Recently restored - Royal Mandolinetto

[dcushman]

I rarely post here, but thought the community would be interested in seeing this little mandolinetto. I picked it up a few years ago, in worse shape than originally imagined. As seems pretty typical, the table had warped and receded under the tortoise pickguard. I decided she deserved to sing again. A neck reset, a poor brace job replaced and a new fretboard, and it’s just wonderful playing. Strung with Dogal Calace soft tension. The bonus find was the inexpensive soprano ukulele case on eBay. Was pretty uncertain it would work, but it’s is as perfect a fit as you could get ($23 shipped!)

168054

168055

168056

168057

[JeffD]

I think the mandolinetto is kind of an unsung hero, overlooked in the mad dash for the F5. The only thing they don't do is chop.

Well technically they do chop, but that seems to me like driving a Porsche to haul fire wood. All that I find beautiful in the sound of a mandolinetto is hogged down with a chop.

[Jim Garber]

Nice job, dcushman. Are those guitar frets on this little guy? They look a bit large to me but I suppose play well?

[allenhopkins]

I think the mandolinetto is kind of an unsung hero, overlooked in the mad dash for the F5. The only thing they don't do is chop...

They don't chop, they chirp. At least my Howe-Orme does.

If you want chirp, get a mandolinetto.

[Bob Clark]

I love it! What a beauty. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!

[Timbofood]

I used to work with a guy who had a Howe-Orme it needed some restoration but we never got around to getting it on the bench. I remember thinking “I wonder what that thing sounds like!?” It was such a pretty little piece of work, so well made and, fine detail work.
“Chirp”, I like that.

[dcushman]

Are those guitar frets on this little guy? They look a bit large to me but I suppose play well?

I can’t remember the gauge but they are indeed larger than the original/period fret wires. She does play well, very comfortable under the fingers.


They don't chop, they chirp. At least my Howe-Orme does.

If you want chirp, get a mandolinetto.

That is really how mine sounds. There are definitely some things it doesn’t appear to like playing, if you follow me. Chords that ring sound really nice, open strings. There must be something about the measure and those dogal strings, but I have trouble playing tremolo on this one (not that I’m very good at it in the first place!).

Here it is next to my old Bohmann for comparison:

168147

Really curious that in both of these the table warpage is leveling out. The Bohmann was terrible, a true barn find, but over the past few years, it’s actually come back up almost to level, and is now very playable. The Mandolinetto was similarly warped, but the new neck under light string tension, with bracing corrected, really seems to pulling it into shape.

I’m a sucker for hard luck cases, and instrument purchase motto always turns out to be “buy high, sell low...naw, just keep it”.