Should have mentioned that: both were built by Hutchins in the manufacturing hotbed of Springfield, and the primary difference was exactly that. Merrill was an entrepreneur of sorts and almost immediately got into trouble, so the whole episode was brief. He wound up not paying the manufacturer. There actually is a bit of wood stuffing in the neck of the Hutchins that can be seen from the sound hole with a mirror, and I think stuffing the headstock, but one of the interesting things is that the fretboard is die-stamped, frets included. How’s that for thinking production?
I’m not certain it’s the same material as the body - hopefully something a little stiffer, maybe German silver. Another tidbit is the decoration on the black ones, which looks excised, not stamped and must have been all handwork, and pretty deep too. The finish is still shiny, with no crazing, so I’m thinking baked enamel. Something one can do with an all metal mandolin!
Looking inside, it appears that the top is riveted to the bowl very nicely as nothing appears on the outside. Really high tech for 1898, very deep die stamping that bowl.
In my minimal research, haven’t found production figures for any of these, and I think the plain unpainted models probably predominated.
Although I’m not a collector, I am a techie, and when I identified this on Goodwill, I went after it as an very curious artifact of manufacturing history.
It is playable, but had they access, a nice stiff titanium alloy would have been better.
Did any of the aluminum basses come factory painted?
The majority of the 500+ ALCOA aluminum basses were painted. That is part of why I get suck a good price for the polished & pimped out models. The Pfretzschners were the opposite. Most were unpainted; only a small percentage were painted. A big part is the paint technology of the day. ALCOA had a 50 step patented process in order to get it to both look good and adhere.
Here is another Merrill:
Somewhat of a dabbler in aluminum-bodied instruments: I own a Merrill mandolin, with engraved aluminum bowl but a spruce top, wooden neck and fretboard -- and an aluminum bass, which I thought was a Pfretzschner, because it was riveted and not screwed together and has a wooden neck. However, it's painted faux figured "maple" (?), I guess.
So, maybe an Alcoa after all? Live and learn, at least I hope so.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Just received a third complaint about Synergy of an order placed late summer, full payment made and now complete silence for several months. Contact with businesses in the area appears to indicate the business address in question is no longer in use. Can't confirm that but where there's this much smoke, this much money paid and no communication, there's trouble.
Mandolin Cafe - Since 1995
Facebook - Instagram - Threads
Mandolin Cafe Case Stickers
Mandolin Cafe Store
This is such disheartening news. I hope it all turns out well and these folks either get their money back or get the instruments they paid for.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Unfortunately, there's a bit of grousing on other music forums about this company's lack of attention to communication and customer service. I anticipate since nothing seems to be happening publicly that it's only going to increase.
Mandolin Cafe - Since 1995
Facebook - Instagram - Threads
Mandolin Cafe Case Stickers
Mandolin Cafe Store
I bought a Mix ten years ago when I deployed to Afghanistan. It was great for traveling around, but I sold it when I got back. It was a fine mandolin.
<Violates forum posting guidelines>
- Refrain from using the forum as a market place, ie., a resource for selling, purchasing or trading. Please limit selling, buying and trading activities to the Classifieds section of this web site or other external locations.
Last edited by Mandolin Cafe; Feb-10-2023 at 4:26pm. Reason: violates forum posting guidelines
PattersonBarrett: you probably don’t know that it is against the rules here to do any trading on Therese forum. I am sure your post will be deleted soon. If you want to sell place a free add in the classified ad sections and if you sell donate 2% of the selling price to Mandolin Cafe.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
The Ovation Adamas has a carbon fiber top. It is - hands down - the loudest and best sounding mandolin ever.
Steve I followed with great interest your recent thread. Had to wipe my chin a few times.
Bookmarks