Re: Fanchon? Waldo?
Check out this thread, which has a pic of a pickguard nearly identical to yours, but labeled "Waldo" instead of "Fanchon."
Google yields no references to Fanchon musical instruments, which leads me to believe that this was custom-labeled for a customer or distributor/music retailer. As you've found, Waldo instruments have a risk of top collapse, caused by the fact that the f-hole construction prohibited a strong cross-brace of the top. I bought a Waldo mandocello, and have kept it strung very lightly to avoid that problem. The tailpiece of mine, however, pulled off; I got it fixed, and my repair guy strengthened the tail block at the same time.
If your top is solid and flat, and if you can get a set-up that allows ease of play -- and if you keep your strings extra light -- you may have a good bowl-back player. I love the fancy inlay work, so prevalent on century-old instruments, and so rare and expensive now.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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