Flatbacks of note

**Jim MacDaniel** · Mar-06-2008, 10:49am

...and I love the patterned binding's contrast against the top and cocobolo sides.

**Bill Snyder** · Mar-07-2008, 7:21am

That is certainly noteworthy Jim. A beautiful instrument.

**brunello97** · Mar-07-2008, 9:42am

Jake, the Gindlesperger mandolin looks very nice. It appears to still be in excellent condition. There is an example of a Gindlesperger harp-guitar on this site which perhaps you have found:

http://www.harpguitars.net/history/makers.htm

and he is also listed on the Mugwumps site, active into the '20s. I'd enjoy learning more about his work.

Mick

**billkilpatrick** · Mar-08-2008, 3:06am

here's a flatback beastie on german ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.de/einziga....9835277

**billkilpatrick** · Mar-08-2008, 3:15am

Originally Posted by (jimmacd @ Mar. 06 2008, 11:43)

It isn't German, but I don't think Chris Baird built a large number of them, and my Arches flat-top has a flat-back as well so I think it adds value to this thread.

This is by far my favorite mandolin I have ever owned to date. It is a wonderful player, has great tone, is exceptionally well made, and is beautiful to look at as well IMHO...

beautiful looking instrument - fine detail on the binding as well.

without looking through e-v-e-r-y photograph, i thought flatbacks normally have non-adjustable bridges.

**Fliss** · Mar-08-2008, 3:32am

Like the Arches, Jim

If we're including new flatbacks, here is my flat top built by luthier Phil Davidson. From this view you can see the unusual angle of the neck - Phil's rationale, stated on his website, is that this puts more energy in, and therefore more energy out. It certainly is a fantastically responsive mandolin.

Fliss

**Fliss** · Mar-08-2008, 3:34am

... one of the other noteworthy features of my Davidson mando is the lengthwise oval soundhole.

Fliss

**trebleclef528** · Mar-08-2008, 5:46am

Originally Posted by (billkilpatrick @ Mar. 06 2008, 10:27)

the flatback below is made by ozark in romania (i think) and is sometimes called a "portugese" mandolin. #they're usually made from solid wood; very well priced and pop up often enough on european ebay sites.

why is it such a turkey?

ozark make other models as well and i'm sure for what they are, they're all very good instruments ... but this model, for me, has all the allure of a soviet-style tenement in cold-war, east berlin.

Your quite right Bill it is made by Ozark and is the newer version of the one that you can see <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mandolin_W0QQitemZ170198655628QQihZ007QQcategoryZ1 0179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewIte

m" target="_blank">here</a> on ebay. #The new version is a matt finish as opposed to the previous which had a fairly heavy varnish.

These are not flat backs but "semi roundback" mandolins, "offically" referred to as Portugese Style. Our association (the #LGMA)
have 85 of these. For a solid wood instrument they are superb value for money. We use them for our beginners classes, mainly as we don't want parents going out and buying an expensive mandolin, (or indeed a peice of rubbish) until they know their child is going to continue with lessons. Similarly having a stock of mandolins for adults who don't have their own is also a good idea.

Of course or hope is, and it tends to happen, that as new players progress they will start to upgrade to good flats backs and bowlbacks.

I did a wee (wee - Scottish word for small /little tee hee) write up about these mandolins in our November 2006 newsletter which you can view or download as a pdf here... in fact you can view or download all our newsletters form our newsletter page .

**Eugene** · Mar-08-2008, 7:52am

Originally Posted by (jimmacd @ Mar. 06 2008, 11:49)

...and I love the patterned binding's contrast against the top and cocobolo sides.

Very attractive, Jim. Is the radical shim under the fingerboard solely to accommodate the adjustable, Gibson-style bridge? How does that blend into the neck?

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-08-2008, 10:12am

Originally Posted by (trebleclef528 @ Mar. 08 2008, 06:46)

Originally Posted by (billkilpatrick @ Mar. 06 2008, 10:27)

the flatback below is made by ozark in romania (i think) and is sometimes called a "portugese" mandolin. they're usually made from solid wood; very well priced and pop up often enough on european ebay sites.

why is it such a turkey?

ozark make other models as well and i'm sure for what they are, they're all very good instruments ... but this model, for me, has all the allure of a soviet-style tenement in cold-war, east berlin.

Your quite right Bill it is made by Ozark and is the newer version of the one that you can see <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mandolin_W0QQitemZ170198655628QQihZ007QQcategoryZ1 0179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewIte

m" target="_blank">here</a> on ebay. The new version is a matt finish as opposed to the previous which had a fairly heavy varnish.

Slight correction. They are not made by Ozark, they are made by Hora. Ozark is simply the house brand for "folk instruments" distributed by Stentor Music in the UK, similar the the Ashbury brand used by Hobgoblin. Stentor put the Ozark brand on lots of mandolins from lots of countries, so by itself it doesn't mean anything.

