Introducing the Haywood Mini Camper Suitcase Travel Mandolin.
Designed and constructed in the same spirit as the Army/Navy (A/N) mandolins of old., this mandolin (Serial #0018) is designed to travel in a standard 27” suitcase rather than a duffel bag or knapsack and to withstand the rigors of modern travel without the need for a separate case. It is the perfect practice mandolin for sitting in a hotel room or at home. Small in size but not in tone or volume, there is no embarrassment in taking this one out to a jam – even to a bluegrass jam.
The 13” scale length is necessary to achieve the correct mandolin length (23.5”) and to get the bridge in the correct location for full resonance of the top. It does result in a little bit of an “old fashioned” sound, but frankly it sounds better than the other small mandolins I've heard. The scale actually has improved my ability to see and use larger sections of the fret board as I play, which is an unexpected bonus. This mandolin is designed and braced for J 74 or other medium gauge strings. The Macassar ebony fret board is very comfortable to play and adds substantial strength overall. The medium sized frets and the custom shaped one-piece maple neck (1 1/8” at the nut) add to the ease and comfort of playing. The neck has a solid non-adjustable steel truss rod. The one-piece bridge and the hand made bone nut set the strings to a medium-low action, resulting in excellent playability and intonation. The cloud tailpiece provides a good resting place for the forearm.
This is a very niche instrument, but it was made necessary by my particular travel needs. Thanks for looking.
Tom
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