Augustino LoPrinzi electric mandolin on Ebay

I once owned a nice LoPrinzi acoustic guitar and I know that he also makes high end ukuleles but didn't know he had made this mandolin. It looks cool.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38435478454...wAAOSwCAJhE~Ly

Note the 1964 date on the case, long before his full-time involvement, and possibly made on his parents' kitchen table! IIRC, he was in New Jersey then.

http://www.augustinoloprinzi.com/mee...-loprinzi.html

My first LoPrinzi experience was in the mid-80s, a nicely constructed but not-well-cared-for dreadnought that a banjo-playing friend had taken in exchange for some whitewater kayaking gear. Prior to the internet and the copious research materials available now (and my first "good" acoustic), I guessed that it might have been built from a Martin kit. I ended up borrowing it for a year or two in exchage for some repairs. Surprisingly decent guitar for what I suspected was a home-built.

I first become aware of LoPrinzi guitars through Mark Cosgrove, when I lived near Philly. I liked the headstock shape he used.

http://www.mcosgrove.com/instruments_02.htm

I remember a few folks in the 1970s-80s who played LoPrinzi guitars. They were nicely made flattops with a good sound. This electric mandolin was probably a one of a kind custom model. The pickup should sound quite nice.

I like the funky look of that mandolin.
This is my 1981 Augustino CM-20. It sounds great. Got El-Kabonged by a drunk in a bar fight when I was out on break, so the back has a rough cleat. Refinished after having the finish marred by Off mosquito spray and having the crushed velvet lining of the case stuck to it.
A friend absconded with it in the 90's and returned it with a couple glued cracks. A few years ago, the Neck and bridge were worked on by Third Coast in Chicago, now plays like a dream.
Attachment 196087Attachment 196088

Some friend... absconded and left You with the bill? At least you have the guitar and all the mojo that went with it.

Eldon Stutzman, founder of Stutzman's Guitar Center, sold quite a few LoPrinzis in Rochester in the 1970's, when I worked there part-time. (Had to be part-time; he was only open Saturdays.) Nice guitars; when the LoPrinzi brothers stopped building together (I think they were brothers), Augie started making Augustino guitars and ukuleles very much like LoPrinzis. Tom also built guitars -- coulda been he who kept the "LoPrinzi" name -- but they were hand-built in a one-man shop, I believe.

Augie was building in Clearwater Florida, now his daughter is with him. They won the LoPrinzi name back and are using that.
Label in my Augustino
Attachment 196090

Shades of Hans Brentrup!

I believe the LoPrinzi company was purchased by another company. One brother stayed with the company. August left and made his own things for a while.