Old Wave Mandolins

When better Bill Bussmann bridges to bedazzlement by way of bewitching bulwarks of brilliance are built, we believe that Bill Bussmann will, himself, build them.  This, then, is one of those burgeoning bouquets of soprano mellifluousness, gorgeous beyond all popular intensifiers.   The parallel grained carved top is not just spruce, it’s Colorado- grown Engelmann (another word with a double “n.”  Mere coincidence?”) but, even better, the underlying top bracing is Adirondack “Red.”

Striking and compelling beyond all belief, this instrument shows only the most minor signs of having been owned and played – a few small dings here and there.   This mandolin was custom-made for someone who wanted a new instrument based on an early Gibson Florentine design.  According to the builder, in the annals of work performed by Bill Bussmann it is truly one-of-a-kind, being the only one he has made; he recalls that he made it in 2003 or 2004.