Bass mando in horrible shape

[Greenlawmando]

I'm not sure what to do- on a dare I picked up a tragic, ancient bass mando. It's guitar shaped, with a tiny soundhole. From the tip of the endpin to the end of the scrollwork on top it's about 7 feet tall. It had to be beautiful in its day- six layers of purfling, pearl inlay on the upper bout, and a once good flame all over. Cracks, separations- think of an issue and this mando probably has it. what can be done with such a beast? <Removed by Moderator. Pushing Posting Guidelines>I dropped 100.00 on it, and it looks pretty funky in my library....

[Petrus]

Pictures! Pictures!

[Rob Zamites]

Pictures! Pictures!

That ^^^^

[pianoman89]

Pictures! Pictures!

Yes!!! please!!
If your around here long you'll find some of us are suckers for extreme projects

[Londy]

Yes on the photos!

[Jim]

Gotta see pics!!!!

[WELSrev]

Sounds like you may have stumbled upon a Berda which in the tamburitza world is the equivalent of the bass. Does it perhaps look like something like this?

[Jake Wildwood]

It would be totally cool if it was one of those... :D

[mrmando]

Consider donating it to a mandolin orchestra, or if it's a berda, to a Serbian/Croatian cultural group if there's one in your area.

[Greenlawmando]

It's a Berda!
Thanks Ken- discussing getting it to the Berda hospital for restoration!
Thanks all!

[Greenlawmando]

Pictures below- it may go to the Berda hospital to be restored and played. You folks are great!

[Greenlawmando]

My apologies if I broke any guidelines with my post. Honest- it wasn't my intent. It was meant to be informational. I did mention what it cost to procure the Berda- I'll not make that error again.

[MysTiK PiKn]

Berda -wow. Never heard of such a thing. Thank you.
I would have called it a 'standup bass of sorts, or something like that'.

but now, I have to ask - Is there such a thing as a "bass mando"?

Congrats on stealing an obviously highly significant instrument - no matter what it's called. I'm a real sucker for lost puppies and dirty old junk instruments. I recently fell in love with yet another. And then there's the ones I let go by = duh, oops.

Thanks for the show. MORE PIX WELCOME ???

Is a Berda typically from a certain country, like olde Euro stuff, or what? - hungry for more info. google time, I spose.

My mando world is expanding........

Is it playable? maybe?

[BradKlein]

The topic title is so appropriate, that I'll add this photo and a link to an ebay auction for a Gibson bass mandolin (mandobass). LINK HERE I think it is fair to say that the opening bid of $5k is not going to find a buyer for this severely damaged instrument with a neck break that can not be made wholly whole for any price. But I'm sure if the price were 20% or so of that, it would find a new home. No mando-orchestra is complete without one!!

[StuartE]

Is a Berda typically from a certain country, like olde Euro stuff, or what? - hungry for more info. google time, I spose.

Berda is one of a family of tamburica (or tamburitza) instruments from Central and Southern Europe (Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, etc.) and immigrant communities in the United States, as evidenced by the Tamburitza Association of America. The breda is the largest and lowest pitched and others range in size up to the prim or bisernica, which is roughly the size of a mandolin. They are most commonly played in an ensemble, from small groups to larger conglomerations similar in size to a Mandolin orchestra. The Atlas of Plucked Instruments has pictures and links to youtubes of the various tamburitza instruments on its East Europe page. Most seem to be guitar shaped.

Here's a tamburitza group



Sounds more than a little like bluegrass.

[pianoman89]

The topic title is so appropriate, that I'll add this photo and a link to an ebay auction for a Gibson bass mandolin (mandobass). LINK HERE I think it is fair to say that the opening bid of $5k is not going to find a buyer for this severely damaged instrument with a neck break that can not be made wholly whole for any price. But I'm sure if the price were 20% or so of that, it would find a new home. No mando-orchestra is complete without one!!

Honestly, if I had 5k sitting around, I'd go for it. The last one on ebay was in way worse shape than this one and was at $4500 when it disappeared. Not saying it sold for that, but it may have...

[onassis]

My apologies if I broke any guidelines with my post. Honest- it wasn't my intent. It was meant to be informational. I did mention what it cost to procure the Berda- I'll not make that error again.

No worries. You didn't break any rules that I could see. We talk money all time. Just don't try to sell anything using the forums. That's what the classifieds are for.

[zedmando]

It's a Berda!
Thanks Ken- discussing getting it to the Berda hospital for restoration!
Thanks all!

It looks cool--hope it goes well...

[BradKlein]

As for Gibson madobasses, I think you'd be able to find one in very good playable condition for well under $5K. But it's true, they don't come up that often.

And Stuart, you're right, the tamburitza ensemble does sound like a distant relative to the bluegrass quintet. If only they'd had a Slovenian Scruggs!

[MysTiK PiKn]

Honestly, if I had 5k sitting around, I'd go for it. The last one on ebay was in way worse shape than this one and was at $4500 when it disappeared. Not saying it sold for that, but it may have...

Going by the writeup on ebay, this one is in pretty good shape. The needed repairs are common. The neck repairs are described as ok and likely ok. Needs rebuild tailpiece trapeze. No big deal.

It really looks like it's all there, except the option endpin on the side for sitdown option.

clean it with some oil and restring it? 5K is pretty steep; but they are really rare. Haha, collector's wars. omg.


I think I would rather find a BERDA for an easy 100 - that's complete and utter THEFT. And the BERDA is likely not too bad condition either. But lots of room for repair costs there, no problem. Likely needs some HHglue, and a set of strings. I actually like the appearance of the Berda better. omg, unbelievable for a hundred bucks. Get a case to protect it.

[darrylicshon]

I like this one



But i would love to find a Berda for $100 can't wait to see it fixed up and hear it, great deal great Berda

[MikeEdgerton]

The reason the message was edited was because the line that said something like "Anybody looking for a good project?" could have have been seen as an offer for sale and that would be a violation of the Posting Guidelines. It's an interesting thread, I would rather it continue.

[Greenlawmando]

It's Croatian. I saw a cut on YouTube of a little girl (although given the size of the instrument, she may have been 6 1/2 feet tall) playing one. They're supposed to have loud percussive sounds when played in Eastern European orchestras. Hopefully this story doesn't end for a while...

[Greenlawmando]

Thanks for the feedback! I honestly wasn't fishing for cash. It sounds like this beast will eventually be revived and play with its brethren once again.

[Greenlawmando]

That's a beautiful berda you've got there!