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Thread: Is This Repairable?

  1. #1

    Default Is This Repairable?

    I'm semi-obsessed with Paris Swing mandolins, c/o a roommate I used to have. Unfortunately, they're rather hard to find these days. I found one on eBay, but it's missing a tailpiece and a bridge, has a dislocated brace, and has some nasty cracks in it. How realistic is repairing this and still getting a good sound out of it?
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  2. #2
    Registered User James Sanford's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    This can be repaired. There are several wonderful luthiers on this site who could do the work for you. Where are you? It is probably worth at least getting someone to quote you.
    James A. Sanford

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    I googled this for $550.00.
    I'm not a luthier but that looks a lot more expensive than $550.00.


    http://www.instrumentpro.com/P-PARMS...5d34d35%3A0000

  4. #4

    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    I'd pass. Unless you can do the work yourself, you'll probably spend more than it's worth. Keep watching -- another one will come along.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    Speaking as an amateur repair person. I believe it is quite fixable. I am assuming it is done shrinking and if so I would suspect it could be done without removing the back. The back crack doesn't seem to be much of a problem. The two in the front can likely be moved together and cleated. We don't now the bracing pattern so it would be difficult to predict without seeing the loose brace.

    I would guess that $550 would cover what we can see,,, but who knows what is inside. My thoughts are just wild speculation, but it is fun to speculate.
    Bart McNeil

  6. #6
    Registered User Pribar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    I wouldn't care to try on the E-bay site there is a close up of where the big crack on the back has a branch that heads of toward the center,
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Paris-Swing-...item33747f6d3c
    where it curves away from the main crack there are several splinters of wood that look about ready to pop out, these would be a sheer pain to glue and probably wouldn't hold all that well, also the Paris Swing wide hole mandos have a distressing tendency toward top collapse, about 70 percent of the used ones I have seen have their tops sinking to one degree or other.
    If you want something that "barks" get a damn dog

  7. #7
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    This one will require a lot of work. The cracks will have to filled with wood in order to close the gaps, which is not an easy repair. I would pass on it.
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  8. #8
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    We're all just looking at rather poor Ebay pictures here, so we don't have a good idea what the extent of damage is or what it needs. That thing took a pretty serious hit or fall, I'm guessing the back took the brunt of it where the fracture across the grain is. There may well be loose or broken braces inside or other hidden damage.
    Fixable? Yes. Is fixing it practical in terms of time, effort and money? Depends on the value of the instrument and the desire of the owner.
    Speaking completely hypothetically, if I wanted to teach someone crack repair, I'd like to have it to use for that. If someone is advancing in learning instrument repair, it would be a good learning project and thereby worth owning. I wouldn't recommend it as a beginners project, but a more advanced repair "student" could learn a lot. Paying a full time, professional repair person might be too expensive, depending on the value. Your call...

  9. #9

    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    Thanks, everybody! This is my first post on the Cafe, and your responses are much appreciated. Seeing as a used one in good condition usually sells for around $300, it seems like this would be a pretty steep price to pay for a somewhat hit-and-miss repair prospect. I'll keep my eyes open for another. Thanks for making my first posting on the Cafe a successful one!

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    They are such odd looking instruments you've got my interest up. I certainly agree that at that price it is not a good purchase. Maybe at around $100, but even then; how do you replace the missing tailpiece on a rather rare instrument?
    Bart McNeil

  11. #11
    Registered User MandoSquirrel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    Reviews of them have implied you could do a lot better for the money.
    Elrod
    Gibson A2 1920(?)
    Breedlove Cascade
    Washburn 215(?) 1906-07(?)
    Victoria, B&J, New York(stolen 10/18/2011)
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  12. #12
    Registered User pefjr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandodan1960 View Post
    I googled this for $550.00.
    I'm not a luthier but that looks a lot more expensive than $550.00.


    http://www.instrumentpro.com/P-PARMS...5d34d35%3A0000
    More like 400. Then you have a repaired mandolin worth even less, so even if they are giving it to you, you lose, unless........ you are a Luthier, and I bet the Luthier will just part it out.
    I have the world in a jug, and the stopper in my hand.

  13. #13

    Default Re: Is This Repairable?

    I have seen on CL and eBay this type of Paris Swing mandolin listed for 250$, fully functional.
    I did see this one on eBay but decided to pass due to the asking price.

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