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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
I've always understood Mayflowers to have been made by Vega. And photo comparisons have always confirmed it in my own mind. The headstock and the shape of the bowl particularly. I restored a Mayflower once and was impressed by the way the ribs of the bowl were curved so that the bowl had a lovely smooth feel to it, unlike Lyon and Healys in which each individual rib was flat so that the bowl was really a series of angled planes (if that's the way to describe it.)
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
I must say these are some beautiful pieces!
Kip...
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Now my "Embergher Orchestra 1" (1913) is back home after repair: new fretboard and bridge (customized for my needs on special order), fixed gap in back, bowl varnished new. I'm thrilled by it's brilliant "silvery" tone, volume and stunning sustain and: this little mandolin seems to carry very far...
roady43
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
roady43
customized for my needs on special order
What was done to make it custom? Was the fretboard widened?
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jim Garber
What was done to make it custom? Was the fretboard widened?
Yes, by giving more height and continuing the angle of the neck (= more stability as a desired side effect). We won an extra 3mm specially at the nut (I used to slip down from the E-string before). On the other side the distances between the strings at the bridge are smaller than on the original Embergher bridge (now playing fifth is still possible even in higher positions). Then: the markings (mother-of-pearl) now are on the side instead in the middle of the fretboard (where they were useless for me). The bronze frets are slim like the originals. It is very comfortable to play.
roady43
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
roady43
Yes, by giving more height and continuing the angle of the neck (= more stability as a desired side effect). We won an extra 3mm specially at the nut (I used to slip down from the E-string before).
Is this what you mean?
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Exactly Jim. Slightly more material on the left (G-string), like on original Embergher fretboards (and copies).
roady43
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Very interesting detail, Roady. I thought those were shadow lines in your upper right photo of the back of the mandolin. So that is the 'overhang' of the fretboard. Nice.
Mick
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
brunello97
Very interesting detail, Roady. I thought those were shadow lines in your upper right photo of the back of the mandolin. So that is the 'overhang' of the fretboard. Nice.
Mick
Thank you Mick. In fact it turned out exactly as I hoped it would. Very comfortable. For the bridge I gave the luthier a 1:1 foto of my Knorr so he made these proportions the same. Last summer I replaced the original nut and bridge of the Knorr for the same reason: comfort and playability of fifth (etc.). Therefore the "overhang" here is now mainly on the G-srting side on top of the fretboard. But that does not disturb me - it only looks a bit strange for a "well informed eye". Funny thing: no problem to switch between the two instruments although they're completely different.
roady43
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
That is a classy instrument, Chris. I love the detail on the bridge ...very unusual.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
The pictures of a no-name ornate bowlback's wreck offered for sale on a Russian website. I thought I'd post them here before they perish.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
vic-victor
This is actually a higer-end Puglisi. The owner wants over a grand for this wreck :)
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
vic-victor
This is actually a higer-end Puglisi. The owner wants over a grand for this wreck :)
It must be filled with tiny amphorae of (still drinkable) wine.
Mick
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Can anyone ID this one? There is no identifying info in or on it. The tailpiece has no engraving. All I know is that it was played at folk dances in California in the 1940s.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
That is not so easy. Lots of no-name mandolins with eagles on the pickguard. I think that various eagle inlays were available from pearl manufacturers and that various makers used them.
One possibility is William Tonk. I have a 1901 catalog picturing a mandolin (on the right) with a similar inlay in the pickguard and similar peghead shape. The fretboard is much fancier.
The other I have in my files is Hartmann & Reinhard from New York City which has a different peghead but a similarly shaped pickguard shape. Take your pick of those.
The tailpiece is a standard one found on many instruments of the period.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Thanks, Jim. I had not found pictures of anything with an eagle on the pick guard. This mandolin looks in all details like the Tonk No.17 shown in the catalogue with the ebony fingerboard, but with the alternating wood and pearl binding and simple dot inlays on the fretboard as shown on the No. 6000, and no inlay on the headstock. The tuner buttons look like the 6000. Sorry my pictures are so bad. I've been trying to decide for a couple of years if this thing is worth repairing. Knowing a little more about it helps.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
just bought an ebay bowlback ... please forward "bro' di bowl" admission papers - when, when will i ever learn?
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Bill: you will never learn. However, in order to receive your papers, you must post pictures and details of you newest acquisition.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
I'm looking forward to seeing this. Bill the Reluctant Bowlhead. My hunch is that this will be good.
Mick
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
... and i was doing so well, too ...
can't lift the photos off ebay - it has "supertone sing" stamped on the sound plate and lettering stamped on the bowl near the neck: "patent no. 1184879" - very peculiar - a prototype perhaps? quick delve in the archives reveals "supertone" to be a "sears & roebuck" label. plus mention of someone named albert shutt.
the sound hole is oval but unlike others, it's placed vertically, instead of horizontally - looks a bit like a "scream" mask. ("supertone scream?") what made me go for it was its lute-like appearance - no binding and a nice looking headstock (which looks new - a replacement, perhaps?)
i was the only bidder, which is a bit worrying - normally i'm quite happy to have no competition (maynard krebs was my hero.) sold on ebay uk by someone calling themselves "halpaosto" - if he/she is a denizen of the cafe, please let yourself be known ... all-i-all-i-in-free
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Ah, I've seen this one on ebay. Very unusual indeed. Quick google search tells us that Supertone was a brand of Sears and Roebuck Co.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
I bought this nameless italian Mando for a few bucks.
It needs a little restauration. For now it is only deco. The tuners don't turn anymore.
I think i buy this ones.
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Re: Post a Picture of Your Bowlback (or any others)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
billkilpatrick
... and i was doing so well, too ...
can't lift the photos off ebay - it has "supertone sing" stamped on the sound plate and lettering stamped on the bowl near the neck: "patent no. 1184879" - very peculiar - a prototype perhaps? quick delve in the archives reveals "supertone" to be a "sears & roebuck" label. plus mention of someone named albert shutt.
the sound hole is oval but unlike others, it's placed vertically, instead of horizontally - looks a bit like a "scream" mask. ("supertone scream?") what made me go for it was its lute-like appearance - no binding and a nice looking headstock (which looks new - a replacement, perhaps?)
i was the only bidder, which is a bit worrying - normally i'm quite happy to have no competition (maynard krebs was my hero.) sold on ebay uk by someone calling themselves "halpaosto" - if he/she is a denizen of the cafe, please let yourself be known ... all-i-all-i-in-free
Bill: you could have saved me some searching by just posting the eBay item#. The eBay listing is here. Your seller is in Finland but it looks to me that the mandolin was made, or at least patented in Germany I think that is what Gesch. means something like manufacturer -- I really do not know German. We need Martin here.
Here are the pics. It says Superton Sing not Supertone. No relation at all to the Sears line. Also, i would guess that this dates much later than the US Supertones, maybe 1950s or even later. It does look interesting with that vertical soundhole -- I like that and a very deep bowl. Let us know how it is when it arrives.