Can anyone identify this old thing?

[Spiel]

My late wife's grandfather's mandolin. If there was once a label inside, it's gone now. Just thought someone might recognize it.





Thanks!

[PlayerOf8]

My late wife's grandfather's mandolin. If there was once a label inside, it's gone now. Just thought someone might recognize it.





Thanks!

Washburn from the '30s

[MikeEdgerton]

I think it's a Lyon & Healy product, most likely 20's. Washburn was an L&H brand.

[Spiel]

Awesome - thanks. I can do some more research now. The thing is more an heirloom than an actively-played instrument, but I take it down every once in a while, give it a drink and strum a few chords. I guess at some point the back split, and someone repaired with a big swipe of glue and, unaccountably, a screw . . .

Thanks again for the quick replies!

[Spiel]

Yeah, I see some similarities between mine and this one:


Out of curiosity, is it the tailpiece that gives it away?

[nmiller]

It's a Regal-built mandolin - which means it could still be a Washburn from the early '30s.

[Hany Hayek]

A back split is not a problem and if well repaired should not affect the sound.
The bridge is not placed in the correct place. It can harm the top. Check the picture of the other mandolin you posted.
I think it's worth restoring and it could make a wonderful playing mandolin. Pleas post a pic of the back and the screw

[MikeEdgerton]

Yeah, I see some similarities between mine and this one:


Out of curiosity, is it the tailpiece that gives it away?

That one is actually a Martin. Everybody used that Waverly cloud tailpiece.

[Spiel]

A back split is not a problem and if well repaired should not affect the sound.
The bridge is not placed in the correct place. It can harm the top. Check the picture of the other mandolin you posted.
I think it's worth restoring and it could make a wonderful playing mandolin. Pleas post a pic of the back and the screw

Thanks for the info. In this picture you can see the poorly-done repair (I assume) in the back:



And yes, there is also a crack in the front - caused by incorrect placement of the bridge, you suggest? I confess I don't know much about mandolin setups, so I should probably take it somewhere. I did take it in to have the strings replaced and the guy didn't say anything about the bridge. The three or four chords I do know sound pretty sweet, but I'd rather have it properly intonated. Here's the front split:



Also, the fretboard is in terrible shape:



I don't know how much it would cost to bring this thing back to life - if it would be worth it. To me, it's mostly a piece of family history. It is playable, and it has been hanging on the wall in our living room (I know, I know) for years and years. I'm wondering if anyone has an estimate - like: if it costs more than $______ to fix, don't bother?

[Spiel]

That one is actually a Martin. Everybody used that Waverly cloud tailpiece.

Right - originally I thought that picture came from a L&H website, but I just checked again. It is a Martin

[Hany Hayek]

It will require some work, but you haven't paid anything for it. My guess is it should cost less than a new good mandolin and will sound better than a new mandolin once restored. Check with a luthier and see what it will cost. The fingerboard will just have to be leveled. Th crack on the top can be repaired but you have to remove the strings immediately to avoid more damage.
The back will require work. I had a bowl back in far more worse condition restored and now it's my best sounding instrument.
You can always sell it as a project for restoration, but I guess you will not be getting much for it.
Check this thread by Cafe member Jake Wildwood.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...tback-Mandolin

[William Smith]

I personally like how the so called "budget" brands had inlaid pickguards of many kool designs and the tuner back plates with the engraving. some were quite elaborate. What was the make of the mandolin that had the wood carved on the back of the peg head, I can't think of it right now? It was really well done. Even the cheaper instruments were built with some serious pride in my opinion.

Mike is right again, the clamshell tailpiece was used by everyone, even Gibson but some are engraved just beautifully. I've seen some real plain jane mandolins with highly engraved covers, I find that odd but hey in the world of mandolins nothing is normal

[Russ Donahue]

It will require some work, but you haven't paid anything for it. My guess is it should cost less than a new good mandolin and will sound better than a new mandolin once restored. Check with a luthier and see what it will cost. The fingerboard will just have to be leveled. Th crack on the top can be repaired but you have to remove the strings immediately to avoid more damage.
The back will require work. I had a bowl back in far more worse condition restored and now it's my best sounding instrument.
You can always sell it as a project for restoration, but I guess you will not be getting much for it.
Check this thread by Cafe member Jake Wildwood.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...tback-Mandolin

I second Jake as an option for the repair work. He does excellent work at a fair price.

[tonydxn]

About the fingerboard - that does not look like normal play wear. I think someone has had a go at converting it to a scalloped fingerboard (a feature of some old European fretted instruments). Not much you can do with that except leave it as it is. It would be nice (and not expensive) to have the missing pearl dots replaced though.

[August Watters]

The pickguard and headstock shape don't look Martinesque to me, although anything is possible! Agree, the body shape looks like the Martin photo.

Please take the tension off the strings, until your instrument is restored! When an old instrument suddenly gets played again -- that's when the cracks start happening, as dried-out wood takes stress it's not used to. And the screw-repair -- ouch! I wouldn't play this until that's redone. Also the strings appear to be possibly too heavy for this instrument -- many old instruments have been ruined by modern strings, bending necks and caving in tops. You see this on eBay all the time! These vintage instruments were built for much lower tension than today's mandolins.

The bridge being on the wrong side of the cant -- could be from someone trying to get the action lower, if the neck has bent forward. If the intonation is WAY out at the 12th fret, that's a pretty strong hint.

Am loving your instrument! For sure, I'd get it restored. The market value might not be much, but sentimental and educational value are important too.

[MikeEdgerton]

That Regal may have the bridge on the correct side of the cant. Unfortunately that isn't universal.

There is no way this Lyon and Healy mandolin could have had the bridge on the other side of the cant.

[August Watters]

Now that you mention it, that pickguard goes down awfully close to the cant. Maybe not enough room north of the cant for the bridge?

[MikeEdgerton]

Yes, that's usually the dead give away. Looking at the Washburn Book the ads show most of the bowlbacks with the bridge above the cant and then around 1919 they seem to start migrating south. Who knows.

[tonydxn]

Here's a photo of a 1920 Vega 201 I recently repaired. Bridge below the cant (otherwise it would be nearly sitting on the pickguard)