1890s Regal-made Oak Mandolinetto

Mandolinettos (guitar-shaped mandolins) were somewhat popular in their day but remain pretty rare when you're trying to hunt for one. Like this one, most are "concert-ukulele" in size and overall shape, but follow the general specifications of a period bowlback mandolin -- a shorter (in this case, 13 1/4") scale length, narrow nut (1 1/16" here), and a tight, clean, and crisp tonality. They're easier to hold than a bowlback mandolin, however, and much more "compact." They travel just as easily as a concert uke.

I think that, sound-wise, they really do sound close to a "good bowlback" instrument, but with perhaps a little more snap and a slightly wider bottom-end. This one sounds fantastic for folksy, Celtic, old-timey, or classical voicing but I would definitely not try to hook-it-up for anything approaching "choppy" bluegrass playing.

I'm pretty sure this guy was made by Regal when they were still in Indianapolis, though I can't be sure of it. It has a lot of the earmarks of Regals of that stripe, though, and even has some beautiful quartersawn oak for its back and sides. There are no cracks, though I did a bunch of work to get it going -- it for a board plane and refret, compensation added to the bridge, seam and brace reglue work, cleaning, and a full setup. The neck is straight, it plays on-the-dot at 1/16" at the 12th fret, and I have it strung with GHS A240 strings -- 32w, 20w, 13, 9 -- which are close to period gauges.

It's also an understated looker, huh? The ladder-braced spruce top is bound in white celluloid and the pickguard is inlaid rosewood. The fretboard is rosewood, the neck is mahogany, and the bridge is ebony.

Everything is original to the instrument, though the tailpiece originally had a short cover that was broken-off from its base and missing when I received it. I bent the broken "tabs" that held it down and strung it as-is with a bit of muting-foam at the tailpiece to cut-down on overtones.

I like the lightly-cut "open-book" headstock.

The dots are pearl and my new frets are smallish uke or "vintage mandolin" stock in size.

After I leveled the board, I had to omit the 17th fret location as there was not enough wood to grab the fret the way I liked and I didn't want to go cutting into the top.

The original ebony bridge received compensation and, amazingly, it's nearly at its full original height.  I cut down the slots 1/32" at most. These instruments didn't have much back-angle to speak of on the bridge when they were made.

There's that ooh-baby oak I was talking about! It fits right-in with the furniture around the house (in a good way, mind you).

I love oak as a tonewood -- a boost to sustain and a sweet midrange seem to be its characteristics.

The tuners work just fine. I lubed them while working on it.

Here's that very old-fashioned tailpiece.