Looking for info on M. G. Contreras mando

[dave nance]

I picked up an old(er) mando w. M.G. Contreras label. Does anything about the style, or the label, allow this thing to be dated? Workmanship on it is not top-notch; I'm thinking this was a practice project by an apprentice. I'd also appreciate any general information anybody could point me to about Contreras mandolins. I can find a lot about their guitars, but nada on their mandos.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here is every thread on the cafe with the word Contreras in it.

[Jim Garber]

Mandolins were not all that common in Spain -- Spanish music usually uses a cousin called the bandurria. Obviously Contreras made his mandolins to look like his Spanish guitars. The company is still in business being run by his son. I would think that they didn't make too many mandolins. Maybe you could contact them for further information: Manuel Contreras

[dave nance]

Jim, I actually did contact Contreras and yesterday I got a response! They said (1) all the mandolins (and also bandurrias and laudes) they ever sold were made for them in outside factories, as they never built anything in their shop except for guitars; (2) the mandolin I ran across must be at least 25 years old, because it has been at least that long since they even stocked mandolins in their shop at all. They couldn't say much more about mine except that if it has mahogany sides and back it would be a student-grade model whereas if it has rosewood sides and back (mine does) it should be a better quality model.