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Thread: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

  1. #1

    Default Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    I think the seller thinks it is Spanish because the label from this Paris retailer mentions Spanish guitars. I have no idea about its origin except that it is European. I will mention that the aluminium strap button is identical to one on my Czech made Martin Coletti from 1934 or thereabouts. Of course, it may not be original but if it is, then maybe it is from Schonbach in Czechoslovakia. I also have a tenor guitar made in the late 1920s and retailed by Arthur Windsor as a Windsor Whirle and it has that sort of bridge but for four strings. This was also made in Czechoslovakia. Does that monstrous pickguard cover up some nasty damage as there appears to be a crack you can see at the top.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-CLA....c100010.m2109

  2. #2
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    What a beauty. There are many light weight tenor ukulele cases that would be more convenient than the monster case shown.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  3. #3

    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    Funnily enough, the tuners- not least the buttons do not typically European. There is a word stamped on the tuner- it looks like FRANCE but I don't think that is what it says.

    I have found a number of Clavero banjo mandolin photos and I read at Django Books, a comment that said that Django Reinhardt played a Clavero Banjo guitar. Here is one- banjo mandolin: http://www.teslogos.com/boutiques/99...ollection.html
    Last edited by NickR; Feb-20-2020 at 3:37pm.

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    I could get a real obsession for old quirky mandolinettos. I really like the moment you take one out and nobody, including your jam friends, expects serious music to come out of it. And they are so much fun to play.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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    Registered User Peter K's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    What a beauty. There are many light weight tenor ukulele cases that would be more convenient than the monster case shown.
    Monster case indeed: looks like chipwood covered with adhesive plastic wood grain tape on the outside.

  6. #6
    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    That is one bad axx ax. A few images for posteriority:

    Mick
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    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    That is a huge pickguard, looks like a piece of woodgrained Formica!
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Interesting European Mandolinetto- Pre-War

    Looks like this maker was pretty prolific. The OP mandolinetto at first glance reminded me of similar construction to Spanish bandurrias. I also wonder how thick that scratchplate is and how this mandolin sounds.

    Here is a tenor guitar from the same maker on a French dealer's site. They say 1930s.

    And a sort of Selmer-style six string sold on Reverb by another french dealer.

    And a mandolin-banjo discussed on Banjo Hangout.

    And a classical guitar.
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