Lyon & Healy Mandobass?

[thecelloronin]

Hello all,

I was browsing some Facebook discussions, when someone posted this picture:



Can't seem to find any information on this model. When was it made? What's the going rate? Were they any good?

Thanks for any insights.

[nmiller]

I know L&H made mandocellos, but I've never seen a mandobass from them. The Washburn book mentions a L. H. Leland-branded mandobass but attributes it to the Larsons. The accompanying picture only shows it from the side but it could be the same instrument.

Visually, I'm not seeing much of a resemblance to other L&H instruments, but I'm happy to be overruled if someone has better info.

[mrmando]

That is more likely a tamburitza bass. I doubt it has anything to do with Lyon & Healy.

[allenhopkins]

...The Washburn book mentions a L. H. Leland-branded mandobass but attributes it to the Larsons. The accompanying picture only shows it from the side but it could be the same instrument...

The pic of the "L H Leland Mando Family" on p. 116 of Pleijsier's Washburn Prewar Instrument Styles does show a Leland mando-bass, and it does have a scroll headstock like this one, but it doesn't have the guitar-like upper and lower bouts the OP's example has. I was considering whether this one might be a Regal "Basso Guitar," but Carlin's book has pics of the Regal, and it has a slotted headstock, not a violin-family scroll like this one.

I have a Larson Bros. Stahl mando-bass, and it's nothing like this. It's shaped like a really large oval-hole A-model, similar to the Gibson J mando-basses. I've never seen a guitar shaped bass with a pickguard above the soundhole, either.

The tamburitza basses I found pics of through Google are much more like bass fiddles, with f-holes and (in some cases) "violin edges," but some have pickguards located above the soundhole. So that could be a clue.

Mysteries! Sure are fun...

[Jacob]

Martin nailed it. They are played with a very large pick.

https://youtu.be/HGlQi-cK2Dg

[thecelloronin]

Looks like Tamburitza was the keyword I was looking for. A further look reveals a lot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbU3...Y&spfreload=10

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