View Full Version : Homemade or factory built?
Seppo
Jan-10-2013, 11:25am
This one is for sale in Finland. I'm not intending to buy it ($400)
but I'd like to know if that is made by an amateur builder or by a factory?
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Steve Ostrander
Jan-10-2013, 11:48am
That's a heck of a strap hanger for a lefty. Or a convenient carry handle.
Jim Garber
Jan-10-2013, 12:24pm
Whew!! That should go right into the oddities thread (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?1137-Mandolin-Oddities). Is it a lefty? Otherwise that is one strange soundarm on that. It really should be on the other side for right hand playing. Post more pics, please, if possible. IMHO I would say amateur-made.
JeffD
Jan-10-2013, 12:34pm
I love it. Yea its odd, but it makes a quirky kind of 1960 funky furniture sense to me. Yes more pics.
If its factory made, then there are others, and I want to find them.
allenhopkins
Jan-10-2013, 12:54pm
These designs are what are called "harp mandolins" or sometimes "lyre mandolins." The harpguitars.net website has a gallery (http://www.harpguitars.net/history/org/org-related.htm) of these instruments. If your pic hasn't been reversed (a possibility), you will see from the pics on that site, that the "arm" extension to the headstock is on the "wrong" side unless you're playing left-handed. Hard to tell from the pic, but it does look like the heavier strings are on the "normal" side for a right-handed instrument, so it may just have been built "backwards." That would mean that the arm would get in the way for right-handed fretting, IMHO.
Otherwise, it looks very much line a one-of build by a craftsperson. No label visible, and little of the decoration usually associated with a "factory" instrument. I think you should buy it; it's sure sparked some interest here...
Unfortunately I don't have any other pictures....except the original from the flea market size with an embarrassing sticker that
I photoshopped off before putting it here.96658
The lady who is selling the instrument calls it "12- kielinen kitara soitin banjo balalaika" which literally means
12 string guitar, instrument, banjo balalaika.
Thanks for the oddities thread and gallery links.
I must put this one out as well. It was in a museum in Rome Italy.
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Jim Garber
Jan-10-2013, 2:33pm
I assume that this is a 12 string mandolin -- are the strings tripled? Or is it possibly a 12 string guitar -- much larger than a mandolin. Seppo, did you actually see the instrument?
I assume that this is a 12 string mandolin -- are the strings tripled? Or is it possibly a 12 string guitar -- much larger than a mandolin. Seppo, did you actually see the instrument?
No, I have not seen the instrument. The picture is very small and zooming does not give much info.
My bet is that it is a 12 string mandolin and the picture is not reversed.
Since the fretboard extension is usually longer on the treble side I don't think this is a lefty.
There are some odd homemade mandolins pictured in my own mandolin guidebook but the headstock
here refers to something that you don't usually do for yourself in your spare hours?
Jim Garber
Jan-10-2013, 3:18pm
Seppo: Make her an offer. I think you need this one!! Then you can tell us about it and take more pictures.
sunburst
Jan-10-2013, 4:26pm
I'd like to know if that is made by an amateur builder or by a factory?
Don't neglect the possibility of "neither". Not all builders outside of factories are amateurs.
One of the interesting "complements" I often get on my instruments is the well-meaning "That looks like it came from factory, not like something somebody made!". Then there's; "This sounds as good as a "insert well known manufactured instrument name here"!.
Graham McDonald
Jan-10-2013, 4:49pm
No, I have not seen the instrument. The picture is very small and zooming does not give much info.
My bet is that it is a 12 string mandolin and the picture is not reversed.
Since the fretboard extension is usually longer on the treble side I don't think this is a lefty.
There are some odd homemade mandolins pictured in my own mandolin guidebook but the headstock
here refers to something that you don't usually do for yourself in your spare hours?
The slotted head suggests German manufacture and the whole art-deco body looks 20s. A rare gem indeed.
What, may we ask, is your 'mandolin guidebook'? Several of us here collect pictures of common and obscure mandolins and I am working on a book about them, so we are always interested in another who does the same!
cheers
graham
"Don't neglect the possibility of "neither". Not all builders outside of factories are amateurs."
