Although Orville Gibson revolutionized the mandolin, as a builder his instruments were often less than stellar. Gibson sold the patent on his mandolin and the rights to use his name and manufacturing methods to five businessmen from Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1902. In nearly every aspect of design and appearance, Gibson’s mandolins were innovatively on the edge of design and creative instrument building. The two body shapes Orville used for his mandolins, the teardrop-shaped A style and the Florentine style with points and scroll, were also different from other fretted instruments made at the time.

His design featured a relatively flat carved back, a carved top, and a longer fret board. The history of the modern mandolin family truly begins in the late 19th century with a radical new design by Orville Gibson. While they turned out thousands of these bowl-backs in differing models, there was no real innovation in these instruments. The first American company to produce bowl-back mandolins on a large scale was Lyon & Healy, largely under the Washburn name. Mandolins weren’t produced in the United States in any significant quantity until the 1890s. The typical Italian-style mandolin was commonly called a “bowl back,” “gourd,” or “tater bug.” Its deep bowl-shaped back, a flat angled top, and scale length were easily copied by makers throughout Europe. In fact, most mandolins were imported with their immigrant owners during this era. Its introduction to America came during the 1850s as a substantial increase in immigration from southern and central Europe occurred. Even today, it is closely associated with the folk music traditions of Italy. The mandolin soon became a common instrument among folk peoples in southern and central Europe.

Or, maybe it’s a mandola? Or could it be an octave mandolin? Or even a cittern? Let’s try to clear up the mystery here…ĭescended from the lute family of instruments, the modern mandolin was born during the early stages of the Renaissance.

Octave mandolin