Was A.F. Eibel, Malden, MA a concern that made instruments for a time or a music store that contracted (say) Fairbanks to make instruments for them, like Stratton in Lowell?
Stu Cohen, who has seen several of them, said that he couldn’t be sure. All have been a conglomeration of Boston styles. The specific one you asked about seems to have a Gatcomb-like neck. Perhaps a visit to the Malden Public Library and a few hours in the old City Directories will turn up more information. My own opinion is that he labeled instruments made for the trade and that he will turn out to be a teacher or music dealer, not a maker. MIH Q: A friend asked me about an instrument he has. He thought it is a uke but it has 8 strings. Tuners are open geared guitar, 2 sets of 4. Was it common to double the strings on a uke? How would it have been tuned? CS A: There are two possibilities for the instrument you describe. One is a “Mandolinetto”, the other a “Taro-patch.” As a rule the mandolinetto is made with a spruce top and hardwood back & sides and has geared, mechanical tuners for use with steel strings tuned like a mandolin, as the name suggests. The taro-patch, generally made of
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