1940s Kay 2-Point Flatback Mandolin
I've worked on 2-point, 12-fret flatback mandolins from the '20s, 2-point f-hole archtops and 2-point roundhole archtops from the '30s, and a '40s variant of the roundhole archtop, but I've never worked on an all-flat (top and back) version of the "long body" Kay Kraft mandolin shape before -- let alone one in all-solid mahogany throughout and a neat dark sunburst finish.
This one is owned by a friend's family and it had been sitting-around here for ages. It needed a bunch of work and it finally received it a week or two ago. It had all the fun stuff -- braces detached, seams loose, a neckblock that was loose and a bad dovetail joint and neck needing a reset, and then all of the "setup-side" woes.
Post-repairs, it chops beautifully and makes, to be honest, a really good bluegrassy mandolin. It's got pop and punch, for sure, and tonally it reminds me of a good Strad-O-Lin but with a hair less compression. These sort of "release" like a spring when you hit them hard.
One weird feature is that the whole instrument lacks binding but for some reason the fretboard has tortoise binding.
Top wood: solid mahogany
Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
Bracing type: ladder
Bridge: rosewood adjustable
Fretboard: rosewood
Neck wood: mahogany
Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, low)
String gauges: 36w-10 lights
Neck shape: medium C/V
Board radius: flat
Truss rod: N/A
Neck relief: straight
Fret style: low/small
Scale length: 14"
Nut width: 1 1/8"
Body width: 10
Body depth: 2 1/2"
Weight: 1 lb 12 oz
Condition notes: it's scratched-up all over, has a replacement bridge and replacement nut, one repaired crack on the lower-bout-top, and plenty of small dings and scuffs.
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