I am looking for a mandolin shaped like a clasical guitar

**kim vaughan** · Jun-28-2010, 11:41am

Perhaps you own one or are a builder who can help.

**allenhopkins** · Jun-28-2010, 1:19pm

You may be looking for a mandolinetto, which is a small guitar-shaped mandolin. Most of them were built around the turn of the 20th century, and for a few years thereafter. The best-known ones come from Boston and are labeled "Howe-Orme," sold by Elias Howe Music in Boston. Other manufacturers in the US and England made them, including Harmony.

There's one of the English ones currently for sale on eBay (link). Not a recommendation of the instrument or its seller, who is in England -- and of course, no financial interest on my part.

**fred d** · Jun-28-2010, 1:33pm

Not a classical but lke a small fender electric tella the Gold Tone G110 new around $600

**Jim Garber** · Jun-28-2010, 1:48pm

Just a side note to this. AFAIK, the Howe-Ormes are the only ones that have an arched top and back, like the Vega cylinder backs (with a cylinder top too). The others are flattops tho shaped like a guitar. The sound would be different from the H-Os.

**Tavy** · Jun-29-2010, 3:22am

Originally Posted by allenhopkins

There's one of the English ones currently for sale on eBay (link). Not a recommendation of the instrument or its seller, who is in England -- and of course, no financial interest on my part.

And maybe overpriced? Those usually sell for a little less than that IMO.

Also lets not forget this little beauty.

John.

**Tyko Runesson** · Jun-29-2010, 5:25pm

Originally Posted by kim vaughan

Perhaps you own one or are a builder who can help.

I am one builder that might be able to help you.....

**Jim MacDaniel** · Jun-29-2010, 10:08pm

Martin Edwards in Northern Ireland was building "Mandonaughts" for a while, but I haven't seen a post from him for a while about them. (Link to a thread on one he built.)

**gypsy1** · Jun-29-2010, 10:42pm

Hello Kim, feel free to contact me regarding your interest, would be happy to discuss the project with you.

Walt

**John Arnold** · Jul-01-2010, 11:25pm

the Howe-Ormes are the only ones that have an arched top and back, like the Vega cylinder backs (with a cylinder top too). The others are flattops tho shaped like a guitar. The sound would be different from the H-Os.

I once repaired a Howe-Orme that had a flat top and back. The back and sides were Brazilian rosewood.

**Bob DeVellis** · Jul-04-2010, 10:12am

Most of the Howe-Ormes had Brazilian back and sides. Of the six grades of Howe-Orme mandolins, only the lowest used mahogany. The rest were roswewood, some of it very, very nice. I wasn't aware of any Howe-Orme mandolins with flat tops, although there were certainly flat-topped, guitar-shaped University mandolins sold by the Elias Howe Company. They were a distinct line, I believe, from the Howe-Ormes, however. Anything's possible, though.

I think the Howe-Orme tenor mandolas have one of the prettiest shapes of any guitar-shaped instrument. In guitars, I guess models often called OM's (not necessarily the Martin OM) or maybe mini-jumbos probably come the closest in proportions. The mandolins have a longer, narrower silhouette, more like a parlor guitar than an OM or mini-jumbo. They're pretty too, but the mandola shape is one I just find really pleasing to the eye.