R. A. Mango 12 Fret Jumbo Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1934)
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Item #3143
R. A. Mango 12 Fret Jumbo Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1934), made in New York City, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black hard shell case.
One of the most interesting guitars we have seen recently, and a real part of the lost guitar history of the New York City area. This very large jumbo flat-top guitar carries the label and stamp of one R. A. Mango, a luthier about whom little is known but who was active in the city before WWII. The guitar is most reminiscent of the big-bodied Galiano guitars popular with the the area's top guitarists in the 1920's, most notably Eddie Lang and Nick Lucas.
The Italian-American community in the New York area contributed many great musicians to the era, as well as many instrument makers, including the single most celebrated luthier of his time, John D'Angelico. While R. A. Mango himself has faded into obscurity, this guitar remains as evidence of the creative pool of talent at work designing and building string instruments in the Gotham of the 1930's.
The connections between many period names in New York lutherie like Galiano, Ciani, Cerrito, Stella/Schmidt, and D'Angelico are definite but somewhat difficult to unravel exactly. "Galiano" was a brand name used by at least the Raphael Ciani shop and Anthony Cerrito, well into the period when the young John D'Angelico was the foreman at Ciani. Many Galianos are simply relabeled Schmidt/Stella guitars, but others -- particularly the more elaborate and expensive ones -- show signs of fine handwork, often added to pre-made Schmidt bodies.
This Mango guitar (getting back to the point!) has certain construction features very similar to these higher-end Ciani/Galianos, particularly in the way the neck and heel are carved. It is certainly possible, even likely, that R.A. Mango was one of the luthiers working in the Ciani shop who went out on his own when D'Angelico dissolved the operation in 1932. Many features of this particular instrument are very much in the tradition of earlier Ciani-labeled guitars.
The guitar appears entirely handmade, and does not use any identifiable Schmidt parts. It is very large by contemporary standards, with a lower bout almost an inch wider than a Martin Dreadnought and a whopping 27" scale. Some of the biggest Oscar Schmidt/Stella creations from Jersey City approach these dimensions, but it is very rare to find a 12-fret flat-topped six-string guitar this size.
The back and sides are Brazilian rosewood, and the top is fine-grained spruce; even at the time it was made these were fairly expensive woods so this was definitely a professional-grade instrument. The bracing is very Stella-like, with a large plate under the bridge and large transverse ladder braces. The neck is mahogany with an ebony fingerboard; the headstock is faced with rosewood and carries a distinct Vinaccia-style connected scroll at the top reminiscent of many Italianate mandolins. The ebony fingerboard has pearl position dots, including one at the 10th fret, another Stella-like characteristic.
The top is 6-ply bound with wood with an outer layer of celluloid, the back is single bound, and the soundhole is decorated with multiple wooden rings. The ebony bridge is quite elaborate with arced pins and carved fishtails at either end. The tuners are simple period Waverly strips with white celluloid buttons. There is a small stamp reading "R. A. Mango New York" in very Martin-like letters on the back of the head. Inside the guitar is a large and beautiful label in woodcut engraved style with a 22nd Street address and a hand-lettered date in ink of 1934.
This label is the work of Vladimir Bobri, a well-known Russian �migr� artist and one of the most important figures on the New York guitar scene in the 1930's, 40's, and 50's. Bobri was a personal friend of Segovia and founder of the New York Classical Guitar Society and GUITAR REVIEW magazine. Whatever his relationship was with R. A. Mango, he certainly provided a particularly beautiful adornment to the luthier's instruments.
This is a very rare guitar; we have never seen or heard of another one like it. As an extra long-scale Brazilian rosewood 12-fret jumbo, there are few guitars ever built to this specification in any era. It is considerably larger than the contemporary 1934 Martin D-28 with an extra 1 1/2" of scale length, but that is the guitar it is most comparable to. It also makes an interesting comparison to the mahogany jumbo Bacon & Day we currently have in stock (stock #3101). These large bodied 12-fret guitars would quickly be supplanted by 14-fret instruments and archtops after 1934, and remain an underutilized design. This guitar is similar to the finest jumbo Stella it is possible to imagine, but built out of much higher-grade materials by a true craftsman.
The Mango has a very big powerful sound, not as refined as an X-braced guitar, but with a lot of character. The extra long scale is the same as used on modern "baritone" flat tops, and this guitar is perfect for tuning down to D, C, or even B. The neck is round and very comfortable, and this is a fabulous guitar to play as well as unique and historically important.
Overall length is 42 3/8 in. (107.6 cm.), 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 27 in. (686 mm.).
Very well-preserved overall, with some playwear but no major repairs or damage. The elaborate carved bridge looks to have been reglued and possibly cut down at some point, but retains much of its original splendor. A couple of small back cracks have been repaired, otherwise the guitar appears fully original and very playable. There is some fairly minor pickwear and armwear to the top. The mysterious Mr. Mango built his guitars to last!
