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The label on this little guy says "The Brilliantone
Mando, L.H.
Leland". According to expert Michael Holmes, Leland was the builder and his
line of guitars and mandolin family instruments (from piccolo through bass!) was
distributed by Washburn in 1911*. This is a true
piccolo, with a scale length of 10-1/2". In the photo below, I lined up the
three bridges. Compare the scale length next to a
Gibson F4 (13-7/8") and the German "piccolo" (really
"pocket") mandolin (12-7/8"). With light mandolin strings, I was
able to tune this up to CGDA (an octave above a mandola). With Brazilian
rosewood back and sides, this guy sounds fantastic - rich
and loud! Much better than my Dyer.
* The piccolo size has got to be
rare, as Michael hadn't heard of it (actually, they're all extremely rare -
other than a guitar, I've never come across or heard of any of
these mandolin family instruments). Michael's list states:
"Mezzo Mando" (mandolin)
"Tenor Mando" (mandola)
"Baritone Mando" (mando-cello)
"Double Bass Mando" (mando-bass)
(Given these names, "Brilliantone Mando" seems to fit right in for
their piccolo mandolin).
While in the Lyon & Healy catalog, ca. 1912
(pictured on p.86 of "Washburn: Over 100 Years of Fine Stringed
Instruments"), the same instruments are identified as:
L. H. Leland Mandos.
"Piccolo Mando"
"First and Second Mando" (meaning the same mandolin that would
play separate parts in the mandolin orchestra)
"Tenor Mando"
"Mando Cello"
"Bass Mando"
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