Made by Stephen Holst, #1230113. Beautiful quilted maple sides, back and top made from Swiss spruce. Full binding. Full binding. 1-1/8″ nut width, 14″ scale length. Tailpiece, pick guard and arm rest made from custom ebony. Golden Age tuners.

Stephen Holst was the one I spoke to when I bought the mando. Here is his opinion about the instrument: After sustaining a hand injury, the original owner had to sell it. He was searching for an instrument that could play many styles, including jazz and blues, Neil Young, Jerry Garcia and other artists. This instrument is not strictly bluegrass. It has a Swiss spruce top that gives it a longer sustain and more sensitive overtones. Flat sawn on the back adds some woodiness to the tone.

You can request more photos by contacting me. I will send you a link to my Google Drive folder. A 2010 Mandolin Magazine article about Stephen Holst is also included in the folder. You can also hear me playing some fiddle tunes. The instrument sounds better when played by a better player. If you’d prefer, I can also set up a Zoom session or Skype session.

This mando was a favourite of mine for many years. It produces a crisp, sweet sound. I can also attest to the sustain described in the previous paragraph. The sound, looks and playability are all great. However, at this time, I am playing a different instrument. This instrument is being sold to fund other projects.