New from veteran Brazilian luthier, Jean Paul Charles, a magnificent electric archtop "jazz" 4-string (available in 5 and 8) mandolin. This recent model features a Florentine cutaway design, and follows the construction and sound specifications of a jazz-blues guitar with magnetic or piezo onboard system pickups. The basic design is also available in 8 string acoustic version.

BSA 4 Jazz Mandolin Tidbits: The violin style hand carved top is made of Brazilian Cedro, a Mahogany hand carved back and neck (or Ivorywood), adorned with a Brazilian rosewood head plate and pickguard. Rosewood fretboard is a comfortable 15" radius with mother of pearl dots, medium fret wire, bone nut, and bone/rosewood bridge. ABS bindings available in beige or caramel, chrome tuning machines and tailpiece. Electronics include humbucker pickup with volume, tone, and mini-switch selector. Its US base price of $1920 includes clear natural nitrocellulose finish, and a rectangular hard case. BSA 5 (five string version) base-priced U$ 2180, and F holes 8 string acoustic version BSA-F model, based at U$ 1790.

BSA 4 with Dual Blade pickup
onboard preamp equalizer

English Website information: BSA 4 string jazz mandolin

Builder's website: JP Charles, Luthier

JazzMando site author's personally owned JP Charles: 4-string prototype

Posted by Ted at October 29, 2008 7:27 AM