1923 Martin (Wurlitzer-sold) Style A Flatback Mandolin

I've worked on lots of Martin Style A mandolins -- a different one was in for a setup just last week -- and they always hold-up really well as they age. Most don't even need neck resets to be good players after work. This one's been around the block a bit and is heavily played-in, but post-fixing it sounds tip-top. It's louder and fuller than the average Style A and has pretty good cut despite its mellow voicing.

Style As, with their mahogany back and sides, are a lot more common than the rosewood-backed Martin flatback mandolins and share trim options from the Style 18 guitars of the time -- rosewood binding, mahogany back/sides, spruce tops, and ebony fretboards and bridges.

I think these sound great for folky/Celtic sounds in a trio or quartet but they're not my first choice if what you want to do is punch through a larger group's mix.

Repairs included: side/seam repairs, a fret level/dress, replacement 10th-fret dot, new compensated ebony bridge, hairline top crack repair (just one on the canted portion of the top), general cleaning, and setup.

Setup notes: the neck is straight, strings are the 32w-9 GHS A240 set (never go above 10s on these), and action is hair-under 1/16" at the 12th fret. The original bar frets on these are low-ish and small, but that's the way they were when it was made -- and they have decent life left in them yet.

Scale length: 13"

Nut width: 1 1/8"

String spacing at nut: 1"

String spacing at bridge: 1 5/8"

Body length: 12 1/4"

Top width: 9 1/2"

Side depth: 2 7/8"

Top wood: solid spruce

Back/sides wood: solid mahogany

Bracing type: ladder

Fretboard: ebony

Bridge: ebony, compensated, new

Neck feel: slim C/soft V, flat board

Condition notes: it's all-original save one face dot, the bridge, and a missing tailpiece cover. There's a ton of scratching and playwear all over the instrument and the bass side near the tailpiece/lower area of the instrument has a couple patched/filled areas and hairline crack repairs just above the kerfing. It's all good to go but there's discoloration to the finish (pictured) in that area. The only crack is a very tight (repaired) hairline on the top to the bottom/side of the bridge's treble wing.