I get to see some really cool things come across my bench for repairs. This was one of the coolest.
I do not know anything about the maker of this instrument but he clearly had some skill with woodworking.
At the outset it looks like a classical with a trapeze bridge and a sort of ugly pickguard.
However the top is built akin to an old Martin or bowlback mandolin. He probably did this in order to get the proper string break angle on the archtop inspired bridge.
And the back is sort of "staved" in the same fashion as a bowlback mandolin.
The neck block is rather interesting as well.
The builder I assume
The bracing was the most interesting part to me. Again he obviously had some skill with woodworking I'm just not sure if he was trying to make something new or if he was copying a previous design as I have never seen bracing like this before in my experience (someone may have, I just haven't)
And the taper was fairly steep as well at the tailblock.
It was a fairly unique experience to hear it, I have a soundclip I took with my phone so I'll have to figure out how to post it. It had a tone VERY similar to an archtop, very cutting and midrangey but it had a sort of boxy sound to it that was not unpleasant, just odd.
Any thoughts on the design? It was pretty cool to me. It had steel strings on it which the owner insisted was what he intended. The builder is passed away now so we can't ask him what he was thinking originally with it. I just found it to be REALLY cool.
And a little soundclip shot with my phone.
https://youtu.be/Td_Nl8xk0RY