Wm. Stahl Mando Bass

[Charles E.]

This just hit the classifieds.......

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/116501#116501

Looks pretty cool. NFI

[allenhopkins]

I took a look at it at Bernunzio's yesterday. It's in need of some cleaning up, restringing etc., but appears structurally sound. Flat top, no induced arch that I could see. There's a retractable leg on the treble side so it can be played by a seated musician. John said it was "found in an attic,"

Don't know how he'll price it when he's finished getting it sales-worthy. Also, no idea if there's a bag or anything to hold it. I've never seen or heard of another Stahl mandolin-bass, and I'm not enough of an expert to evaluate the "Larson brothers" hypothesis. It's generally known that they built for Stahl, but Stahl sold instruments by other builders as well. A Larson attribution would, doubtless, jack up the market value.

Amazing vintage instruments do come to light periodically. I'm not in the market for this one, but it's sure an interesting find.

[Jim Garber]

Allen: Do they still have that Fairbanks Whyte Laydie Contrabass Banjo? That was amazing.

[allenhopkins]

Allen: Do they still have that Fairbanks Whyte Laydie Contrabass Banjo? That was amazing.

Haven't seen it the last couple times I stopped in. I'll ask John next time -- assuming I remember.

[ukrobbiej]

Allen: Do they still have that Fairbanks Whyte Laydie Contrabass Banjo? That was amazing.

How on Earth is anyone supposed to reach fret 1 (or indeed anything up to 5 by the looks of it) on that !!!

[gweetarpicker]

Here are photos of a Prairie State mandobass likely built by the Larsons.

www.vintagefrettedinstruments.com

[ollaimh]

I took a look at it at Bernunzio's yesterday. It's in need of some cleaning up, restringing etc., but appears structurally sound. Flat top, no induced arch that I could see. There's a retractable leg on the treble side so it can be played by a seated musician. John said it was "found in an attic,"

Don't know how he'll price it when he's finished getting it sales-worthy. Also, no idea if there's a bag or anything to hold it. I've never seen or heard of another Stahl mandolin-bass, and I'm not enough of an expert to evaluate the "Larson brothers" hypothesis. It's generally known that they built for Stahl, but Stahl sold instruments by other builders as well. A Larson attribution would, doubtless, jack up the market value.

Amazing vintage instruments do come to light periodically. I'm not in the market for this one, but it's sure an interesting find.

that store gets good stuff occasionally and we have allen hopkins as our man in rochester! to spy for us!

[allenhopkins]

Allen: Do they still have that Fairbanks Whyte Laydie Contrabass Banjo? That was amazing

After some delay, I have an answer to your question. John Bernunzio attended a performance last night where I was part of the opening act, and I asked him about the Vega Contrabass. He says he sold it to Bela Fleck, after several months of restoration and setting it up. Finding strings that were a foot longer than standard bass fiddle strings was a challenge; they had to be specially made, and the first set didn't work, so it took a couple tries to get them right.

John asked Fleck if he planned to play the instrument himself, and he said he had someone in mind to play it -- possibly Edgar Meyer, John didn't know. I'd keep an ear out for upcoming Fleck recordings and see if the Vega shows up on them.