Monteleone Baby Grand 1993

The ability to craft a fine mandolin and a fine archtop often go hand in hand, and for that there's no better exemplar than John Monteleone. John has long blended the knowledge and deep understanding that come from studying and repairing the best vintage instruments with a desire to meet the needs of modern players. To that end, his instruments are highly sought after by both collectors and top-notch players alike. Modeled after Gibson's A-style mandolin, with no scroll, the Baby Grand is a uniquely styled two-point mandolin, named after his primary performance instrument, the piano. Crafted of Spruce and a beautifully figured set of Maple, it has a pickguard and headstock veneer of Macassar Ebony and a custom engraved gold tailpiece. The tone is the stuff of dreams for players of classical and other more lyrical styles, where a sweeter, fuller-bodied tone is desired. Allegedly only 16 Baby Grands were made in the early '90s, but it appears John has also built the design for a more recent customer, too. Either way, there aren't a lot of these beauties out there, and this one is in excellent condition given its age, with just a couple minor finish dings.