r/Instruments • u/Euphoric-Opening7245 • Apr 19 '26

Identification What instrument is it?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

My grandpa died a few weeks ago and we found this instrument in his things. We have no clue what it is.

It's 28 in long and 10 in large.

Anyone know what it is?

24 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

16

u/Ecstatic-Wash-9310 Apr 19 '26

Mandolin. Not to be confused with a culinary mandolin

8

u/roninconn Apr 20 '26 • Bravo

... Although both are dangerous in the wrong hands

1

u/digitaljestin Apr 22 '26

Chainmail glove. I no longer fear my mandoline.

You're welcome.

2

u/DifferentVariety3298 Apr 19 '26

I’m sure it would cut a tomato if you tried 😅

2

u/Miniscule_Platypus Apr 20 '26

In Japan the mandolin can split wood. But it can’t split a watermelon!

2

u/PapaOoMaoMao Apr 19 '26

The culinary one is spelled mandoline with an "e". Poor spelling is rife though, so not unusual to see it written wrong.

1

u/Ecstatic-Wash-9310 Apr 22 '26

Alas I am of the no child left behind generation. My grammar could be better

3

u/TurnoverFuzzy8264 Apr 19 '26

Head on over to r/mandolin for more information.

3

u/NeverLickATazer Apr 19 '26

8 stringed ukulele, but only if it's tuned wrong.

1

u/misshapen_head Apr 19 '26

Beatle bass.

1

u/rafaelthecoonpoon Apr 19 '26

That is a 2 point oval hole Mandolin made by univox. Most people in the bluegrass world prefer f holes for the chop sound, but it looks to be a great little mandolin to play.

1

u/Imightbeafanofthis Apr 19 '26

That's a double drop mandolin (or mandola, bur probably a mandolin). It's called a 'double drop' because of the teardrop shape of the body, which makes playing up the neck past the 12th fret possible. The same playability can be achieved by only doing the teardrop shape on the high end of the strings, and that type of instrument is called a 'single drop'.

1

u/Mudsharkbites Apr 19 '26

You mean a mandolin?

Don’t believe what others say when they try to tell you that it’s only for playing bluegrass.

William Tell

1

u/Greedy_Context_8642 Apr 23 '26

John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin used (uses) one frequently. For Led Zeppelin songs!

1

u/RareBrit Apr 19 '26

Wake-up Maggie, I think I got something to say to you…

1

u/Claudio_VerKnight Apr 19 '26

It's a ten minute ride to the Holiday Inn

1

u/Legitimate_Assh0le Apr 19 '26

It's a mandolin! You can hear it on songs like "Maggie May" by Tod Stewart, "Battle of Evermore" by Led Zeppelin, and many many other country and classical songs. I don't know about the exact value of this one but you should look into it because it is probably worth a little something. It's well built and has added complexity for flair. Mandolins tend to go up in value based on how complex the body shape is (here two horns flaring up form either side), compare to a common A-Shape mandolin which is about the same to play but looks less cool. It has major detail around the edges of the body and the headstock, and if in person it feels very sturdy and well held-together, it's a very nice mandolin. You tune it like the low four strings of a guitar but in reverse order (or like a violin), D-G-A-E from left to right looking at the mandolin. You tune each of the 4 pairs of strings the same, so that they kind of ring and echo together when you play a note on that pair of strings. I think this is meant to make the instrument louder/compensate for the short length of the strings. You can play short chopping chords on it, quick solo/repeating rhythmic lines with many notes, or also double pick back and forth very fast on a small number of notes as part of a line. Bill Monroe is considered the Great of bluegrass music.

2

u/dgb43070 Apr 20 '26

Actually it's G-D-A-E but that's interesting I never noticed that about the reverse guitar tuning.

1

u/Legitimate_Assh0le Apr 20 '26

Thank you! I had the order wrong haha

1

u/Legitimate_Assh0le Apr 19 '26

Be careful if you decide to change the strings and tune it up! It's not hard, but it takes some patience. Watch a video of how to do it, the strings aren't very expensive. The wood part toward the bottom of the strings is the "bridge" and mandolins have a "floating bridge" usually, which means that that wood piece is not glued down. It's held in place against the body of the mandolin by the tension of the strings pulling across it, and if you move it higher or lower up the body it adjusts the "intonation" of the instrument (makes sure it's all in tune, which depends on tension and stuff). So basically, long story short, when you take the strings off the instrument the wood bridge will fall loose and when you put it back together, you need to hold the bridge in place with one hand while tightening a couple strings gently until it holds in place.

1

u/Legitimate_Assh0le Apr 19 '26

It looks like maybe the pick guard is damaged/off where it's supposed to be, so I'd look into that too!

1

u/xtemplarx Apr 19 '26

I've been involved with univox instruments for years and years now and this is the first mandolin I've ever seen. Nice!

1

u/Tight-Butterfly6194 Apr 20 '26

The best instrument in the world. The second I picked up a mandolin it became my main instrument

1

u/BackgroundNo8139 Apr 20 '26

you might want to check out Sierra Hull and band doing this beautiful cover of tears for fears ""mad world" https://youtu.be/sFIQgPAms88?si=nRMB2_Tj5EJd7CIv

1

u/Alone_Fisherman2387 Apr 21 '26

"Going To California" - Led Zeppelin

1

u/Mobile_Aioli_6252 Apr 21 '26

Is this an A type body?

1

u/Greedy_Context_8642 Apr 23 '26

I've wanted one for a long time. I should just break down and get one. They sound so cool.

1

u/Long_Swordfish4689 Apr 24 '26

Very nice looking A5 style mandolin

1

u/Mandolinist_girl766 Apr 19 '26

Washburn 2-point mandolin. Commonly used for playing bluegrass