Help Identifying Mandolin

jshannon · 11-02-2009, 09:22 PM

I'm new to the mandolin world. I've been looking for something to get me going and had a rough idea what I was looking for. That being said, I just picked up one the other day.

It's old but seems to play well and has great tone. It's made with all the right stuff (Spruce top and Maple everything else). It came in a Gibson rectangular case (not that I think that's what it is). There is a cracked piece on the headstock. It's not cracked all the way off and I think it would be fairly easy to repair. Other than that, just some scratches and age related wear.

The problem is I have no idea who made it. There is nothing on the headstock and no marking that I can see in through the sound holes. I certainly don't think that it's anything spectacular, but it's nice enough for me (for now).

If anyone can identify it, I think it would help me decide which direction to go as far as any modification / restoration. One thing I don't want to do is mess up a nice instrument. If it is a dime a dozen mandolin, I'll fix it up the way I want and forget any historical value.

I do know that the previous owner had changed the tuners and the bridge.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

MikeEdgerton · 11-03-2009, 07:37 AM

Actually it looks like someone built them selves a decent F5 style mandolin, perhaps from a kit like the StewMac or Siminoff products. Absent any tags that would be my guess. It looks decent although a bit beat up.

allenhopkins · 11-03-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jshannon

If anyone can identify it, I think it would help me decide which direction to go as far as any modification / restoration. One thing I don't want to do is mess up a nice instrument. If it is a dime a dozen mandolin, I'll fix it up the way I want and forget any historical value.

Concur with Mike E's analysis. Almost any factory- or luthier-made instrument has some sort of identifying markings. Could well be a kit-built mandolin, and a nice one at that. Appears to be solid woods, though you might want to look at the edges of the f-holes to see if the top's laminated.

I wonder what you're considering when you talk about "fixing it up the way you want"? You have a decent instrument here and IMHO it's worth getting professionally repaired and set up. You probably don't need to worry about "restoring" it to any particular appearance, since it's not "pedigreed," but a pro repair job on the headstock, some finish touch-up, and a good set-up would be likely to give you a very nice instrument to get you into playing mandolin.

If that's the direction you're thinking of, whether pro or do-it-yourself, sounds like a plan. But if you're going to finish it in purple epoxy and glue rhinestones to it...

jshannon · 11-03-2009, 12:24 PM

Thank you Mike and Allen, That's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for. I bought it because it had all the qualities I thought it should based upon what I've been reading. In addition, it has a classic look to it that I like (no rhinestones for me).

It seems pretty old to me. If I had to guess, I'd think it's at least 50 years old based upon the finish. I don't think the pictures show what the finish truly looks like. The frets are rather warn and flattened out in spots but it's still quite playable. The top is definitely solid.

Does any maker put any markings on the back if the soundboard? That's the only place I can't see.

I guess "who made it" is less important to me than "is it worth having a professional do some work on it?". You've answered that well enough for me. I'll try to find someone locally that can take a look at it, fix the headstock and touch up some of the scratches.

Thanks again!

Jon

MikeEdgerton · 11-03-2009, 12:45 PM

I don't think it's that old.

Bob DeVellis · 11-03-2009, 03:05 PM

Personally, I wouldn't do much, if anything, with the finish. Get the headstock repaired and have a good tech set it up and go over it to check for structural issues. Then play the heck out of it. After you've lived with it a while, you can think about whether to make any purely cosmetic changes. People are paying good money to have brand new instruments beaten up to look more like this one, after all.

The top looks solid, if you enlarge the sound hole picture.

mrmando · 11-03-2009, 03:10 PM

You can get a dental mirror or small bicyclist's mirror and see if there's anything on the underside of the soundboard.

jshannon · 11-03-2009, 10:53 PM

Well, I think the mystery has been solved. I was able to use a small mirror and inspect the underside of the soundboard. Up near the neck, it reads "RS" and "1991". After spending some time at the Siminoff site, I'm pretty confident in saying that's what it is. Turns out I was WAY off on the age! Mike was correct on both accounts (age and Siminoff Kit).

As for what to do with it, I'll take the advice to get the headstock fixed and leave it at that. Somewhere down the road I may get new bridge and Machine tuners.

Thanks for all of your help!

