Greetings All,
I've collected Lyle instruments for over 30 years now, and was trying to find ANYTHING, or anyone who has, or has seen a Lyle LM15 "Potatoe Bug" mandolin, like the one I have; I purchased it at least 20 years ago. Because of the striped round back, I'm guessing any of them produced, were at some point, damaged; the rounded back, made of individual strips of wood running parallel to the neck / body make it somewhat delicate, so I can easily imagine that holes , or caved in backs, got most of them.
If I can figure out how to post an image or so, I'll do that, asap. Or, I'll be glad to send someone there at Harmony Central, and let them post it?
I have 20+Lyle instruments, and have some rarest of the rare, including a matching set of high end electric and bass, copies of the Alembic style, with "neck-through", DiMarzio / P-90, respectively. I also have a copy of a Gibson Les Paul Jr., by Lyle. Those 3 guitars are the only Lyles I've ever seen with the Serial # stamped / engraved on the back of the headstocks, and my luthier rated, at least the "Alembic Style" electric, as high-end. On one of the tuners of the matching bass, someone even etched in an "owners?" Serial # of about 15 characters; I had to use a magnifying glass to make it out.
I know as much as there is to know about the whole Lyle/Matsumoku, Norlin, Alembic connections, but would always love to learn more, if there is anything else?
Speaking of that, the Serial #s on those 3 Lyles are:
90602, 90208, and 078008, respectively If anyone has a way to look up what year(s) they were made, it would be GREATLY appreciated.
Anyways, I'd love to share my "finds", if anyone is interested; I don't do Social Media, except for Truth Social, where I occasionally will post a comment or two, but I'm on my PC all day as it is, and just don't have the time.
By the way, I also started collecting tenor guitars a while back, and have 3 Soares'y and a Gold Tone TG-18; one of the Soares'y is an 8-string / octomando, and one a copy of a 40's Gibson Archtop that Mike made custom for me, between 2016 - 2019.
Hope to hear from, receive an email from someone there at H. C.