Anyone heard of a "Camp" mandolin?

[Ben Cooper]

I have an older (I think) mandolin, flat back almost A style and the wood looks almost unfinished. The Headstock says "Camp" in a nice script. Any ideas on this one? Will post pics when I can.

[allenhopkins]

Sure it's not a ukulele? How many strings?

Camp ukes were fairly common; they had round "pancake" bodies, and were inexpensive instruments, often painted rather than varnished or lacquered. Harmony made 'em, Gretsch did too -- as a matter of fact, they've started making camp ukes again, with a "blueburst" kind of finish:

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[Ben Cooper]

Well it looks mostly like one of those, but it definitely has 8 strings.

[Ben Cooper]

Here are pics. The back of the headstock says Lyon & Healey. As you can see, on the front someone wrote the tunings for the strings.
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[OldSausage]

Now that is a nice round mandolin! Looks like the back is arched, or is that just the lighting, is the top arched at all? Could you post a pic that shows more detail where the neck joins the body?

[Ben Cooper]

Back is arched, front, not really. I need to get it some TLC. Has a small crack and various small things about it. Its very cool though. When tuned up it has a very interesting tone.

[OldSausage]

Thanks - I would love to hear it.

[allenhopkins]

Definitely a Camp mandolin. Never seen one before. Here's (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2012/05/c1921-lyon-healy-early-camp-uke-ukulele.html) a Lyon & Healy Camp ukulele, which seems to have the same headstock profile, as well as the closed-back "resonator" design, though the uke has a centered rear soundhole.

Jake Wildwood estimates the Camp ukulele to be around 1921 vintage, which is when L&H started building them. You've got a rarity IMHO.

[Ben Cooper]

Thanks - I would love to hear it.

Welcome! As stated below, I am going to get it fixed/set up when I can... still paying for my newest mando which I will be getting in September. Then I will see about making a recording of it.... though I am NOT much of a player yet.

[Ben Cooper]

Definitely a Camp mandolin. Never seen one before. Here's (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2012/05/c1921-lyon-healy-early-camp-uke-ukulele.html) a Lyon & Healy Camp ukulele, which seems to have the same headstock profile, as well as the closed-back "resonator" design, though the uke has a centered rear soundhole.

Jake Wildwood estimates the Camp ukulele to be around 1921 vintage, which is when L&H started building them. You've got a rarity IMHO.

Thanks for the info! I am thinking that I will take this little one to my local luthier (as soon as I can afford to) to get it set up and have any repairs made to make it playable.

[Jim Garber]

The Camp ukes are pretty common and the back is sort of a resonator, spaced away from the rim. I would say the mandolin version is pretty rare.

[Gplayer]

Very cool instrument. Looks like you could sing for your supper...and eat it off the back.

[Tobin]

Back is arched, front, not really. I need to get it some TLC. Has a small crack and various small things about it. Its very cool though. When tuned up it has a very interesting tone.

The important question everyone wants to ask here is, "is it woody?" :))

[Ben Cooper]

The important question everyone wants to ask here is, "is it woody?" :))

Do you mean Woody from Cheers or from Toy Story? Or perhaps Woody Woodpecker? :whistling:

[MikeEdgerton]

The camp mandolin is referenced on page 213 of Hubert Pleijsier's excellent book Washburn Prewar Instrument Styles (http://www.amazon.com/Washburn-Prewar-Instrument-Styles-Pleijsier/dp/157424227X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376662880&sr=8-1&keywords=washburn+prewar). They also have the patent drawings of the uke (it included all stringed instruments with similar design). That patent can be seen online here (https://www.google.com/patents/US1757577?dq=W.I.Kirk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fDQOUs_hLcegyAG1oYBQ&ved=0CEMQ6AEwAw) and another similar one is here (https://www.google.com/patents/US1750843?pg=PA1&dq=W.I.Kirk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wDQOUqauB-LXyAHxu4DYBg&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAjgU#v=onepage&q=W.I.Kirk&f=false). The eight string model is referred to as a mando uke and there were versions with F holes as well. They also built camp tenor and six string guitars.

[MikeEdgerton]

And to confuse you further, from Frank Ford's www.frets.com, the Gretsch Camp Uke (http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Museum/Ukulele/Gretsch/CampUke/campuke.html).

[Jim Garber]

The L&H version was actually branded Camp Uke (for the Uke) and Camp (evidently) for the mando-uke. One I have has no front sound hole but a back with a hole. I also have a Camp Uke Junior which was I guess the budget model.

[MikeEdgerton]

Two things about the Gretsch model. Barring a Gretsch catalog surfacing that shows one, it may be that people call them the Camp model because the shape was associated with the earlier L&H product (maybe not), and Gretsch didn't call them that at all. Also the possibility that it was built by Regal after Regal was magically created out of the L&H womb and sold to the trade, in this case, Gretsch. Pure speculation on my part with nothing other than an over active imagination going for me right now.

I totally missed Allen's Gretsch camp model.

[Ben Cooper]

Well the stamp on the back of the headstock definitely says Lyon & Healey. Its a fun thing to have and find out about. I will look into the Washburn Prewar Instruments book. Looks like it is probably pre-1940's and may be as early as the early 1920's. Very cool!