John Monteleone is widely considered to be one of the world's preeminent builders of archtop guitars, and this 2021 Grand artist Mandocello, one of only 5 ever made, is absolutely an example of that reputation being upheld. Monteleone, having started his career as a repairman for the famous (and now defunct) Mandolin Brothers, started building mandolins as early as the mid '70s and quickly garnered a reputation for quality and design. Some of his work was featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on loan from Rudy Pensa himself.
The mandocello, an instrument dating back to the late 1800s, has never had the popularity of its higher tuned cousin, but has had a steady place in the hearts of 8 string lovers since its invention. Tuned like a cello, in four courses of unison strings like a mandolin, the mandocello has been used in Irish folk, Americana, classical, and beyond.
Renowned for its incredible lows, rich chord texture, and unsurpassable build quality, the Monteleone Mandocello is owned by an exclusive club, its most famous user being mandolin phenomenon Mike Marshall, who owns an earlier example.
This example, like most of the mandolin family, features a spruce top, incredible flamed maple back and sides, as well as a solid flame maple neck, an ebony fretboard, bridge, and tailpiece, and a gorgeous, hand sprayed sunburst finish.
Serial #211. Comes with a hardshell case.
