This mandolin's pearwood
headplate has a pearl block inlaid near the scalloped top end, but for some
reason it does not bear the John D'Angelico logo engraved in the block. We see
what appears to be glue around the pearl block and that area is a bit messy -
we wonder whether the pearl block might be a replacement - put in by a prior owner
who didn't want a brand name to show. We
do not recall D'Angelico ever doing "messy" work and so we suspect
that our theory is accurate. See below
for the solution to this problem. The ebony fingerboard is inlaid with 8 mother
of pearl dotmarkers in 6 positions. The
bridge is replaced with an ebony two-piece adjustable; the tailpiece is the
simple scalloped "slide-down" type, nickel-plated, and original and
the tuners are open-gear, ivoroid button and original. Its top and back are bound in single-ply
ivoroid; the elevated tortoise-shell colored celluloid pickguard is original
and held in place by a simple metal side clamp.
The instrument shows finish checking overall, on all
surfaces including neck and headstock; it
shows normal light signs of wear including dings, nicks, light pick marks and
scuffs. There is a mark in front of the
bridge on the forward bass side, perhaps made by the original John D'Angelico
bridge, but the part that plays the role of “the bridge” in this production of
“Spider Person” is replaced. Our shop
is performing fret work on this mandolin and when that’s completed a standard set-up
will be executed and the mandolin will play at its best. This mandolin is entered into John D's
logbook as having been made for "Jack - Friend." Unfortunately, in this single instance, we do
not know Jack.
D’Angelico mandolins are uncommon (John made just 47
of them) and, as you would presuppose,
they are also incredibly great sounding.
Our former head of repair (he worked here over the past 22 years) and
now a Consulting Master Craftsperson to our workshop has said that he would be able,
on an after-purchase basis, to make the buyer, by hand, in the precise style of
John D’Angelico, a replica bridge and a replica D’Angelico/New York” block of
pearl for the headstock. He said that
the fee would be $600 inclusive of both items. This would, in our opinion, be extremely
worthwhile for the buyer of this mandolin to consider. Although this is very fine sounding as it
sits, having the D’Angelico replica bridge would undoubtedly also improve the
sound and tonal response. It is a
revision to be yearned for, but one that is easily satisfied. If owning a John D’Angelico hand-made mandolin is
included in your vision of “eternal happiness” this is a really nice one and it
would, we vouchsafe you, make you genuinely happy.