View Full Version : Another bowlback mandolin finished
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 3:26pm
This mandolin I call by its maker's name: Sicilio Catani.:grin:
No true maker's label or stamp anywhere to be seen, so it shall remain anonymous.
Although the instrument was born misshapen, i.e., with misaligned skirt and offset placement of the tailpiece, it must have had a relatively easy life with no abusive owners and slapdash repairers.
What had to be done was obligatory cleaning and lubrication, minor varnish touch-ups, replacement of the bridge, new tailpiece relocated, and, naturally, new strings (GHS Ultralight) given to the mandolin; some missing MOP inlay bits had to be replaced, and the frets dressed.
A guitar shop in Toronto did the frets for me, the rest is a result of my own lutherie malpractice.:grin:
The bridge is a period replica piece made in Europe from good ebony wood. However, I modified it a bit, just trying to improve intonation. Right now the bridge is skewed a lot, however, that has yielded very good intonation of the G course, so I am not unhappy about that.
The mandolin is exceptionally lightweight, just barely over a pound, and it "sings" freely and responsively, although the tone is somewhat hollow.
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Martin Veit
Dec-16-2013, 4:24pm
Peter, thats a fantastic work.
I hope, i can reach sometimes your ability :)
Jim Garber
Dec-16-2013, 4:34pm
Looking good, Peter. You are on your way to amassing a nice collection.
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 6:04pm
Thank you, Martin, glad you like the mandolin. This work is mostly spit and polish, I wish I can do real "tischlerei" like you do.
Thanx Jim, I think I have a way to go with my "collection" before it would approach even only 20% of your mandolin cache.
cayuga red
Dec-16-2013, 7:19pm
This mandolin I call by its maker's name: Sicilio Catani.:grin:
No true maker's label or stamp anywhere to be seen, so it shall remain anonymous.
Although the instrument was born misshapen, i.e., with misaligned skirt and offset placement of the tailpiece, it must have had a relatively easy life with no abusive owners and slapdash repairers.
What had to be done was obligatory cleaning and lubrication, minor varnish touch-ups, replacement of the bridge, new tailpiece relocated, and, naturally, new strings (GHS Ultralight) given to the mandolin; some missing MOP inlay bits had to be replaced, and the frets dressed.
A guitar shop in Toronto did the frets for me, the rest is a result of my own lutherie malpractice.:grin:
The bridge is a period replica piece made in Europe from good ebony wood. However, I modified it a bit, just trying to improve intonation. Right now the bridge is skewed a lot, however, that has yielded very good intonation of the G course, so I am not unhappy about that.
The mandolin is exceptionally lightweight, just barely over a pound, and it "sings" freely and responsively, although the tone is somewhat hollow.
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111181
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Very beautiful. Thanks for posting!
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 7:45pm
Thank you CR, my pleasure.
brunello97
Dec-16-2013, 7:53pm
I like the double rows of top binding on some of these Catanese mandolins. Inverting the bridge to get a few more mms to work with on adjusting the intonation was very clever.
Variations on the fret spacing on these old Italian bowls can make intonation maddening, even when the bridge / 12th fret gets set right. I just comped my Vinaccia against one of my DeMeglios and they varied wildly after about the fifth fret. My '13 Gibson (almost contemporary) was spot on with the Vinaccia. Good that it is working for you. It is the make or break, catch or release issue for me.
Mick
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 8:22pm
Right on, Mick. I have also seen with my bastardized Vinaccia that the 12th fret intonation is only part of the story. The whole mandolin just doesn't sound right, and an overall fretting inaccuracy is probably where the problem is. That whole issue troubles me a lot because trying to play an instrument of the sort is painful. Thankfully, my "Sicilio Catani" sings nicely in tune, and thus it is a joy to play.:mandosmiley:
I will do as good a bridgework on my Vinaccia as I can, but I already see a writing on the wall that the mandolin might end up with Dave Hynds for a complete refret.
brunello97
Dec-16-2013, 8:40pm
I will do as good a bridgework on my Vinaccia as I can, but I already see a writing on the wall that the mandolin might end up with Dave Hynds for a complete refret.
Not that it is something I would attempt on a high end bowlback, but I have replaced replaced fretboards altogether on MOR Italian bowls (Lanfranco, Stridente, etc.) while reusing the original frets. More than lipstick on a pig, it actually made them playable. And even these lesser mandolins can sound quite good when you can make them sound good.
