~1930 Oscar Schmidt Galiano Sunburst

Oscar Schmidt Galiano Mandolin c 1930 | $350 | (v2426) During its run of about fourty years, the Oscar Schmidt factory in Jersey City, NJ, produced scads and scads of instruments labeled with myriad brand names.. guitars, banjos, and mandolins, too. This particular mandolin is labeled Galiano, which was a pretty common Schmidt label, probably second only to Stella. The instrument displays all the hallmarks of a 'catalog' instrument built circa 1930: all birch construction, minimal appointments, and a decalcomania motif.

The lute-shaped birch body is stained with a reddish oxblood with a sunburst on both top and back. The top is bound in what is likely holly, features the decalcomania motof and a celluloid-bound sound hole. The bridge is the floating type with a bone saddle.

The mandolin measures 24" in length; scale length is 12 7/8"; lower bout measures 8 3/4" with a body depth of 2 5/16" at the tailpiece and 2 3/4" at the midpoint. The neck is carved in a "U"-shape and measures just under 1 1/4" across at the nut. String spacing at the saddle is 1 5/8".

The mandolin appears completely original and in near mint condition. There are no evident repairs or cracks, only minimal nicks from use, some wear on the dyed fingerboard and some oxidation on the metal tailpiece. We recently leveled and dressed the frets, and the second string frets out at about the tenth fret due to some 'cupping' of the board over the body, quite common in catalog-type instruments.

The mando has nice action and plays well producing a ringing, woody tone. A near-mint vintage mandolin at a fair price.

Comes with a gig bag.