Sorry if you got that wrong - I didn't mean to insult anybody. I just meant that since it is kind of rough and
does not look like a "luthier's instrument" it is either a factory made cheaper German or Italian instrument or
just made by someone who only had extra blocks of Finnish pine available for the top etc.
"What, may we ask, is your 'mandolin guidebook'?"
Sure, that is an almost out of print Finnish Mandoliiniopas that I got published in 1989.
http://www.kansanmusiikki-instituutti.fi/webshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=85
I have all the original b&w pictures left so I could scan some for you. My wife works part time as a photographer
and she followed me while I was interviewing several Finnish mandolin players. Some of them made their own
mandos and some had quite odd looking old factory made 8- 12- or even 16- string mandolins.
Should I start a new thread with them or just add them here?
sunburst
Jan-11-2013, 8:41am
Sorry if you got that wrong - I didn't mean to insult anybody.
No insult perceived, just bringing up another possibility.
Graham McDonald
Jan-11-2013, 4:23pm
Sure, that is an almost out of print Finnish Mandoliiniopas that I got published in 1989.
http://www.kansanmusiikki-instituutti.fi/webshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=85
I have all the original b&w pictures left so I could scan some for you. My wife works part time as a photographer
and she followed me while I was interviewing several Finnish mandolin players. Some of them made their own
mandos and some had quite odd looking old factory made 8- 12- or even 16- string mandolins.
Should I start a new thread with them or just add them here?
I have contacted the Institute's webshop and asked about a copy. I had forgotten about the Finnish mandolin connection. Somewhere about I have a couple of compilation CDs of Finnish music with a track by the Helsinki Mandolins (?). Certainly post some pics of your unusual Finnish mandolins here :)
cheers
graham
Here's a couple of pictures presenting the big mandolins made by the late Arvo Kettunen from Hollola, Finland.
He's on the right side with a younger version of me playing around 1986.
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This 'factory built' lyremandolin was quite new in 1986. I don't have the make written down anywhere but
I believe it was orderer from Musikalia, Italy
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Jim Garber
Jan-11-2013, 4:56pm
I am much more interested in the Kettunen instruments. How many strings did the one on the right have? 14? Was there special tunings? How were the courses arranged?
Musikalia still makes those lyre mandolins (http://www.musikalia.it/en/english2.htm?http://www.musikalia.it/en/catalogue/instrument_card.asp?ID=93).
jim simpson
Jan-11-2013, 8:28pm
Could the unique shaped mandolin have been the inspiration for this early Roland Synth guitar?
I am much more interested in the Kettunen instruments. How many strings did the one on the right have? 14? Was there special tunings? How were the courses arranged?
As far as I remember Arvo had 4 4 3 3 = 14 system without octave strings. 4 Gs, 4 Ds 3 As and 3 Es.
The round instrument sounded like a small band.
There was a situation where he was backing up a folk music group with the mandolin on the left.
It was a traditional folk festival and he used his microphone and transistor radio to add a bit volume
behind the fiddles and accordions. He did not play for long until a local 'folk music police' shut down his radio.
Arvo was like Bob Dylan at Newport..?
I finally received more picture of this instrument....
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Jim Garber
Jan-31-2013, 10:25am
Seppo: it is funny they didn't send pics of the front of it. It is a strange one. it looks like it was made by an amateur to me.
yankees1
Jan-31-2013, 10:50am
It would be a great paddle for a canoe ! When not paddling you could play music !
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This frontside picture was attached in the first message already.
I got this paddle in my collection now. It's a strange combination of well made factory parts and creative pastime handwork.
The strings are almost dead and gone but still...have you ever heard a big angry bear shout during a quiet summer night?
Me neither...
Seppo
Feb-05-2013, 10:07am
More detailed pictures of the same instrument
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<Removed by Moderator. Please limit selling to the Classifieds.>
mandroid
Sep-12-2013, 12:11pm
Perhaps playing it while sitting on edge on the table in front of the player ,
was what the builder had in mind. ?
Seppo
Sep-13-2013, 12:46am
So here is a short sound sample of the same instrument played outside (leaning on the edge of the table ;))
I have four sets of 3 strings on it. No octaves which makes the sound a little brighter.
http://youtu.be/hQy0lDkGCxc