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I almost always go with a used instrument. The depreciation has already been factored in, the sound is likely to have matured, and if/when you upgrade you can get out of the instrument what you put...

No, they don't have to sound better.

I've had Italian bowlbacks made by the same luthier, one extremely ornate and the other rather plain; they both sounded just fine, and both had the...

I've had items stuck in Customs for 6-8 weeks, <Removed by Moderator. Posting Guidelines>. Once an object enters Customs, there's no way to find out what's going on. No sense hassling the sender;...

Customs, especially for items arriving through NYC, can be a black hole. I've had various purchases go into Customs and remain there for well over a month before returning to the USPS package stream....

A bit spendy at $3750.

https://cartervintage.com/collections/all/gilchrist
https://www.gilchristguitars.com/victorian-electric-mandolin

Seconding the Bernunzio suggestion. Definitely worth the trip.

Rice (uncooked, of course) rattled around extensively inside an instrument can knock loose stuff that's growing on the interior surfaces. That would be my first step, anyway. Once you dump it out,...

Lyon & Healy was going to be my suggestion as well; short violin-sized scale, nice balance between bass and treble response. IMO the ideal compromise. Of course, hands-on is necessary since every...

My first mandolin was a pawnshop Czech mandolin, back in 1966. It was a lot f fun,. and I still have several to play with.

If you like it, why not? The great thing about mandolins is the...

Calton. They may still retain the template I provided, though it was many years ago.

The "sound ports" on the sides of the instrument are also reminiscent of the De Meglio style instruments. It would tempt me toward an Italian origin, but I'd never go so far as to actually say so.
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Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

There are a number of issues to be addressed before this instrument could be made playable; cracks repaired, nut and bridge constructed, general cleanup....

Bowlbacks are usually made with bent tops, and they sound fine. Some are definitely not cheap.

"Better" is the wrong way to look at mandolins. "Best for a particular purpose/sound/tonality" is...

Wenberg's Violin Makers of the United States does not list Duda as a maker. My hope for a score was dashed. It looks better than a violin made by a trumpet maker, though!

Looks like a very nice mandolin. Hopefully the structure is sound.

I've not seen an instrument of that quality with an unlined bowl. I have no reason to doubt the date.

Washburn/L&H Style A #2349 flat board.

Vibration creates changes in structures. The nature and extent of the changes varies depending on circumstance. Simple engineering truth.

If you want more specifics you'll have to seek them on...

Probably most use the same underlying software pkg.


Instruments that sit unplayed for any extended period will also benefit from being played; the sound character changes for the better after a...

Anything "new" will face a quick depreciation hit. Beyond that, there's the whole "opening up" discussion; many feel that a new instrument's ultimate sound will only manifest itself after being...

Four-post string mounts are indicative of an earlier instrument. Late 19th to early 20th century. I like the striped bowl, a handsome feature. Not a high-end instrument, but certainly worth stringing...

I dislike telephones. I don't wish to be intruded upon at the whim of strangers.

Email can be dealt with on my own schedule, and it provides a permanent record. Beyond that, complex concepts can...

The F-style body point is a plus for me. I nearly always play sitting down, and it aids stability.

There's a lot of good mando albums out there, but the ones that made me want to play mandolin were the early Ry Cooder recordings.

Maybe I'm dating myself. (Actually, I've long been at an...

I have doubt about the bridge as well. My only example is from considerably later, so designs might have changed, but the bridge on the mandolin in question seems sort of crude when contrasted with...

Carved top provides its own bracing, to some degree at least, permitting heavier stringing without additional risk of collapse. This would seem to encourage more volume. For the most part, carved...