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Thread: bowlbacks

  1. #1
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    i was surfing looking for luthiers of this instrument, and have not been a=ble to find one single builder of bowlback mandolins

  2. #2
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    I think Suzuki makes them? Other than that, you'll have to look for European makers (or buy and restore an antique). I think there are some advertised in the Classifieds.
    Mandolins:
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    Ovation MM68 (#490231)
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  3. #3
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
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    Check out http://www.bfolk.com . I think Brian Dean makes/has made bowlbacks.
    Ah! must --
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  4. #4
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    Lark in the Morning has 58 "pages" of mandolins a number of which are bowlbacks.

    http://larkinthemorning.com/categor....dolins=

  5. #5
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    From what i've heard, though, you should be careful with Shark in the Morning. If you're looking for a bowlback, i'm sure if you ask in the Classical board you'll get a lot of suggestions. And as i said, check the classifieds. It's not always clear from the description that it's a bolwback. Hint: search for the word "ribs".

    Check also the bowlbacks in the "Eye Candy" page here. Some of them have links to the maker's Web page (hover your mouse over the pictures, and see where the icon changes to a hand).



    Mandolins:
    Mid-mo M11 (#1855)
    Ovation MM68 (#490231)
    New flute CD:
    Wellsprings 2: Joyful!

  6. #6
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    If you hang in the classical section here you will find very few of us playing F5s and quite a few bowlback players. Many are vintage ones primarily Italian and American with a few German ones. I play primarily a contemporary bowlback built by Gabriele Pandini of Ferrara, Italy. Carlo Aonzo broguht it over for me last year.

    Brian Dean has built one bowlback and will likely build more when he gets the urge. The only other active bowlbacvk maker in North America is Dan Larson.

    Many of the Lark in the Morning bowlbacks are made by Musikalia in Sicily. I only played a flatback OM sometime ago and was not all that impressed with it esp at the price they were asking.

    Jim
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  7. #7
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    Hi, I might be in Europe, sorry...... but I buy bowlbacks on ebay and restore them. So I have a few, or can offer some advice if you fancy your own restoration. Lots of Italian and German bowls. Eventually I hope to able to make some myself, but in the meantime, I recently found this link to a maker in Italy.... depends what you are looking for. http://www.oldmandolin.com/ Sorry I'm not sure how to get the hyperlink do-hickeys to appear. Dave
    No such thing as a dead mandolin!

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  8. #8
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Carlo Mazzacarra is a very active restorer and maker. I know he goes after the high end Italian bowlbacks and sells them at high prices. He also makes them and from the pics they looks nice but I have never seen or played one in person. I hope to do so if I ever get to Italy.

    Jim
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    Playing lately:
    1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1

  9. #9

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    Nowadays? How about (some already mentioned) Larson, Gabrielli, Calace, Pandini, Mazzacarra, Ochiai, Woll, Knorr, Dietrich, Albert & Mueller, Strunal (not my cup o' tea), Musikalia (ditto...as sold by Lark in AM), and a fair number in Greece with whom I am not familiar enough. Anybody else?

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