craigslist: something you don't see everyday

[JeffD]

From the article:

The severely-arched soundboard offered no flexibility which resulted in the amplitude and tonal qualities being rather poor.

That is the failing. And I wonder if that can be gotten around. I suspect not.

[T.D.Nydn]

Really an amazing instrument to copy,the original ,as far as I know, was carved,front and back.each a,single piece of wood,this copy looks like it might have breaks at the base..also,,I would like to see the back of the copy...

[Timbofood]

Playability was not great due to condition, the thing needed some very patient careful restoration work, I don't remember if we even got it anywhere near pitch, that was forty years ago! I knew it was virtually a mandolinists "unicorn" even though I was green as rookie could have been.
Bill Halsey might have more memories of it, or at least, more accurate ones. Another fellow at the shop took quite a few pictures of it, and one might be the first one(the dark topped one) but, I'm not sure. There was a fair amount of vegetables consumed in my youth, and that might have had an impact on my memory.

[JEStanek]

If I had $1800 just sitting around unused, I would own it. Really. But, I don't.

Jamie

[Tobin]

If I had $1800 just sitting around unused, I would own it. Really. But, I don't.

Jamie

I would too. Not that I'd necessarily want to play it on a regular basis. But it would look really cool in my parlor next to my baby grand piano.

[goaty76]

It's not the only Orville Lyre copy around. This one resides in Canada. Possibly made by the same builder?

Phil

[addamr]

If Prince would have been a Bluegrasser. I can see that being what he would have played.

Adam

[JeffD]

If Bill Monroe had played one, we would all be playing them now, and whatever sound they made would be the prized sound that all the builders would be trying to emulate.

[Timbofood]

It's not the only Orville Lyre copy around. This one resides in Canada. Possibly made by the same builder?

Phil

Equally as much an "homage" and maybe a even less close to the original. Strange sentence structure, sorry about that.
The arms are much more "open" far from the "Lyre" design of the original. Possible that it may have been built by "Luther" as well but this has a better case. Well, maybe not.
The asymmetrical character of the peghead in conjunction with the "wide track" lyre arms give a certain "joie de vivre" which "Luther's" does not carry.
Back to the corner.
Have fun.

[Jim Garber]

From the same era and made in the Calace shop circa 1899:



Andrini Brothers:

[Bertram Henze]

Given the choice between 2 equal-sounding instruments, I'd always take the one with the least complication per elegance ratio, i.e. the less pretentious looking one.

[Mark Wilson]

I do like the looks of the headstock on that thing

[Jim Garber]

I do like the looks of the headstock on that thing

Which thing, Mark? There are a few "things" on this thread.

[Mark Wilson]

You're right. The OP 'thing'

[Jim Garber]

Hmmm... who does this mandolin remind me of... ?

[OlDanTucker]

Makes me think of Dr. Suess...