Comes with a beautiful period hard case that may well be original. Excellent Condition.
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One of the most interesting guitars we have seen recently, and a real part of the lost guitar history of the New York City area. This very large jumbo flat-top guitar carries the label and stamp of one R. A. Mango, a luthier about whom little is known but who was active in the city before WWII. The guitar is most reminiscent of the big-bodied Galiano guitars popular with the the area's top guitarists in the 1920's, most notably Eddie Lang and Nick Lucas.
The Italian-American community in the New York area contributed many great musicians to the era, as well as many instrument makers, including the single most celebrated luthier of his time, John D'Angelico. While R. A. Mango himself has faded into obscurity, this guitar remains as evidence of the creative pool of talent at work designing and building string instruments in the Gotham of the 1930's.
The connections between many period names in New York lutherie like Galiano, Ciani, Cerrito, Stella/Schmidt, and D'Angelico are definite but somewhat difficult to unravel exactly. "Galiano" was a brand name used by at least the Raphael Ciani shop and Anthony Cerrito, well into the period when the young John D'Angelico was the foreman at Ciani. Many Galianos are simply relabeled Schmidt/Stella guitars, but others -- particularly the more elaborate and expensive ones -- show signs of fine handwork, often added to pre-made Schmidt bodies.
This Mango guitar (getting back to the point!) has certain construction features very similar to these higher-end Ciani/Galianos, particularly in the way the neck and heel are carved. It is certainly possible, even likely, that R.A. Mango was one of the luthiers working in the Ciani shop who went out on his own when D'Angelico dissolved the operation in 1932. Many features of this particular instrument are very much in the tradition of earlier Ciani-labeled guitars.
The guitar appears entirely handmade, and does not use any identifiable Schmidt parts. It is very large by contemporary standards, with a lower bout almost an inch wider than a Martin Dreadnought and a whopping 27" scale. Some of the biggest Oscar Schmidt/Stella creations from Jersey City approach these dimensions, but it is very rare to find a 12-fret flat-topped six-string guitar this size.
The back and sides are Brazilian rosewood, and the top is fine-grained spruce; even at the time it was made these were fairly expensive woods so this was definitely a professional-grade instrument. The bracing is very Stella-like, with a large plate under the bridge and large transverse ladder braces. The neck is mahogany with an ebony fingerboard; the headstock is faced with rosewood and carries a distinct Vinaccia-style connected scroll at the top reminiscent of many Italianate mandolins. The ebony fingerboard has pearl position dots, including one at the 10th fret, another Stella-like characteristic.
The top is 6-ply bound with wood with an outer layer of celluloid, the back is single bound, and the soundhole is decorated with multiple wooden rings. The ebony bridge is quite elaborate with arced pins and carved fishtails at either end. The tuners are simple period Waverly strips with white celluloid buttons. There is a small stamp reading "R. A. Mango New York" in very Martin-like letters on the back of the head. Inside the guitar is a large and beautiful label in woodcut engraved style with a 22nd Street address and a hand-lettered date in ink of 1934.
This label is the work of Vladimir Bobri, a well-known Russian �migr� artist and one of the most important figures on the New York guitar scene in the 1930's, 40's, and 50's. Bobri was a personal friend of Segovia and founder of the New York Classical Guitar Society and GUITAR REVIEW magazine. Whatever his relationship was with R. A. Mango, he certainly provided a particularly beautiful adornment to the luthier's instruments.
This is a very rare guitar; we have never seen or heard of another one like it. As an extra long-scale Brazilian rosewood 12-fret jumbo, there are few guitars ever built to this specification in any era. It is considerably larger than the contemporary 1934 Martin D-28 with an extra 1 1/2" of scale length, but that is the guitar it is most comparable to. It also makes an interesting comparison to the mahogany jumbo Bacon & Day we currently have in stock (stock #3101). These large bodied 12-fret guitars would quickly be supplanted by 14-fret instruments and archtops after 1934, and remain an underutilized design. This guitar is similar to the finest jumbo Stella it is possible to imagine, but built out of much higher-grade materials by a true craftsman.
The Mango has a very big powerful sound, not as refined as an X-braced guitar, but with a lot of character. The extra long scale is the same as used on modern "baritone" flat tops, and this guitar is perfect for tuning down to D, C, or even B. The neck is round and very comfortable, and this is a fabulous guitar to play as well as unique and historically important.
Overall length is 42 3/8 in. (107.6 cm.), 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 9/16 in. (11.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 27 in. (686 mm.).
Very well-preserved overall, with some playwear but no major repairs or damage. The elaborate carved bridge looks to have been reglued and possibly cut down at some point, but retains much of its original splendor. A couple of small back cracks have been repaired, otherwise the guitar appears fully original and very playable. There is some fairly minor pickwear and armwear to the top. The mysterious Mr. Mango built his guitars to last!
Comes with a beautiful period hard case that may well be original. Excellent Condition.
