https://reverb.com/item/6836595-hand...in-aaaa-flamed
I have been looking closely at this instrument. I'd use it as a beater. The price is surely right for that purpose. Unfortunately, there's a bit of a mystery regarding its history and its wood that I'd like to solve before I pull the handle.
The seller tells me he has no idea who built this mandolin, or where it was made. I then asked him directly if it was made in Viet Nam, since his own name is Vietnamese. If it is, I probably won't buy it, because other Vietnamese instruments I've seen, too often warp and split in my temperate climate.
The seller does insist that the back plate is maple, although that doesn't look quite right to my eye. But I could be wrong. The mandolin's tailpiece may be the giveaway of its origin, since I've seen others just like it sold by the Vietnamese builder, AntonioTsai, on EBay.
Any opinions are much appreciated.
Bookmarks