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Thread: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

  1. #1
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    I'm wondering if anyone knows of a builder (possibly in Alabama) or of a distributor who used or uses the name "Ole Pal." This is in recent years. Thanks.
    Cary Fagan

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Cary: I remember this one and have files from the eBay auction from January of this year. Did you buy it?
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    Jim

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  3. #3

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    I don't know if Gene Austin can help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUSzLOiksDU

  4. #4
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Jim, it's not the same but no doubt from the same builder/shop. I did just buy it on ebay, though, and it arrived today. Here are the photos from ebay which are ok if not great.

    I could find not a word about them anywhere. I studied the pictues; this mandolin is too good to come from an unknown amateur luthier. So I thought: maybe a small Chinese or Korean shop? Looking around, I saw that it has similarities to J. Bovier mandolins--headstock shape, fretboard extension--but these are not uncommon. So really I didn't know and the seller didn't either. So I took a flyer and got it for $380.

    I've just had a half hour of play on it. And it's a very, very nice mandolin. Beautiful. Great neck. Feels good. And sounds very good. Not top rate builder good but better, in my opinion, than any Eastman I've owned or played. It has a dry bluegrass sound, very clean. I think maybe it needs opening up because it was sounding much better at the end of that half hour. There's zero fret wear so I think it really hasn't been played. I'm thinking of keeping it as a second mandolin for those trips I don't want to take my Passernig. And I can put it in a gig bag on my back. We'll see if I still like it in a week or a month but I think I will. Also, I don't know what strings are on it but will change them. And who made it? The label says it's number 016. It's signed but indecipherable. The alabama address is crossed out. And--hmm-the name and dog image on the headstock are overlaid. My guess is still that it's a small shop Asian mandolin. How else would it have ended up selling at this price? I'm very happy with it so far.

    Did that earlier ebay ole pal have any info?

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    Cary Fagan

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    I think the older eBay F-5 also came from a music store in Alabama. The tp has Ole Pal engraved but nothing on the headstock and the seller mentioned a label but had not pics of it. Cary, you are becoming the collector of quality oddball mandolins.

    I suppose it could be Asian but I lean more to small individual maker. However, you have the mandolin and can assess the details better than I can. Do you still have the Porayko? Do I remember correctly?
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    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Well, it might be a small builder. There's something about the delicacy of the instrument, the thin finish, the lack of any rough spots that isn't like any Asian instrument I've ever seen except Northfield. Partly it's me not quite believing my luck if it is; I do have a soft spot for individual luthiers.

    Yes, I had the Porayko. It didn't serve my particular musical needs, though, so I reluctantly let it go--sold it to a player in California. I'm either very lucky or I spent a frightening amount of time looking for instruments and taking a risk.
    Cary Fagan

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    The luck I have that is similar yours is more in the realm of fiddles. I have three violins I have accumulated over a number of years all designed and patented by Frank M. Ashley of Brooklyn, made to his specs by Rettberg and Lange in 1915. Two are my main playing fiddles.
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    Jim

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  9. #8
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Oh, nice, Jim. Never quite seen a shape like that. I also like having instruments from local (more or less) builders. I own a CK Williams banjo that was made here in Toronto circa 1910, the hardware probably from SS Stewart.

    The real luck is that I live in a city that has a lot of music but not a lot of used mandolins. So I can buy something, keep it for a while, perhaps do some repair or set up or add a pick guard, and the sell it, usually at a small profit. I've had about 30 instruments go through my hands that way which makes it more possible to find something special.

    It was funny you asked me about the Porayko because just yesterday morning I thought of perhaps writing a little essay on him and publishing it as a chapbook to give to anyone interested. I actually tried to give it to a Ukranian cultural museum, mandolin orchestras having been important to their community, but got no answer. Volunteer run I suspect. I also tried to give it to our Royal Ontario Museum (a great natural history museum) but they turned it down. Of course once they own something they have the responsibility to preserve/conserve it indefinitely.

    Hope your poetry is thriving, Jim.
    Cary Fagan

  10. #9

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    The luck I have that is similar yours is more in the realm of fiddles. I have three violins I have accumulated over a number of years all designed and patented by Frank M. Ashley of Brooklyn, made to his specs by Rettberg and Lange in 1915. Two are my main playing fiddles.
    beautiful but strange shaped fiddles, wow.

  11. #10
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    I have always liked oddball fiddles and have owned a few others but they didn't sound all that great. These have been my main ones for about 25 years or so. They have a mellow sound almost like a viola.
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cary Fagan View Post
    I own a CK Williams banjo that was made here in Toronto circa 1910, the hardware probably from SS Stewart.
    <snip>
    Hope your poetry is thriving, Jim.
    Hah, there is a poet I have been reading lately named C. K. Williams.
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  13. #12

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    https://www.guitar-list.com/product-type/mandolins

    Maybe the Ole Pal will be listed here. It is not in alphabetical order, however.

  14. #13
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by DocT View Post
    https://www.guitar-list.com/product-type/mandolins

    Maybe the Ole Pal will be listed here. It is not in alphabetical order, however.
    Nah, you can find their whole list here. This looks like a site just used for placing eBay ad links. You could find as much or more info with a direct Google search.
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Hey Cary: I was just surfing on Spruce Tree's site and found another 1930's Ontario mandolin maker I never heard of.


    Kushnir A Style Mandolin - 1938
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  16. #15

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    I have always liked oddball fiddles and have owned a few others but they didn't sound all that great. These have been my main ones for about 25 years or so. They have a mellow sound almost like a viola.
    i bid on a hopf fiddler at seattle northwest folk life years ago--like 1988, which was about three inches wider than normal, but a thin body on the edges with a pronounced dome in the middle. it sounded very good but the bidding was hot. i have often wondered who designed that fiddle.

  17. #16

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Hey Cary: I was just surfing on Spruce Tree's site and found another 1930's Ontario mandolin maker I never heard of.


    Kushnir A Style Mandolin - 1938
    the jewel of canadian hand mandolins from an early time was benko. he made instruments in montreal in the forties and then moved to toronto. the still existing 12th frett bought his old buiulding and had some of his tools and molds, but i don't know if they kept them.

    the few benkos friedns have picked up at flea markets were top tone, As with oval sound holes, but there was a discussion here on mando cafe about a forties f that turned up on ebay. if you ever see a benko cheap--grab it. carved tops and backs and top quality tone.

    the store in rochester had a few but they were looking for top dollar, when i looked for garage sale finds.

  18. #17

    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Hah, there is a poet I have been reading lately named C. K. Williams.
    williams had a store on toronto going way back. they often ordered instruments from well know companies with their name on them. some of the banjos were really great open back frail instruments. i had one for a while but i gave it to a teen friend who was totally broke but was quite a good banjo player. he needed it to busk. i found it in a junk store so it only cost me $70. but williams sold guitars mandolins under their name . they used to be forgotten but around toronto they now have a following.

  19. #18
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by ollaimh View Post
    the jewel of canadian hand mandolins from an early time was benko. he made instruments in montreal in the forties and then moved to toronto. the still existing 12th frett bought his old buiulding and had some of his tools and molds, but i don't know if they kept them.

    the few benkos friedns have picked up at flea markets were top tone, As with oval sound holes, but there was a discussion here on mando cafe about a forties f that turned up on ebay. if you ever see a benko cheap--grab it. carved tops and backs and top quality tone.

    the store in rochester had a few but they were looking for top dollar, when i looked for garage sale finds.
    Bernunzio was the Rochester store that had a Benko A model with f-holes back in 2016. 12th Fret has an article about the maker here.
    Jim

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  21. #19
    Registered User Cary Fagan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone ever heard of 'Ole Pal' mandolins?

    I just took another look at this thread and, Jim, a closer examination shows that my mandolin is the same Ole Pal that you have photos of. Clearly the name and image on the headstock were applied after. I wonder if your seller was the builder who applied them before putting it up for sale again.

    I'd love to see a Benko in real life but never have.

    There is a book about the Toronto Williams store. It has photos of their factory, building bowlbacks and guitars. I have a friend who has restored a Williams guitar.

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