Yes it looks like alternate color ribs; it's also a 6 string MIlanese mandolin.
Milanese mandolin:
"it's also a 6 string MIlanese mandolin"
How is it tuned?
Joseph Baker
I wanna see a photo of Beethoven holding a mandolin. Otherwise, it didn't happen...
Isabel Mandolins
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arche...50923841658006
I must admit the title gave me a chuckle. Now, if you told me Mama June owned a tater bug, I might be inclined to believe that......
http://www.crane.gr.jp/CRANE_Strings...essMandoE.html
"Milanese mandolin, a 6 single stringed one, was popular in Italy. It had a long history and seemed to have already existed in late 1600. Antonio Monzino of Milan born in 1725 was a renowned maker of Milanese mandolins for 6 generations and some said that he is the one who invented this mandolin. In late 19th century, Cassino Co. in Italy introduced a 6 course 12 metal string mandolin and Oscar Schmidt and others had built them. But both single and double stringed 6 course mandolins disappeared from the musical scene soon afterwards. By the way, 12 string mandolins which has been introduced in early 20th century often adopt four courses of 3 strings each.
The following might be an extra, but all the enthusiasts and owners of Milanese 6 string mandolins (if there is any) should pay close attention.
Originally, gut strings are used for treble 3 strings, iron wire wound silk string for bass 3 strings, and they are tuned to (g-b- e'-a'-d"-g"). I will list a selection of strings that can be easily obtained, although iron wire wound silk strings are still distributed today. My impression while repairing one of these mandolin is that it did not sound well if gut string are used on 1st though 5th. I should rather say that it sound earthy instead of sounding bright or flashy. The impression may be enforced further when one compares it with modern steel stringed mandolins. It sounded better with fluorocarbon strings, but one need to pay attention on string selections.
A=440Hz L=305mm
2.0kg in average, except for 2.5kg on 1st.
g-b-e'-a'-d"-g" normal tuning
1st g2 : Gut 0.324mm, nylon 0.36mm, or fluorocarbon 0.277mm (3/2.5 gauge)
2nd d2 : Gut 0.40/0.36mm, nylon 0.44/0.42mm, or fluorocarbon 0.33mm (4 gauge)
3rd a1 : Gut 0.52mm, nylon 0.58mm, or fluorocarbon 0.44mm (7 gauge)
4th e1 : Gut 0.70mm, nylon 0.76mm, or fluorocarbon 0.57/0.62mm (12/14 gauge)
5th b : Gut 0.94mm, metal wound VN 5092, nylon 1.04mm, or fluorocarbon 0.79mm (22/24 gauge)
6th g : Gut 1.16mm or metal wound VN5116"
It seems to be tuned g–b–e′–a′–d″–g″ , mostly 4ths. Very similar to the modern bandurria/laud tuning.
The "two-tone pattern" mentioned is often caused by using alternate ribs of different woods, the lighter-colored one maple, the darker either rosewood or mahogany. I have a Washburn bowl-back mandola with alternating maple and rosewood ribs.
This construction seems fairly common among US-made bowl-back instruments from the early 20th century.
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
As far as we can tell, Beethoven was instructed in Violin, Viola and keyboard (organ, harpsichord, piano). No evidence I know of that he played anything else.
Jammin' south of the river
'20 Gibson A-2
Stromberg-Voisinet Tenor Guitar
Penny Whistle
My albums: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?u=7616
Read here on Marilynn Mair's site for background on these pieces: Beethoven’s Mandolin.
Also, some threads back when the classical section was on fire.
Beethoven's Mandolin Pieces
Historical mandolins and cultural preferences
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Beethoven wrote some dance tunes without opus - here's two:
The photo in Bone's book is a bit odd in that it looks like a late 19th century Lombardic (or Milanese) mandolin that David posted the picture of. A Milanese mandolin of Beethoven's time could have been either six single or double courses, but that body shape in the photo does look more late 19th century. The other theory is that Beethoven and Hummel's music was written for the 4 string Cremonese mandolin which was tuned gade like a Neapolitan mandolin. although with four gut strings. The last link of Jim's post above, is fascinating and worthwhile reading, where several of the most expert people in the world on these instruments throw ideas back and forth over five pages of posts. The body shape of a Milenese or Cremonese is more likely to be something like these, but not necessarily. Both are from around 1800, and likely to be known in Austria.
http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com
The Mandolin Project on building mandolins
The Mandolin-a history
The Ukulele on building ukuleles
Well, start by understanding that anything you put up will probably be deleted. It is trial and error, with a lot of the latter. If you need help, just give me a shout.I've admitted to myself I'm enough of a nerd I should edit Wikipedia now and then lol. I'm curious how you got around to posting a picture.
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