Re: Any help identifying old Mandolin?
Originally Posted by
NickR
Many Neapolitan made mandolins made circa 1900 were little more than tourist souvenirs- their build quality is low and their playability zilch- then there's 120 years of life and its tribulations on top of that. This mandolin looks to be in good order- what you cannot tell is its intonation which you can check in person. I think you have to expect it to be a little less player friendly than your Kentucky. I began learning on my great grandfather's 1890s bowl backs. One was a Ferrari and the other a Vinaccia- a good make. When I pick them up now, I wonder how I persevered. I would assume this Regal might be a little easier to play than those two I tangled with many years ago.
Good point on the variable intonation on MOR Italian bowlbacks. With the Ferraris, DeMuredas, Lanfrancos, etc. etc. It can be pretty sketchioso in my experience.
My Vinaccia (not an MOR builder) is spot on, however. A joy to play.
I've had any number of Great Lakes Rim bowlbacks and have found the intonation to be fairly reliable. Or as reliable as one can expect from a short-scale mandolin.
Tone quality is another story, but I agree with Allen: A lot of nice mandolins came out of that L+H / Regal pipeline. What else is $180 going to get you?
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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