2010s Red Valley Spruce/Maple Flatback Mandolin

Overview: Red Valley mandolins are made by Mr. James Wilson and he has a whole lineup of mando-family instruments in his repertoire. This one is a flatback style and is visually-similar to older '20s and '30s instruments but has modern appointments, fret access, and building techniques. It's also a beaut with all of that pretty maple used throughout!

Tone: It's woody and clean-sounding with a nice pop when dug-into. I'd say this would definitely fit the Celtic/old time player contingent but you're not going to 'grass with this one.

Feel: It feels nice and solid and sturdy and has a pretty traditional neck feel -- with a fuller, medium-heft C/V rear profile (like a Gibson) but a quicker, modern-style, 1 1/8" nut width.

Interesting features: Well, I love the flamed maple all over. The maple binding mixed with the pinstripe of black behind it is also a very nice look. The tuners are good, the tailpiece is classy in execution with its rosewood veneer, and the fact that the builder fit an adjustable bridge to a flatback mandolin from his workshop goes a long way towards me having warm, fuzzy feelings about him. I feel like adjustable bridges on mandolins are a requirement for modern, gigging players and it drives me batty when I find them absent on modern flatbacks.

Repairs included: I gave it a restring and some setup adjustments.

• Weight: 1 lb 12 oz
• Scale length: 13 7/8"
• Nut width: 1 1/8"
• Neck shape: medium-full C/V
• Board radius: flat
• Body width: 9 5/8"
• Body depth: 2 1/8"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid maple
• Bridge: ebony adjustable
• Fretboard: maple
• Neck wood: maple
• Action height at 12th fret: hair-under 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 36w-10 lights
• Truss rod: non-adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-narrow

Condition notes: It's very clean with only the most minor of handling-wear. It's been kept tidy and in a case. The fretwear is absolutely minimal (I would have leveled and dressed them if needed) and it looks like an instrument that has only had 10 or so hours of use. There may be minor flaws (teensy scratches) that I am not noticing, but that's the gist of it.

It comes with: It has a nice hard case!

Consignor tag: HKS