O.k. folks, what is this?!?!

[clem]

I bought this beautiful instrument on eBay, but can't figure out what it is. At first I thought cavaquinho, but all that I've seen are guitar shaped. It is extremely well made--spruce top, bookmatched rosewood back, mahogany neck, ivory bridge and nut, brass and steel tailpiece, rosewood friction pegs. Fit and finish are first class. It is about 13" long overall, 5 inches wide.

So, what have I won, Don Pardos?!?

http://www.troutstudios.com/mini1.jpg
http://www.troutstudios.com/mini2.jpg
http://www.troutstudios.com/mini3.jpg

[mrmando]

Piccolo domra!

Seriously, if the overall length is 13 in., the scale length must be 9 in. or so. It looks like a decorative piece to me ... if it's actually playable, that's gravy. Get some nylon strings and tune it CGDA, a fourth above a standard mandolin.

[Paul Hostetter]

It's obviously a sopranino cavaquinho, but the body shape is unusual. Contact Ron Fernández (http://www.fernandezmusic.com/index.html) in Irvine and ask him if he has any idea. If he doesn't know, he'll know who to point you to.

[Soupy1957]

a Female Crazuki from Twastastia

-Soupy1957

[clem]

Thanks Paul.

It is absolutely playable (although the scale length makes it tight) and has a nice sound. And seems built for steel strings.

Sopranino cavaquinho. Even the name is musical.

[clem]

Well, Ron Fernandez has provided this explanation...

The Portuguese family of folk mandolins are called
bandolins (this is the plural form of the singular
term bandolim). A small bandolim is called a
bandolineta, the average size is called the bandolim
and larger sizes are called bandoneta, bandola and the
largest is the bandoloncelo.

This family has a teardrop shaped body. The strings
are typically metal. There is usually a movable bridge
and double string courses. However, I found a photo
of a bandolim with teardrop shaped body, glued on
bridge and single string courses in the standard
reference work by Ernesto Veiga de Oliveira page 207,
called Instrumentos Musicais Populares Portugueses. So
I would regard your instrument as a single string
bandolim or bandolineta.
This work was published by the Fundação Calouste
Gulbenkin/Museu Nacional de Etnologia (Lisboa)
originally published 1964, revised and reprinted in
2000.

I would guess (let me restate--that this is a guess)
it is 30 to 60 years old because of the type of frets
and the tail piece used to hold the strings. 100 years
ago the strings were typically held with wooded, bone
or ivory pegs.

I am very pleased. This community is a great resource.

[Paul Hostetter]

So OK, maybe it's not so obviously a sopranino cavaquinho, but I was close. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Though I should have suspected it, I had no idea there was a four-course baby bandolim. Cool.

Can I suggest a musician to look for, for inspiration? Henrique Cazes (http://www.henriquecazes.com.br/biografia_en.php). Look particularly for two of his albums called "Waldir Azevedo, Pixinguinha, Hermeto & Cia" (Kuarup 1992), and "Desde que o Choro é Choro" (Kuarup 1995), featuring his quartet called Familia Violão. It's Brazilian choro music, not straight Portuguese, but Cazes's instrument is quite close to your cool little item, and the music is terrific.

http://www.music.indiana.edu/som/lamc/events/1997/augfest97/participants/casez.jpeg

[clem]

No worries Paul, its all GOOD.

The seller called it a "mandolin." I thought "not a mandolin,but still cool." Looks like he was pretty close!

Thanks for the music suggestion. I will definitely check it out.

As for tuning, you think c-g-d-a, an octave above a mandola? OR http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Paul Hostetter]

If the scale is around 9", that's like a conventional mandolin capoed at about the 7th fret. This would mean that standard metal mandolin strings tuned to CGDA would be a logical place to start. This would be a light load I should think. Good luck with the intonation!

[F5G WIZ]

Wow! That's a big bottle of beer!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Paul Kotapish]

Whatever it is, it looks cool. Hope it's fun to play, too.

Here's another vote for Henriques Cazes. I love his recordings. A lot of contemporary choro music strikes me--and perhaps only me--as trying too dang hard for non-stop virtuosic pyrotechnics. It's exhilarating, but ultimately a little too exhausting for my ears. ("Too many notes, Herr Mozart. Too many notes.")

Cazes's music is in a more mellow groove that strikes my ear as entirely appropriate for the repertoire. It's gorgeous stuff that bears repeated listening.

[clem]

Just a quick follow-up. I tuned it c-g-d-a, and it is playing in tune!! Got to love (!?!) the 8" scale...definitely makes for some challenging playing conditions. Happily, this little bando/mando is cool just sitting on the desk (and not taking up much room at that!) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Walter]

Clem,

I think the beer is a "Blue Moon". (am I correct?)

Interesting instrument. -What was the selling price?

[clem]

Beer= Shiner Blonde (Texas)

Bando= less than $70. Quite the bargain IMHO.