Hello all,
Since the fall of 2017, I've been working with Don Paine of Pomeroy Instruments on a novel build, playfully dubbed the "liuto americano". The concept is a sort of evolution of Don's "V-style" builds, which typically feature niceties including inlaid purfling, edge overhangs, and hide glue to hold it all together.
My instrument takes a couple of steps closer to the world of violin making. Perhaps the most notable of these is the headstock scroll. The concept is an old one, and can be found on Lyon & Healy's among others. The difference is in the design and execution! Well, I think it looks good anyway...
Another fairly unique addition is the floating tailpiece, which is an ebony/brass/ebony laminate. This construction is needed to withstand the pulling force of the 10 strings. I won't lie, we might have destroyed a couple of prototypes in the process of getting this right.
Finally, she's got a JJB piezo, and room for a humbucking EM pup which will be built by another luthier. Bit of an eclectic mix of elements for sure...
So, why the funny name? I felt "mandocello" didn't really describe its eccentricities at all, and rather conjured images of K-1's, K-4's and K-5's. My instrument shares perhaps more in common with the liuto cantabile (from the 5 courses to the headstock scroll) but then again that term generally suggests bowl back construction and a more "medieval" aesthetic and sound. I even toyed with calling it a cittern, but this also felt unsatisfying, since it's a bit of an umbrella term for multi-coursed instruments of various scale lengths and tunings.
Then it sort of hit me: Don has a long history of making incredible instruments steeped in American mandolin-making heritage (right down to the locally sourced Colorado Engelmann). Yet, he's also fully willing to experiment and draw inspiration from other traditions of luthiery when it serves the project. What's more, while I myself am something of a mutt genetically and musically speaking, I consider myself all-American; a product of the great melting pot. To be "Made in America" is to be adaptable, eclectic, and boldly individualistic. Hence "liuto americano"!
This thread on the history of the mandocello helped cement my choice of etymology: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...ocello-History
All tangents aside, we're still about a month out from the finishing touches, as we'll begin the varnishing process in a matter of days. Nevertheless, I'm proud to share some pics of this oddball "in the white" with the 'cafe, which has been a wonderful source of education and inspiration along the way.
Cheers!
Edit: this isn't meant to be a self-promotion post, but if you want to take a look at some of the build process, I've got some photos up on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecelloronin/
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