Results 1 to 21 of 21

Thread: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Hi All,

    Recently I got an old mandonlin-banjo. Nothing special, just a restauration project for me but I would love to know the brand of this instrument. So if anyone is able to identify this mandonlin-banjo I would be very gratefull.

    Here's a picture of the instrument:


    Here's the brand name stamped. Unfortunaly I'm not able to read it.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Looks Italian or... possibly... French to me.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    I've seen a Youtube clip of a guy in France playing almost the exact same mando-banjo, so I also think its probably european

  4. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,874

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    It wasn't made in the US. Try this. Put a piece of paper over the logo and rub a pencil across it. The logo appears to be inset, and it's the smear that is making it unreadable. That might give you the makers name.

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Thanks all

    I tried the paper/pencil trick a while ago but it didn't work. The logo is not sharp enough. It might be European, maybe Italian. It looks like the name is ending on ?????ello or ?????etto. Searched for several variatons on the web but got no results yet.

  6. #6
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    This one looks like my banjoline (who might be a modified mandolin-banjo : the bridge has 8 strings marks and the plastic nut has been modified).:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	3866.jpg 
Views:	353 
Size:	16.8 KB 
ID:	72227
    It has been bought in France (the seller was from Lyon). It might be French.
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronny View Post
    This one looks like my banjoline (who might be a modified mandolin-banjo : the bridge has 8 strings marks and the plastic nut has been modified).:
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	3866.jpg 
Views:	353 
Size:	16.8 KB 
ID:	72227
    It has been bought in France (the seller was from Lyon). It might be French.
    Definitely the same one Ronny! Does it have any markings on the heel? If so, is the marking readable?

  8. #8
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    I remember now that two or three months ago, I saw the same mandolin-banjo as ours for sale at leboncoin.fr (a craig-list type website).
    The roads converge to France... But I saw this one too :
    on a japanese website...
    So ???
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Looks like we have a very unique instrument Ronny :-)

    Too bad they don't show the brand name anywhere.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronny View Post
    I remember now that two or three months ago, I saw the same mandolin-banjo as ours for sale at leboncoin.fr (a craig-list type website).
    The roads converge to France... But I saw this one too :
    on a japanese website...
    So ???
    Not exactly the same this one (for as far as I can see). This is not an archtop like ours is it?
    Last edited by Ike57; May-16-2011 at 4:11am. Reason: not exactly the same ...

  10. #10
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    You're right...
    I have sanded my banjolin yesterday (in order to revarnish and to re-upgrade it to a mandoline-banjo, because the frets height and the single strings hurt my finger tips), and it had absolutely no marking on the heel. Sorry.
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronny View Post
    I have sanded my banjolin yesterday (in order to revarnish and to re-upgrade it to a mandoline-banjo, because the frets height and the single strings hurt my finger tips), and it had absolutely no marking on the heel. Sorry.
    Guess we just have to call it Manjo Doe :-)

    I'm planning to restore this instrument and give it some of its old "glory" back. Here's a pic of the backside of mine. Does yours look the same? Looks to me that the pattern on the back is very thin. Did the sanding work out all right?


  12. #12
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    The back of the resonator was totally blank, but there's a layer of black wood at the back of the heel, like yours too. I will post some pictures of my "re-mandolination" soon.
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Thank you for all your support Ronny !

    I will post pictures of my results as well. May take a while because I'm in the middle of two restoration projects: A 1930 John Grey & Sons 5-string banjo and a 1955-1960 Weltton Guitar-banjo :-)
    The mandolin banjo will be third.

  14. #14
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    I have post pictures of my transformation on my mandolincafe album :
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/al...p?albumid=1101
    Feedback welcome !
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Now that's a nice looking little fellow !! You did a nice job on this one Ronny!

    It's a pity you had to replace those vintage tuners, but I can see you had no choice. How is the action? Seems to me that adjusting the action is done by putting a shim between the tension hoop and the neck? Looks like that's the only way as it has no dowel stick.

    Most important question: Does it play and sound well?

  16. #16
    Confused... or?
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Over the Hudson & thru the woods from NYC
    Posts
    2,927

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    REAL nice!

    Guessing that the one (or maybe more?) tuning post was shortened to avoid interference with the post from the opposite side. And how did you get the new post holes so clean - some kind of jig, or just a center punch?
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

  17. #17
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    The action was very high when it has 4 strings, but now its lower (because of the string pressure on the skin) and much more playable. I didn't try to adjust the action, so I don't know how to do...
    Yes, the that one tuning post was shortened to avoid interference with the post from the opposite side. And I did nothing to the post hole, there was already 8 holes, the tuning machines fit well with the existing holes. It was a very easy work, in fact !

    To me, it sounds well, but I'm only a beginner in the mandolin-family instruments (I played the bagpipes for 20 years, and the mandolin for 3 years only !) so I don't really know !

    I'll try to post a video, one day...
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  18. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Netherlands
    Posts
    28

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronny View Post
    The action was very high when it has 4 strings, but now its lower (because of the string pressure on the skin) and much more playable. I didn't try to adjust the action, so I don't know how to do...
    I didn't open mine yet but as far as I can see the neck (backside of the heel) is adjusted to the resonator and the frontside is resting on the tension hoop. Putting a shim (thin piece of wood) between the tension hoop and the frontside of the neck will change the neck angle thus resulting in a lower action. (see photo below).
    Remember: This is just my theory, I will let you know once I'm working on it.


  19. #19
    Registered User Ronny's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Landrevarzec (Brittany)
    Posts
    246

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    I made a quick recording with my mandoin banjo here :
    Déjà Vu 5s 'Clockwork Orange 2' Emando - 'Clockwork Orange 3' Octave Emando - Goodtime Tenor Banjo - Former Framus mandocello
    Kasuga M50-Godin A8-Martella bowlback-Dunhuang Liuqin-Thüringer walddoline-2 Böhm waldzithers-electric waldzither-'Gelas' mandolin-domeback mandolin-Clearwater upgraded EMando

    "A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipe and who does not."

  20. #20

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Hi
    I have just acquired an identical instrument. I intend to convert it to a uke banjo as the neck is badly warped and I need to make a new one. I am planning to make it concert scale. Did anyone ever find out who made it ?
    Quote Originally Posted by Ike57 View Post
    Hi All,

    Recently I got an old mandonlin-banjo. Nothing special, just a restauration project for me but I would love to know the brand of this instrument. So if anyone is able to identify this mandonlin-banjo I would be very gratefull.

    Here's a picture of the instrument:


    Here's the brand name stamped. Unfortunaly I'm not able to read it.

  21. #21
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,171

    Default Re: Anyone to identify this mandolin-banjo

    Doubt it but I'm intrigued to know what surface the original photo was taken on. Looks like an autopsy table!

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •