vintage mandolin made in USA ?

[kkmm]

I just bought a mandolin from local free market !!!
Trying to tune G and D and play, the tone is quite warm and pleasant so I bought it for 30$.
Here are some pictures:


I have no clue what this one is. Been told by another buyer that it is an antique mandolin made in USA.

There are a few long cracks on the back that have been repaired, one on the top that seem to close tight. I will look inside to check the braces, etc....

The back and the sides are covered with a layer of epoxy to make them look shiny, but the back has many bumps and is not smooth. I plan to sand it smooth, away the epoxy layer and refinish the back if necessary.

The back plate appeared removed once and reglued back as it is not perfectly lined up with the body after glueing. I will have to sand of the excess part.

The bridge is just a tad low (string action very low), and the string slots are not placed correctly as the 2 outer strings lay right on the edge of the fretboard. I will carve a new bridge with black ebony.

If there are other info related to this mandolin, I love to hear them.
Many thanks in advance.

[MikeEdgerton]

Harmony used that scratch plate. You're going to find the same mandolin misidentified as a Larson and a Regal. Any chance we could get a full shot of the label? Everybody at that time built for the trade.

Here's one branded Supertone on Jake Wildwood's site..

[kkmm]

Here are the two photos that form the label. Too bad, there is a long piece of wood (a long cleat !!!) cover part of the label.


- - - Updated - - -

How come I cannot post photos using my smartphone ? only with computer !!!

[MikeEdgerton]

That's a Columbia label. The brand name was used by multiple distributors. This is a later version of the same label.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here's another similar mandolin.

And by the way, I would have bought that for 30.00 as well. Nice find.

[kkmm]

Thanks Mike for all these details. The label in my madolin is all worn out, but still readable. Now I know what kind it is. I am making an old bridge taller so the action is not too low.

[NickR]

Yes, a good buy all right and as Mike has mentioned it is almost certainly a Harmony made instrument- probably the 1920s.

[kkmm]

This morning, I took out the metal plate behind the head stock, lubricate tuner gears.

Also sand the back plate with 220 then 500 to remove a thin layer of epoxy, then wax it and buff it.
And finally put on a new set of strings.




Happy with this mandolin.

[kkmm]

My fear turns out to be real. I suspected this mandolin has a sinked top. Indeed, after installing strings and tune it up, although it holds OK, the top sinks down a bit on the bass side. So I go on repairing this issue. (a new topic: USA mandolin, sinked top repair)

[kkmm]

Sinked top is now fixed. I will wait for 2 more days before tuning up to pitch. String action is now much higher as the top raises up. Will have to sand down the saddle.

[NickR]

Were there screws holding the tuner units in place after you took the plate off? A common Harmony trick was not to screw them in- and allow the plate to hold the units in place!