Re: Who was the first American mandolin manufacturer?
Well, "English guitar" and "cittern" were used interchangeably for what was basically the same instrument, and we now classify the cittern as a member of the mandolin family. But the lineage of the mandolin split off from the larger-bodied instruments, so I'm not sure finding a cittern builder in French Canada would answer the question of "Who was the first American mandolin manufacturer?"
And I am sensitive to the fact that Canadians are "Americans" too, though "American" usually refers to the US in common speech.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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