Located in Caballo, New Mexico, master luthier Bill Bussmann has garnered a strong reputation for rich tone and excellent, handmade build quality with his Old Wave Instruments. Bussmann built this Old Wave Mandola in 2000. It features an F-style body design with an oval sound hole, which sweetens the tone nicely and allows the lower C register to resonate beautifully. Its top is solid Colorado Engelmann Spruce, and its back and sides were carved from gorgeous solid Flamed Maple (look at the photos!). We love how the tortoise binding accents the amber finish, and the carefully-inlaid pearl rosette and Bussmann's take on a torch inlay show the handmade touch. But high-quality materials and top-level workmanship aside, this Old Wave Mandola is most impressive for its tone. It is warm and deep, providing a nice departure from the traditional high-end cut of a mandolin. This 2000 Old Wave Mandola would find a home in any acoustic string band, but it will also be an inspiring addition to any collection, providing a lower register and thicker tone to push your music wherever it wants to go.
