10-string cylinder back

**markishandsome** · Jul-14-2008, 7:19pm

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Vega-Swell-Back-Mandolin-w-Electric-Pickup_W0QQitemZ130238902777QQihZ003QQcategory
Z10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">on ebay</a>

Needs some restoration, but a brazilian rosewood 10-string vega must be worth the $1500 BIN to someone.

**Bill Snyder** · Jul-14-2008, 8:43pm

It has a mole!

**Jim Garber** · Jul-14-2008, 9:41pm

Unoriginal bridge shimmed up to compensate for usual top sinkage; 8 string tuners -- looks like maybe the original 10 string tuners clipped off, for some odd reason. Plus aforementioned pickup with knob installed into top.

OTOH gorgeous BRW back with wild grain. Might be worth sinking money into or keeping it 8 string with wide fretboard. Probably sounds wonderful.

They seller is accepting offers so it might be a good buy for someone.

**BlueMountain** · Jul-18-2008, 9:38am

That diamond is rough enough to qualify for industrial use. It could be saved, but it will need a LOT of work. I'd say more like $500, given the condition and the expense of repairs. Sorry if you're the seller and reading this.

**markishandsome** · Jul-26-2008, 8:47pm

It's now listed with a $1200 BIN.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Jul-28-2008, 2:20pm

It went for less than that....
Anyone got an old set of 5-course tuners?

**Eddie Sheehy** · Jul-30-2008, 11:55pm

That Brazilian Rosewood back polished up real purty. What I thought were cracks in it turned out to be swirls in the wood grain. The top has a lot of scratches and some patches of discoloration. The electrics - though warty-looking - work great. The pickup seems to be attached to the underneath of the top near the bridge. The bridge is rosewood - a white mark (paint or something) was at both tips and on the top adjacent. Cleaned off no problem. The tailpiece only has spots for 8 strings. Two tuners missing - hacked off - on top. The nut is set for 4 courses, the bridge is set for 5. It's a 15" scale and came with a heavy-gauge Mandola set - C G D A. So, gotta find me 5-course tuners - older the better, clean up the top, new nut, and a tailpiece replacement with cover. Failing all improvements, it's still a beautiful looking, awesome sounding instrument.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Jul-30-2008, 11:56pm

Oh yes, the top. Nicely bent and with a slight arch, no sinkage at all.

**danb** · Jul-31-2008, 3:44am

Ah, well done. The tuners are very hard to find unfortunately, but you could also cut plates to make them fit (I'd go 3 & 2 for stability). When I had one of these mandolin scale ones, I thought the best stringing setup was a single C string for less buzz.. so maybe you only need to find one 5-string plate!