a small dose of MAS medicine

[bob h.]

Found this Supertone at a local guitar shop that was taken in on trade from an older gentleman a couple of months ago. Played it, liked it, walked away. Went back a couple of days ago and was surprised to see it was still there when all the new, similar priced mandos were bought. So destiny made me purchase. Label reads F 32 in oval purple stamp. So I take it this is a 1932 Harmony through Sears. Bound back, front and fret board. MOTS peg head overlay.

Can anyone venture a guess on the wood? Mahogany colored and the streaking is not stain. Maybe birch?

Arched front and back without bracing. I believe it is solid because their is a small knot on the front that is book matched under the pick guard. I think is may be pressed (?). The front and back have 1/8 inch circular marks spaced about 3/4 inch in a grid on the inside surfaces and their is some kind of tape applied to surface also.

Thanks for any information.

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sound https://youtu.be/MxCNbmh0gBE

[Jake Wildwood]

Yup, Harmony-made, 1932, and looks like the body actually IS mahogany, though a closer shot through the soundhole to the bare wood inside would help in that assessment. Yes it's solid -- Harmony barely ever used ply except on bodies made for 30s reso guitars and a few oddballs here and there -- and then later in the 60s on electrics.

[brunello97]

I've played some enjoyable Harmony guitars and mandos over the years but sometimes I just wind up scratching my head when I see one.

Looks like that rim set was bent over someone's knee while forming up. Among the most clumsy looking body profiles of any production mandolin I have seen. Probably plays okay.

Mick

[bob h.]

Thanks Jake. The picture of the inside will have to wait until the strings are off but the color is dark like mahogany or some similar wood. I kind of like the shouldered body lines but the MOTS overlay will have to grow on me.

I imagine this would have been pressed and not carved. I take the dot pattern on the inside of the front and back to be some kind of artifact from a mold.

Nice work on your restorations BTW.