fiber reinforced. No truss rod showing. Hand built F style with plenty of flame for less than $325.00. I was actually planning on bidding on it but I got busy at work. Shipping for me would have been $12.95. I hope somebody here got it.

[Zach Wilson]

I like the peg head inlay. Nice

[jim simpson]

I'm the guilty party! I'll report on it once I receive it.

[Charles E.]

Good for you Jim! That's the kind of MAS a person can afford.

[HonketyHank]

Jim, I was right behind you, 2nd highest bid, so I cost you a few extra bucks. Sorry. I hope it is as good as I think it is.

[darrylicshon]

Jim looks like a good deal, i almost bid also, but trying to control my MAS i just bought a 2 pointer and saveing for an octave i'm ordering. Please let us know how it plays and sounds Congratulations

[MikeEdgerton]

Both of you should be happy I didn't get the chance to bid.

Nice catch Jim.

[Don Grieser]

I think this builder has listed some mandos in the classifieds. Used to be in Albuquerque. I've never played one but this one looks good.

[Timbofood]

I certainly figured it was implied as being a fiber reinforced neck but, again, I get caught up in some grammatical concerns from time to time.
So glad someone knows about this builder, it looks like a nice piece of work and only wearing reasonable battle scars. Looking forward to a report!

[HonketyHank]

Carlos Catalfamo is the builder (and seller of this one). There are some old discussions about his builds here. He wrote me that arthritis forced him to quit. I think he also goes by David Catalfamo. He apparently has made some interesting hybrid mandolins - F body, Emberger-style peghead.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I recognized Carlos' name and remember seeing a few of his mandolins discussed or for sale on here. I knew he was further out west (even thought he was in CA) so I was surprised to see the mandolin was listed as from NY on eBay.

Looks like a beautiful mandolin and I'd say you done well Hank. Let us know what you think once you have it.

[MikeEdgerton]

Hank didn't win it. Jim Simpson won it.

[HonketyHank]

Yup. Came up short, thus narrowly avoiding the MAM syndrome (mandolin a month).

[jim simpson]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. Hank, nice to know I had some good competition. I really expected it to go beyond my limit. I guess I should be thankful that Mike got distracted, lol! I have a spare case waiting for it so I'm really curious to see how it sounds and plays. The honest wear doesn't concern me. Will keep everyone updated.

[ollaimh]

well report the sound. it certainly looks well made. at that price it seems a steal

[jim simpson]

I was a little surprised to see the package show up today with the Carlo Catalfamo mandolin in it. After getting it tuned up to pitch, I was pleased to hear how good this one sounds, good solid chop with clear notes up the neck. I am going to have to spend some time setting it up properly for the best playability. The action at the nut is quite high. The frets are good and not worn just sharp at the fret ends. A little fret end filing will take care of that. The back is beautiful. The finish looks better in the photos than it does in hand. I kind of like the fact that this one has a bit of a distressed look to it. The binding work could be more refined but the scroll seems well executed. The headstock binding and overlay stops short of the nut and has a piece of ebony placed in place. Not sure why or how this feature came about but it could be corrected by sanding it down a little and continuing the binding to the nut. The neck profile is rather round. Since the neck is "naked", I may do a little shaping to make it more to my liking. The sound quality gives me the incentive to make it more playable. It will be a nice player without much of an investment (other than my own cheap labor, lol!).
Included in the group of photos is a very small image of the luthier with some of his creations.

[MikeEdgerton]

Maybe he planned on having a zero fret.

[Timbofood]

Maybe his overlay stock was just too short.

[jim simpson]

This mandolin was signed by the builder, #23, date of 1/04/06. Mike and Timbo, I've wondered too about both possibilities, might remain a mystery.

[HonketyHank]

You can contact the seller, who I am pretty sure is Carlo himself. I bet he would be happy to discuss the design and construction details.

[Tobin]

That's an odd bulge in the neck shape, right at the nut. Your second photo showing the back of the neck illustrates it clearly. It looks like the nut width and neck width didn't agree with someone, so it was re-shaped to a slimmer neck without changing the nut width.

I wonder if that little ramp behind the nut was intended to hold a piece of felt to allow the strings to be dampened easily against a solid surface.

[DavidKOS]

Does it really have a 24 fret neck or are those last frets for looks only?

Nice looking mandolin there.