Mick
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 8:45pm
Not that it is something I would attempt on a high end bowlback, but I have replaced replaced fretboards altogether on MOR Italian bowls (Lanfranco, Stridente, etc.) while reusing the original frets. More than lipstick on a pig, it actually made them playable. And even these lesser mandolins can sound quite good when you can make them sound good.
Mick
Yes, if you can do that work yourself, then you are way ahead of the game, because the neck and/or the fretboard is where the problem as well as solution usually reside with those old mandolins.
brunello97
Dec-16-2013, 9:07pm
Yes, if you can do that work yourself, then you are way ahead of the game, because the neck and/or the fretboard is where the problem as well as solution usually reside with those old mandolins.
A lot of blundering along the way, but otherwise pretty straightforward, step by step. I'm no luthier by any means but have found that some repair efforts are less mysterious than others once you tap into the helpful resources at the MC and other places. Poco a poco as my in-laws say. Again, what I would attempt on some mandolin is far different than on others. I've got a great fellow up in Lansing who takes care of my Gibsons. Treats me like a king. I wish John Maddock lived in Tavistock-on-Hudson. We'd be tight.
I am pretty amazed at how essentially affordable our friend Dave H seems to be. I've never had him do any work for me (though I've fantasized about sending a mandolin on a vacation to the south of France) he has sent me some most reasonable quotes on work to be done. I've sold 2 or 3 mandolins to folks in FR and shipping there was far more reasonable than to the UK, for instance.
Mick
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 9:24pm
Mick, I am all for it: we need to get green cards for John and Dave....one to set up his shop in the States, the other in Canada.:))
People like you and Jim probably have a significant mandolin backlog that needs some sort of attention by a practicing mandolin luthier.
Yes, we'd probably form very close bonds with those lads.:mandosmiley:
brunello97
Dec-16-2013, 9:36pm
Mick, I am all for it: we need to get green cards for John and Dave....one to set up his shop in the States, the other in Canada.:))
People like you and Jim probably have a significant mandolin backlog that needs some sort of attention by a practicing mandolin luthier.
Yes, we'd probably form very close bonds with those lads.:mandosmiley:
Well, I've got some traveling to do and have zoned in on some places of interest, so seeing John and Dave in situ might have to do. I've actually been pretty successful at thinning the herd this last year or so. Albeit under a gentle duress. I have a couple bowl-dolas on the slowest moving repair bench in North America, but otherwise about caught up.
With the growing re-popularity of bowlback mandolins in NA my hunch is that more proper luthiers will be taking such work on. Our friend Jake has been dipping into those waters more and more frequently and I hope that that continues and expands with others. Still, the number of repair-worthy Italian bowlbacks on this side of the Atlantic remains limited.
My hunch is that Jim's instrument SF requirements remain something he and his family have long since negotiated. ;)
peterk
Dec-16-2013, 9:56pm
I have a couple bowl-dolas on the slowest moving repair bench in North America, but otherwise about caught up.
:))
Jim Garber
Dec-17-2013, 10:25am
I will never catch up. I need the time and energy to start doing my own repair work.
Peter & I have had a conversations about shipping mandolins overseas and unfortunately that is the ultimate rub esp when it has to come back to us over here in North America. Still...
peterk
Dec-17-2013, 11:22am
Jim, as you know, I am not even half way yet thru the European repair process:(, however we shall persist because the end result should be good.
With the growing re-popularity of bowlback mandolins in NA my hunch is that more proper luthiers will be taking such work on. Our friend Jake has been dipping into those waters more and more frequently and I hope that that continues and expands with others. Still, the number of repair-worthy Italian bowlbacks on this side of the Atlantic remains limited.
On the basis of that one, maybe you guys should start nagging Peter to take on your repairs ;)
Lovely looking mando Peter!
Perry Babasin
Dec-17-2013, 1:17pm
That is beautiful, wonderful condition refurbished nicely. Old bowlbacks are so intricate in their construction and inlay, I can't imagine the amount of work that was involved to build them. There were no dremel tools.
peterk
Dec-17-2013, 5:57pm
On the basis of that one, maybe you guys should start nagging Peter to take on your repairs ;)
Lovely looking mando Peter!
Thnak you John. Well, as far as my entry into bb mandolin repair business, have no fear, I know my limitations, I am just an old spit-and-polish type.;)
peterk
Dec-17-2013, 5:57pm
Thank you Roin and Perry, appreciate your words of encouragement.