Michael iucci "morning glories" mandola bowlback

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 4:51pm

I think this long-neck, bowlback mandola by M. Iucci of New York is quite rare. While the label inside the mandola reads "Manufacturer of Mandolins and Guitars," I've only seen one Iucci mandolin: the banjo-shaped instrument photogrphed by Paul Hostetter-- http://www.lutherie.net/no_bows.html --he made one like an Iucci and praised the tone. I assume Iucci made other banjo-shaped mandolins. Paul writes, " I love the guitar. It’s my first instrument, and I own probably fifty examples. Among my favorites (though I don’t sure own all of these!), in something approximating chronological order: Antonio Stradivari, Antonio de Torres, Joseph Bohmann, Luigi Mozzani, Orville Gibson, Lloyd Loar, Iucci, D’Angelico, the Larson Brothers, Mario Maccaferri, and others." That's putting Iucci in a very high category.

I did manage to find some great photos of some gorgeous banjos he made: #http://www.banjoworld.de/Iucci.htm . I thought the aluminum tailpiece on this mandola was probably made later by someone else, but it's almost the same as the tailpiece on one of his early banjos: http://www.banjoworld.de/High375.htm To change strings, one turns one of the screws. A j-shaped brass piece loosens, and one can put on two strings. By tightening the screw, the j-end of the piece enters a hole in the tailpiece (otherwise it would bend). This isn't used for tuning.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 4:56pm

Here is the mandola next to a standard taterbug to show the size. The scale is 19 3/8". The fretboard is 1 1/4" at the nut. Quite deep, very comfortable neck.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 4:59pm

Iucci was active circa 1910-1930. Here's a photo of a fine harp-guitar he made (scroll down to the I section): http://64.233.169.104/search?....=safari

No cracks or signs of repair on the back.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:01pm

I'm pretty sure that Iucci turned the strap peg out of aluminum, and he may have made the covers for the tuners, as they are unusually plain and have those big screws.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:02pm

Another tuner cover photo.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:06pm

I think it's the original bone nut, but look at those very wide, low frets. Like some modern guitar. Were there frets this wide in the teens, or has this been refretted. In any case, I've dressed and polished the frets, and this plays very well indeed for a long-neck mandola. The action is about 1/8" at the 12th fret, and there is no buzzing. I'm using GHS light gauge mandola strings, but as usual, both D strings broke (.022 wound), so I replaced them with .015 unwound.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:08pm

Another photo of the tailpiece. The attachment and the strap button are, again, handmade. Note also the bridge (another photo to come. Handmade, mahogany, bone saddle.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:13pm

BUTTONS are set into the bridge! Two big halves of pearly buttons. A couple white buttons little red anchors on them. A red heart-shaped button in the middle. Weird! This bridge was severely cracked and twisted. I flattened it with clamps, then stabilized it by running thin CA into the cracks on both sides. It's pretty solid now.

I know, you're thinking it would sound better with an ebony bridge. I made one, intonated and all. It sounded okay. Then I put the original back on, and it sounded MUCH better. So I've left it on. So far as I know, it's whimsical, but probably original.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:17pm

The pickguard is a veneer of white holly wood in the shape of a swan. When I got the mandola, the damaged part was covered with a cheap black vinyl guard and a silver pearl maple leaf attached with some thick glue. I was able to leave the finish behind in places, but in other places, despite care, the finish came off with the glue. I've left it as is rather than mess with it.

As you can see, there have been several big cracks, but they are repaired, and I didn't need to touch them. The top seems stable, and the sound says it is indeed.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:20pm

I wasn't expecting much of the tone, and when I first tuned it up, I wasn't disappointed. However, when I put on new strings and replaced the ebony bridge with the original bridge, the sound suddenly approved a great deal. It is unusually loud for a bowlback, with deep, rich, balanced sound and long sustain. Really superbly beautiful tone. I'm delighted. Sound sample at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U78TARGQU9o

**delsbrother** · Apr-11-2008, 5:25pm

Wow, amazing. That swan inlay is charming!

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 5:59pm

Length is 32"". Width is 10 5/8" at the widest. Body length is 15". Maximum depth seems to be about 7". The tuners turn easily and hold the strings without slipping. The six-petaled flower-like soundhole reminds me of a style popular in Russia and Ukraine in mandolins and domras, but I'm not too sure that its use there is older than its use here.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 6:01pm

Lovely curly maple back, 21 narrow strips plus the wide ones. The wood strips and marquetry is all solid.

**BlueMountain** · Apr-11-2008, 6:05pm

This came with a nice $85 gig bag by BT Sewing (a company that excels at making custom cases for strange instruments). www.btsewing.com

If you have an Iucci mandolin or any more information, please add it for posterity. This instrument has lovely tone, and there aren't all that many long-necked bowlback mandolas around. Thanks.

**Jacob** · Apr-12-2008, 6:34am

What a neat instrument.
Thanks for the pictures.
Could it be an octave rather than a tenor mandola?
The scale is a little longer than these.

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 8:14am

That is a beautiful instrument. Does it have a cant on the top or is it relatively flat with an induced arch?

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 9:07am

This is the only Iucci mandolin I have in my files.

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 9:09am

Then, there is this harp-guitar...

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 9:15am

Then there is this Iucci Tenor guitar. This also has a label stating that they are the makers of Morning Glory instruments.

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 9:51am

BlueMountain:
What strings did you put on this mandola? Did you try alto tuning or octave?

**BlueMountain** · Apr-12-2008, 12:59pm

Thanks for the photos, Jim. There's an induced arch that flattens out under string tension, and that's when the sound gets good. I'm using GHS Mandola strings, light gauge. No, I haven't tried alternate tunings, and I haven't tried octave mandolin strings (as I really prefer the pitch of the mandola). However, a 19 1/2 scale length is good for both a long-neck mandola or an octave mandolin. I'm pleased and relieved that despite the repaired cracks on the top, this thing seems very solid and happy under string tension.

**Jim Garber** · Apr-12-2008, 1:50pm

Whoops.I just noticed that that tenor I pictured above is from that German web site that BlueMountain referenced.

**Paul Hostetter** · Apr-12-2008, 2:05pm

I have an Iucci mandolin precisely like Jim's photo in my shop right now. It's one of the plainest I have seen, but it sure has the sound. Soon it will be actually playable!

I also have images of some other interesting Iucci instruments, if I can only find time to unearth them...

**JeffD** · Apr-12-2008, 7:55pm

Originally Posted by (BlueMountain @ April 11 2008, 18:08)

Another photo of the tailpiece. The attachment and the strap button are, again, handmade. Note also the bridge (another photo to come. Handmade, mahogany, bone saddle.

I have never seen a tail piece like that. Are those fine tuners?

**brunello97** · Apr-12-2008, 8:09pm

Jim + Paul, #is there a sound hole in the round-bodied Iucci's you guys are talking about. #Hard for me to see in the photos. #The pickguard shape is amazing. #I love these idiosyncratic designer/builders. # The swan/tailpiece combo on the mandola is amazing. #As is the giant white pickguard on the Iucci tenor. #

Unearth, Paul, unearth.

Mick