Lee Ellsworth (Boogie Body)
The late Mr. Ellsworth, of Puyallup, Wash., operated Boogie Body Guitars from
the 1970s until I don't know when. Known as a parts supplier as well as a
luthier, he had a hand in the early history of both Warmoth and Carvin guitars,
and reportedly built some of the parts used by Eddie Van Halen for his famous
red Strat-style instrument with the black and white stripes. Here is what's most
likely a one-off Boogie Body 4-string mandolin with Fender 1965 pots and knobs,
Schaller tuners, a Robin Guitars bridge, twin-blade humbucker, maple neck and
rosewood body cap. It's typical for guitar builders to forget that mandolins
should have a 10th-fret marker, not a 9th-fret marker, as Ellsworth did here.
Also, with all that room on the lower bout, why are the knobs up there where
they could interfere with picking?