Yet another mando--does this look familiar to anyone?

**belbein** · Jul-16-2012, 1:04pm

A young man who is using my woodworking shop to repair the neck of his Martin 000-18 guitar brought a mandolin with him. There is no label on the inside, and nothing on the headstock. The sound holes are probably characteristic, though:

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Here are a few other photos ... would be curious if any of this looks familiar to anyone.

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The top is laminated: it looks like 3 part ply. The back may be, too. The tuner knobs (buttons?) are mostly missing--it looks like something ate them. Not sure why that would be. I have no idea of the provenance or history of this instrument.

**mrmando** · Jul-16-2012, 1:19pm

That's mine! I left in in the back of a bus in Mazatlan in 1972.

Seriously, it's a Chicago factory mandolin from the '40s or '50s. The tuners were celluloid, which can decay over time.

**belbein** · Jul-16-2012, 6:50pm

Thanks, Mrmando. That would explain the little baggie of dried up leaves stuffed on the inside. Did you seriously have one that looked like this?

Is "Chicago factory" the name of a company, or a geographical description of origin (like "Chinese instrument")? And am I right that they're not worth much?

**Schlegel** · Jul-16-2012, 7:40pm

Most likely a Kay (formerly KayKraft, I think) , from the soundholes.

**mrmando** · Jul-16-2012, 7:53pm

There were three big factories in Chicago -- Kay, Harmony, and Regal -- that built most of the inexpensive mandolins sold in the United States after WWII.

**MikeEdgerton** · Jul-17-2012, 10:31am

It's Chicago built, are there any numbers stamped inside? You might need a flashlight to see them.

**MikeEdgerton** · Jul-17-2012, 10:32am

By the way, the tailpiece and cover are worth more than the rest of the mandolin.

**JeffD** · Jul-17-2012, 12:17pm

Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton

By the way, the tailpiece and cover are worth more than the rest of the mandolin.

I hate it when that happens.

**belbein** · Jul-22-2012, 10:33am

Nope. Nothing.

**Charlieshafer** · Jul-22-2012, 10:53am

No big deal on labels or any other pedigree-defining marks... and we pretty much ALL had one that looked like that at one point or another, as the big three factories turned out essentially 100% of all the relatively affordable mandolins at the time. As much as I hate to admit it, the ones I still have are fun to pull out and bang away on. They're quirky looking, sound relatively horrible compared to any of the old or new serious mandolin builders, but strangely, lots of fun to goof around on. And due to the lack of string tension, they really do make the ultimate starter mandolin. Even really little kids can push a chord down on them.

**belbein** · Jul-22-2012, 2:25pm

So, that style of "f" hole--where the bottom and top are separate from the body of the "f"--is that characteristic of these Chicago instruments?

**MikeEdgerton** · Jul-22-2012, 5:20pm

Originally Posted by belbein

So, that style of "f" hole--where the bottom and top are separate from the body of the "f"--is that characteristic of these Chicago instruments?

Nope, just some of them and different manufacturers did it on different instruments. By the way, look inside the f-hole with a mirror. Is it really a laminated top or did they reinforce the area around the f-hole with veneer? Some of these appear to be laminated and end up being solid.

**bmac** · Jul-22-2012, 7:57pm

As mentioned the components are probably worth $30 or $40. But that doesn't meen it cannot be a nice looking and decent sounding instrument, or a nice looking wall hanger. Apparently some of the great blues players played instruments of this quality and did just fine. It could be a nice starter instrument. With tuner knobs and strings costing roughly $10. That may be all it needs and you have a nice vintage instrument with a natural a "antique" finish.... some folks pay big money for that alone!

The main thing is it can be a fun instrument. and very cheap and easy to get back into playing shape. I would count myself lucky to have one in as original shape such as this one.

**belbein** · Jul-23-2012, 5:26am

The top layer of the plywood is coming off the TOP, right around the soundhole. It's delaminating at least there. I'll check elsewhere on it, just to be sure. I'm probably going to be refinishing it anyway. I'm going to be asking for advice--not here, not yet!--on getting an antique distressed finish. Although the truth is the top can't get much more antique or distressed.

**belbein** · Jul-23-2012, 5:27am

Estoy de acuerdo. This isn't one I'm going to take apart.

**bmac** · Jul-23-2012, 6:42am

"I'm probably going to be refinishing it anyway. I'm going to be asking for advice--not here, not yet!--on getting an antique distressed finish. Although the truth is the top can't get much more antique or distressed. "

You can get (or make) very small clamps which should work on the f holes to hold the plies together after glueing. Probably Elmers type glue will work as well or better than hide glue for that purpose. I find that a very flexible bladed small artist pallet knife works excellent for working glue deep into openings like your f holes. They come in various shape blades. Diamond shaped blades work very well for this purpose. These are really handy to reach deeply into very narrow openings, like delaminating plys.

On the finish: Apparently you don't watch Antiques Road Show. If an instrument can function with the original finish it may be best to do as little "refinishing" as possible. Besides, You already have an antique distressed finish far better and much more authentic than any fake one you can put on it.

These instruments are so much fun to work on!