guitar joe - Posted - 11/29/2012:  07:50:03

Greetings to all. My first post here! I posted this topic on the "other"  mandolin forum as well, in the hopes of acquiring more info on it and, provided it's within forum rules, a possible worth, as I will be selling it in the very near future. I've come across a vintage mando that is quite interesting and that I believe to be rather rare.

I think it's an Octave Mandolin (or so my research would indicate). Key relevant dimensions are as follows... 13-3/4" width at lower bout, 22-7/8" scale length and 3-1/2" body depth, 18 fret neck with neck-to-body joint at the 12th fret. It has a lovely solid spruce top (although I don't know what type of spruce it is exactly) and the other woods used for the back (solid), sides (solid), neck and headstock veneer are unusual, and certainly deviate from what is typically seen in flat top acoustic guitar construction.

Both the nut and bridge appear to have authentic shell pieces made from the same material. The nut employs a notched piece of shell attached to what might be ebony base to complete the nut. The bridge appears to be rosewood and uses the same shell material but rather than assembling it like a veneer, as in the case of nut, it has the 'saddle' pieces artfully dovetailed into the actual bridge. There is no evidence of another bridge having been used. Everything on the instrument appears to be purpose-built and original.



The instrument is very well constructed, and no doubt built by a professional independent instrument maker or company. I'm familiar with vintage guitars in general, and I can say with some degree of confidence that it appears to date around the early '30's to perhaps late '40's? Possibly as early as the late '20's but unlikely later than 1950. It certainly doesn't appear to be made by any home hobbyist!



I've attached some pics of the instrument for you to examine. The only evidence of a manufacturer that I can determine on this mando is from the "Cid" company, although the only thing "Cid" about it may be the tailpiece (see "Cid" Co. of Markneukirchen, Germany, one of the house brands of Gebruder Schuster). I could find no evidence of an Octave Mandolin built by the company in what little catalogue material exists.



It's a rather unique and unusual flat top, X-braced octave mando. As far as I understand it, X-braced, flat-topped octave mandos are a rather recent development, and I haven't been able to find anything like this, dating from the early to mid-20th century. It's quite resonant and reminiscent of an early 0 or 00 sized flat top guitar. It also has a very pronounced "V' neck - comfy! I can't possibly do it justice with my current level of proficiency as a Mandolinist, and will likely sell it eventually (any opinions on valuation would be welcome).



Many thanks in advance for any input or opinions in the matter!

Edited by - guitar joe on 11/29/2012 08:01:32

guitar joe - Posted - 11/29/2012:  07:52:01

More pics...

guitar joe - Posted - 11/29/2012:  07:54:15

more pics...

guitar joe - Posted - 11/29/2012:  07:55:22

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Edited by - guitar joe on 11/29/2012 08:00:15

guitar joe - Posted - 11/29/2012:  07:56:34

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Edited by - guitar joe on 11/29/2012 08:02:32

TI_USER - Posted - 11/30/2012:  17:38:55

I saw this Octave over on the Cafe and commented on it there.  I would definitely classify it as an Octave based on the scale length. I still think it's one of the coolest instruments I've seen.  Beautiful workmanship and details.  I would love to hear how it sounds.  It's a shame, but not surprising, that no one has been able to supply any info on it.  Very possible that it's just a one-time build.  I really love the look and sound of guitar-shaped Octaves instead of a gigantic F5 bodied type.  I have one that I converted from a guitar and it sounds incredible.  How I would love to get my hands on that one.  I wouldn't have the faintest idea of its' value.