c.1957 Airline Electric Mandolin
Serial #L6545 337. Kay-built, and sold mail-order through the Montgomery Ward Company, this 'Airline' mandolin with its blade-style pickup and on-board controls is wired for sound, and just might be able to provide you with the volume you are looking for. Full disclosure: we had this instrument running through a Fulltone OCD pedal and into a Fender Custom Shop tweed re-issue and thought the result was pretty spectacular.
Sunburst maple back and sides with a sunburst spruce top and rope binding give this mandolin a particularly striking appearance. The mandolin works well acoustically; but let's not kid ourselves, it really shines when plugged in to an amp. Completely original and in good condition, there is some slight finish crazing along sections of binding and one area of binding separation -- but not much else worth noting. Frets are excellent, and the instrument was carefully set-up in our shop; it plays very well.
Comfortable maple neck, block Pearloid fingerboard inlays, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, mahogany headstock overlay with 'Airline' decal, Kluson '4-in-a-line' tuners, 13-15/16" scale and 1-1/8" nut.
With original Chip-board case
Sunburst maple back and sides with a sunburst spruce top and rope binding give this mandolin a particularly striking appearance. The mandolin works well acoustically; but let's not kid ourselves, it really shines when plugged in to an amp. Completely original and in good condition, there is some slight finish crazing along sections of binding and one area of binding separation -- but not much else worth noting. Frets are excellent, and the instrument was carefully set-up in our shop; it plays very well.
Comfortable maple neck, block Pearloid fingerboard inlays, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, mahogany headstock overlay with 'Airline' decal, Kluson '4-in-a-line' tuners, 13-15/16" scale and 1-1/8" nut.
With original Chip-board case