c.1920 Oscar Schmidt Chitarra Battente -- mmmmh 5 course goodness

[Jake Wildwood]

Here's a chitarra battente I just finished work on -- usually tuned ADGBE with a lot of plain strings for a high, chimey voice -- but I've got this one tuned in octaves instead.

Though not mandolin content per se, I think the fact that this is a 5-course, double-stringed instrument (with canted top and ribbed back) lends itself to speculation about what this would be like in fifths... ie CGDAE... or various "cittern" tunings. I've been playing it since I finished work on it this afternoon in GDGBD which is rockin'!

This is a super rare, Oscar Schmidt-made one, c.1920. Note the ribbed back and canted soundboard, like on our friendly older mandos!

Full blog post & photos by clicking here! (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2011/10/c1920-oscar-schmidt-chitarra-battente.html)

Also, click here to hear a SOUND CLIP! (http://www.thewildwoodflower.com/box/battente.mp3)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGgDJa6Xq8M/TpD4Gq5JwUI/AAAAAAAAO44/Hpojug2zut4/s1600/battente1.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDKYvEWZlKI/TpD4GZ41TpI/AAAAAAAAO4w/G0V9LtZAhlY/s1600/battente2.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMUhqEk6Q78/TpD4GJJ4NQI/AAAAAAAAO4o/W4ZHD_gXPZc/s1600/battente3.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOSWy1COanY/TpD38diRpII/AAAAAAAAO4A/8Wl_mmnbxLY/s1600/battente8.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9vsINpF_Mgs/TpD38dLX7nI/AAAAAAAAO34/2HsML-P8hDM/s1600/battente9.jpg

[F-2 Dave]

What an interesting old instrument. Didn't know such a thing even existed. Sounds great.

[Jake Wildwood]

Neither did I until I spotted this and snapped it up. Just from the look I knew it was an OS-made instrument and I have a pretty big soft spot for them. They never LOOK amazing but they always SOUND (and for that matter, play) awesome.

[Tavy]

Gosh, I do like the way that thing sounds.... not so sure about the tuning though!

What are the suplementary sound holes? Resonators? Or just decorative?

Curiously yours, John.

[Jake Wildwood]

Decorative -- but they'd work if the little paper roses were taken out.

Just for reference -- this is sort of an 0-sized instrument.

[brunello97]

Very cool, Jake. John La Barbara plays mandolin to chitarra battente accompaniment on his Traditional Southern Italian Mandolin collection. He talks a bit about the background of the instrument, etc. The books is sold through Mel Bay and is a nice collection of music:

http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=21488BCD

You might getting ahold of John as well. I know he would be pleased to hear about your discovery, as we all are.

Mick

[billhay4]

Jake,
You're a magician!
Bill

[s11141827]

Thomastik Flatwound 10 string Mandocello strings would be great for CGDAE Tuning

[s11141827]

Here's a chitarra battente I just finished work on -- usually tuned ADGBE with a lot of plain strings for a high, chimey voice -- but I've got this one tuned in octaves instead.

Though not mandolin content per se, I think the fact that this is a 5-course, double-stringed instrument (with canted top and ribbed back) lends itself to speculation about what this would be like in fifths... ie CGDAE... or various "cittern" tunings. I've been playing it since I finished work on it this afternoon in GDGBD which is rockin'!

This is a super rare, Oscar Schmidt-made one, c.1920. Note the ribbed back and canted soundboard, like on our friendly older mandos!

Full blog post & photos by clicking here! (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2011/10/c1920-oscar-schmidt-chitarra-battente.html)

Also, click here to hear a SOUND CLIP! (http://www.thewildwoodflower.com/box/battente.mp3)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGgDJa6Xq8M/TpD4Gq5JwUI/AAAAAAAAO44/Hpojug2zut4/s1600/battente1.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GDKYvEWZlKI/TpD4GZ41TpI/AAAAAAAAO4w/G0V9LtZAhlY/s1600/battente2.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMUhqEk6Q78/TpD4GJJ4NQI/AAAAAAAAO4o/W4ZHD_gXPZc/s1600/battente3.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eOSWy1COanY/TpD38diRpII/AAAAAAAAO4A/8Wl_mmnbxLY/s1600/battente8.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9vsINpF_Mgs/TpD38dLX7nI/AAAAAAAAO34/2HsML-P8hDM/s1600/battente9.jpg

The Octaves tuning on the 3 lowest courses does give the instrument a bigger range & a much mellower sound. So it's still tuned like the 1st 5 strings of a Standard Guitar but this time we have the top 2 courses in unison & the bottom 3 in Octaves.