Wurlitzer mandolin ca. 1896

[Bil Kerrigan]

I saw this Wurlitzer mandolin with a ukulele shaped body at a music store yesterday. It was strung with light gauge mandolin strings and sounded pretty good. The tag identified it as being made by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company about 1896, and they described it as a Mando Guitar. Any thought on what it is worth?

[MikeEdgerton]

Wurlitzer was a distributor, they didn't make anything. That is what we commonly refer to as a mandolinetto. They were made by many companies. Scan through these threads to learn more about them.

[EdHanrahan]

FWIW: Got to play a Wurlitzer guitar at Lark St. Music in NJ (NFI), and fell in love with the tone, the feel, even the slightly beat up bar frets!

It's actually a '23 Martin 000-18, 12-fret slot-head. Unfortunately, Lark St's website navigation doesn't let me post a direct link; it's maybe 2/3 of the way down in their 50 or so Martin listings. http://www.larkstreet.com/stock.html

[Bil Kerrigan]

Thanks for the info and the links. It looks like it might be made by American Conservatory, but I am still not sure. The place selling it wants $195 for it, and that seems a little high. It sounds pretty good.

[allenhopkins]

American Conservatory was a brand of Lyon & Healy, the big Chicago manufacturer/distributor. They made labeled instruments for music stores, like Wurlitzer -- as did C F Martin, as Ed's post states.

I wouldn't consider under $200 to be unreasonable for a playable mandolinetto from the early 20th century. Plus, the tailpiece is cool. That said, it's a specialty instrument, usually with a very thin, bright voice; my Howe-Orme mandolinetto doesn't get a great deal of use. I'd say, if it interests you, and fills a niche in your musical interests, why not?

[Jim Garber]

FWIW I doubt it is 1896. Here's the page from my 1912 Lyon & Healy catalog.

[Bil Kerrigan]

Thanks! That is clearly the one. The only difference is the tailpiece.

[ollaimh]

American Conservatory was a brand of Lyon & Healy, the big Chicago manufacturer/distributor. They made labeled instruments for music stores, like Wurlitzer -- as did C F Martin, as Ed's post states.

I wouldn't consider under $200 to be unreasonable for a playable mandolinetto from the early 20th century. Plus, the tailpiece is cool. That said, it's a specialty instrument, usually with a very thin, bright voice; my Howe-Orme mandolinetto doesn't get a great deal of use. I'd say, if it interests you, and fills a niche in your musical interests, why not?

gott agree under 200 seems cheap to me if you think you'd enjoy it.

[Mike Stewart]

Unfortunately, Lark St's website navigation doesn't let me post a direct link;

Nah, they just wrap it all in a frame, from the looks of it. Here's a direct link to the pix:
http://www.larkstreet.com/list/pict/000wurlitzer.jpg