Leland Brilliantone Piccolo

[Jim Garber]

I received this Leland piccolo/soprano yesterday. Very nice little instrument. It is a good match to my other Leland which is a full size mandolin. The piccolo would be tuned CGDA, but one octave above a tenor mandola. The scale is about 10.25 inch (260mm).

It is in decent condition tho the bridge is unoriginal. The bridge does not match the one on my standard size Leland. I have attached a family photo (mother and daughter?)

The only other place I have seen another of these is at Gregg Miner's (http://home.earthlink.net/~gcminer/piccolomandolin.htm) site.

See this thread for talk about a contemporary piccolo built by
Jamie Wiens (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=15033).

I am in the process of cleaning it up and hope to string it soon.

Jim

[Jim Garber]

Here is a page from a circa 1913 Lyon & healy catalog whihc shows the piccolo. I have also seen a slightly earlier edition where they called it a soprano.

Jim

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Jim,

Thats a realy cool mando. I have never come across one of those before, great addition to the collection http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Jim Garber]

I finally adapted a bridge I had for the piccolo and strung it up last night. #Interesting sound, obviously upper range but this particular one has a nice sweet sound, lacking some sustain tho. The frets need some levelling in places but it is playable, tho I agree with Mr. Grisman that it takes a little getting used to, to crimp up your fingers.

If I have a chance and can figure out a way I will record some ditties on it for all to hear.

Jim

[Jim Garber]

Here is an mp3 of Carolan's Concerto (http://paperclipdesign.com/piccolomando/piccolo03.mp3) played on the Leland piccolo mandolin. Obviously, it is in the wrong key, but you get the idea.

Jim

[keithd]

Nice playing Jim,

I like the ornaments, almost sounds like a harp.

Keith

[MANDOLINMYSTER]

Bravo. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif