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susant
Aug-04-2015, 10:55am
Gently, please, dear pals, as I am uninformed, new to mandolins, and, eager to learn at my own pace,

I have a blonde wood, round-bodied mandolin that has no info on the inside (looking through the soundholes). On the headstock there are two capital A (one right-side up and one upside down). It's probably not the best instrument ever, but I'm enjoying it. Does anyone know the manufacturer? Many thanks.

Susan

Jeff Mando
Aug-04-2015, 11:13am
Susan,
It sounds like an Alvarez.

Willie Poole
Aug-04-2015, 11:14am
I believe an Alvares Yari (sp) had an inlay like that on their mandos and guitars, some are nice some are not..

Willie

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 11:46am
The Alvarez Yari guitars (I've never seen a mandolin built by Yari) used this logo as far as I know.

Susan, can you post a picture of the mandolin or at least the headstock??

Bill Snyder
Aug-04-2015, 11:47am
Susan, can you post a photo of the headstock and the instrument?

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 11:48am
The Alvarez (non-Yari) logo looks like this.

Bill Snyder
Aug-04-2015, 11:53am
That appears to match her description.

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 11:56am
I suspect it might be an A model or a bowlback. That logo would tell you who imported it but not who manufactured it :cool:

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 11:59am
Probably one of these (http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/ALA1.htm). If it is congratulations, you should have a solid wood mandolin. I'm not fond of the headstock shape but not everyone has the same tastes.

susant
Aug-04-2015, 1:34pm
Probably one of these (http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/ALA1.htm). If it is congratulations, you should have a solid wood mandolin. I'm not fond of the headstock shape but not everyone has the same tastes.

Yes!!!!! That is the same one. Very pretty! Oh, thank you everyone. Whew! Glad I picked one that is ok. I'm slowly learning. Nice to meet all of you, and thanks again for your kindness.
Susan

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 1:45pm
Welcome to the Cafe and don't be a stranger. :cool:

susant
Aug-04-2015, 1:54pm
Thank you kindly, Mike!

allenhopkins
Aug-04-2015, 3:12pm
'Tis an Alvarez. Bunch of threads on Alvarezes in the last couple days.

The "first wave" of Japanese-made mandolins to hit the States in the '70's. I was working part-time in an instrument store (only open on Saturdays) back then, and we were glad to get 'em, since there weren't any price-competitive decently-made mandolins available then. Several of my friends who were into bluegrass purchased Alvarez F-models (I stuck to my F-2).

Should be solid wood, fair amount of hand-work, perhaps a bit too heavily built, but definitely a decent instrument, based on my experience.

MikeEdgerton
Aug-04-2015, 3:34pm
Alvarez instruments are a brand owned by St. Louis Music. The Alverez-Yari guitars can be tied to one builder and shop, that of Yari. The rest are built by whomever they contract with to build the model at that time. What was in one year might be totally different the next. I've owned several of their guitars including one Yari model I still own.