This particular Hora model, their "Portuguese 1" model (there is a "Portuguese 2" as well, which has a narrower body), comes with a wide variety of different scratchplate designs, all of them vile to various extents, but the one Bill posted is worse than normal. Troubadour distribute the same instrument at slightly higher prices, but you get David Kilpatrick's personal attention and quality control, plus he very wisely asked them to make them simply without any scratchplate and with a blonde back/neck. Much nicer-looking that way.

Martin

**brunello97** · Mar-11-2008, 4:55pm

Here is a Vega flat-back (which I'm not so familiar seeing.) Seems like it is in the model/market range as the Washburn models and the Martin A (which we've had some discussion of the relative merits.) Has anyone had experience with a Vega fb? Does their otherwise good reputation carry over? Current price on this one is in the low $4Cs. Less than a Martin but higher than the Washburn fbs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....&ih=011

Mick

**Onesound** · Mar-11-2008, 6:57pm

Hi Fliss,
Does Phil Davidson have a website? Nice looking instrument, BTW, do you have any sound clips?

**JEStanek** · Mar-11-2008, 7:37pm

Onesound... here is Phil Davidson's Website from the builder's section.

JimMcD... I was close to placing an order with Chris for basically that same model when he closed his orders. His rope binding was key in asking Jack Spira to include them in the one he built for me. You've got a real keeper (I've played one of his octave mandos).

Eugene, If you look

here... you can see how Chris's elevated fingerboard looks in relation to the top.

Jamie

**Jim Garber** · Mar-19-2008, 5:07pm

Here is a FBON: Seiffert in the classifieds.

**Jim Garber** · Mar-21-2008, 7:42pm

Interesting British import(?) labelled H. Webb. It has some DeMeglio features.

**Bill Snyder** · Mar-21-2008, 8:31pm

Jim, that listing has been removed.

**Jim Garber** · Mar-21-2008, 8:57pm

Originally Posted by (Curious @ Mar. 21 2008, 21:31)

Jim, that listing has been removed.

Sorry, I fixed that link above. And here is one pic.

**brunello97** · Mar-21-2008, 9:59pm

Jim, I'm still having trouble with the link, though it could be at my end. Very interesting mandolin. Nice form and I like the headstock with slightly longish tuners. The bridge seems to clash with the inlay/decalomania but the oval hole - wide teardrop have a great balance. Is it a flatback or a 'bulgeback' as Martin has christened them?

Mick

**Joe Mendel** · Mar-21-2008, 10:09pm

Jim,
You are making me hate myself for selling the Arches. I knew you'd love it, I still do. I guess it joins a long list of instruments that I wish I had back, but MAS strikes hard.

**billkilpatrick** · Mar-22-2008, 1:19am

i like the "longish" tuners as well - very citternesque.

**brunello97** · Mar-22-2008, 9:38am

The link is working for me this am. #I like the looks of the Webb, funny decals and all. #Any guesses on its true origins? #UK made or imported/relabeled? # #The sides and back look like rosewood, but the heavy stain could be deceiving me. (Note: looking at this view makes me rethink the rosewood idea altogether.)

Mick

**Martin Jonas** · Mar-22-2008, 10:52am

Walnut, I would think. May well be UK-made -- reminds me a bit of the "Neapolitan College" mandolinettos which I think are also UK-made. Nice enough, but I find the bridge position jarring. Too far back aesthetically, and on top of the painting. I don't think that's a setup issue, either: the bridge seems roughly where it should be judging from the distance to the 12th fret.

Martin

**brunello97** · Mar-22-2008, 11:03am

English walnut on a mandolin? Now that would be appealing to a yank (though I'm no yankee) in its own right..... The floral swags do seem an awkward afterthought.

Are the muses on the backs of the NC mandolinettos hand-painted? I was wrongly assuming a decal of some type, but upon thought, it might be harder to imagine an applique surviving so long.

Mick

**Jim Garber** · Mar-22-2008, 11:36am

I dunno... the hardware, headstock shape and the post bridge string hold-downer says Italian/Demeglio style to me. Side shot looks like stained birch by the grain or slab maple stained, tho I am no expert on wood.

**trebleclef528** · Mar-22-2008, 12:24pm

Originally Posted by (martinjonas @ Mar. 22 2008, 11:52)

Walnut, I would think. #May well be UK-made -- reminds me a bit of the "Neapolitan College" mandolinettos which I think are also UK-made. #Nice enough, but I find the bridge position jarring. #Too far back aesthetically, and on top of the painting. #I don't think that's a setup issue, either: the bridge seems roughly where it should be judging from the distance to the 12th fret.

Martin

[QUOTE]
I think I agree with you Martin, that this is possibly UK made and as you know the "Neapolitain College of Music" mandolinettos also had many of the DeMeglio features including the same shape of head, scratchplate and the wooden string supressor/downholder, all the info I have indicates that the Neapolitain College mandolinettos were made in the UK (although appartently there was no such institution as the Neaploitain College of Music).