EdHanrahan · 11-04-2009, 01:55 PM

That broken scroll on the F-style headstock very common, and might be THE most common repair. They're SO easy to knock off, even, as in your case, where the binding might have provided some reinforcement across the weak(est) direction of the wood grain.

11-02-2009, 09:22 PM	#1
jshannon Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3	Help Identifying Mandolin I'm new to the mandolin world. I've been looking for something to get me going and had a rough idea what I was looking for. That being said, I just picked up one the other day. It's old but seems to play well and has great tone. It's made with all the right stuff (Spruce top and Maple everything else). It came in a Gibson rectangular case (not that I think that's what it is). There is a cracked piece on the headstock. It's not cracked all the way off and I think it would be fairly easy to repair. Other than that, just some scratches and age related wear. The problem is I have no idea who made it. There is nothing on the headstock and no marking that I can see in through the sound holes. I certainly don't think that it's anything spectacular, but it's nice enough for me (for now). If anyone can identify it, I think it would help me decide which direction to go as far as any modification / restoration. One thing I don't want to do is mess up a nice instrument. If it is a dime a dozen mandolin, I'll fix it up the way I want and forget any historical value. I do know that the previous owner had changed the tuners and the bridge. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Attached Thumbnails

11-03-2009, 07:37 AM	#2
MikeEdgerton Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8,015	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin Actually it looks like someone built them selves a decent F5 style mandolin, perhaps from a kit like the StewMac or Siminoff products. Absent any tags that would be my guess. It looks decent although a bit beat up.

11-03-2009, 12:24 PM	#4
jshannon Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin Thank you Mike and Allen, That's exactly the kind of information I'm looking for. I bought it because it had all the qualities I thought it should based upon what I've been reading. In addition, it has a classic look to it that I like (no rhinestones for me). It seems pretty old to me. If I had to guess, I'd think it's at least 50 years old based upon the finish. I don't think the pictures show what the finish truly looks like. The frets are rather warn and flattened out in spots but it's still quite playable. The top is definitely solid. Does any maker put any markings on the back if the soundboard? That's the only place I can't see. I guess "who made it" is less important to me than "is it worth having a professional do some work on it?". You've answered that well enough for me. I'll try to find someone locally that can take a look at it, fix the headstock and touch up some of the scratches. Thanks again! Jon

11-03-2009, 12:45 PM	#5
MikeEdgerton Moderator Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8,015	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin I don't think it's that old.

11-03-2009, 03:05 PM	#6
Bob DeVellis Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 1,481	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin Personally, I wouldn't do much, if anything, with the finish. Get the headstock repaired and have a good tech set it up and go over it to check for structural issues. Then play the heck out of it. After you've lived with it a while, you can think about whether to make any purely cosmetic changes. People are paying good money to have brand new instruments beaten up to look more like this one, after all. The top looks solid, if you enlarge the sound hole picture. __________________ Bob DeVellis

11-03-2009, 03:10 PM	#7
mrmando Martin Stillion Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 3,802	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin You can get a dental mirror or small bicyclist's mirror and see if there's anything on the underside of the soundboard. __________________ Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy! The Priest and the Publicans: Gospel bluegrass out of the box. Emando.com: More than you wanted to know. Donaldson • Rigel • Thormahlen • Andersen • Old Wave • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Roberts • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

11-03-2009, 10:53 PM	#8
jshannon Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin Well, I think the mystery has been solved. I was able to use a small mirror and inspect the underside of the soundboard. Up near the neck, it reads "RS" and "1991". After spending some time at the Siminoff site, I'm pretty confident in saying that's what it is. Turns out I was WAY off on the age! Mike was correct on both accounts (age and Siminoff Kit). As for what to do with it, I'll take the advice to get the headstock fixed and leave it at that. Somewhere down the road I may get new bridge and Machine tuners. Thanks for all of your help!

11-04-2009, 01:55 PM	#9
EdHanrahan Wayfarin' Stranger Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Over the Hudson & thru the woods from NYC Posts: 188	Re: Help Identifying Mandolin That broken scroll on the F-style headstock very common, and might be THE most common repair. They're SO easy to knock off, even, as in your case, where the binding might have provided some reinforcement across the weak(est) direction of the wood grain. __________________ - Ed "What our group lacks in musicianship is offset by our willingness to humiliate ourselves." - David Hochman Last edited by EdHanrahan; 11-04-2009 at 02:25 PM.