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View Full Version : Another restored Ceccherini (double top, soloist/orchestra model)



Tavy
Jul-02-2015, 5:24am
One of Ceccherini's fancier model's with extended/radiused fretboard, fretboard floats over the soundboard too, and a rather fancy bridge:

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I rather like the sound of this one too:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7j5rJd4-90&feature=youtu.be

vic-victor
Jul-02-2015, 6:14am
Very nice mandolin.

DavidKOS
Jul-02-2015, 6:30am
I'm so happy that you are keeping these old instruments alive.

Namder
Jul-03-2015, 3:19am
Nice looking and sounding Cecherini. Can you comment on the tuning at the lower frets - a known problem with this luthier. If it is good, do you think that the fretboard could be a later addition, particularly as it's radiused and has other differences from what we have seen before.

Martin Jonas
Jul-03-2015, 8:21am
There is a brief discussion of Ceccherinis with extended fretboards in this (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?15630-The-Classical-Mandolin) old thread. It includes a somewhat low-res photo of another Ceccherini with extended fretboard, posted by (who else) Jim Garber:

Photo (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11895&d=0)

I'm not sure whether the fretboard on the one you have is original. The fret markers are of the Ceccherini design, although on the one Jim posted the snowflake marker was on the 20th, not the 17th fret. However, the scratchplate inlay pattern looks to be simply covered up by the fretboard extension, whereas on the photo Jim has posted the inlay pattern stops short of the extension -- I suspect the one that Tavy has is a later addition and the one that Jim has posted is an original extension.

For what it's worth, even the super-fancy inlay encrusted Ceccherini models had only 17 frets, but Leopoldo Francia was said to have a "four-octave" (24 fret) custom-made Ceccherini.

Martin

Bill Clements
Jul-03-2015, 11:06am
Beautiful work, John!
Someone is going to be a lucky owner of this vintage gem.

Tavy
Jul-03-2015, 12:12pm
Nice looking and sounding Cecherini. Can you comment on the tuning at the lower frets - a known problem with this luthier. If it is good, do you think that the fretboard could be a later addition, particularly as it's radiused and has other differences from what we have seen before.

The main difference is this one has a slightly different metal nut - the nut and the zero fret are separate pieces - where as the other two I've had, had the integrated cast metal nut and zero fret. And yes it intonates OK (the cast one piece one can as well if you modify it).

I wouldn't necessarily read too much into whether this constitutes an original feature or not - from memory I think I've seen both styles on DeMeglio's, so it's possible both makers switched at some point.

Tavy
Jul-03-2015, 12:24pm
There is a brief discussion of Ceccherinis with extended fretboards in this (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?15630-The-Classical-Mandolin) old thread. It includes a somewhat low-res photo of another Ceccherini with extended fretboard, posted by (who else) Jim Garber:

Photo (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11895&d=0)

I'm not sure whether the fretboard on the one you have is original. The fret markers are of the Ceccherini design, although on the one Jim posted the snowflake marker was on the 20th, not the 17th fret. However, the scratchplate inlay pattern looks to be simply covered up by the fretboard extension, whereas on the photo Jim has posted the inlay pattern stops short of the extension -- I suspect the one that Tavy has is a later addition and the one that Jim has posted is an original extension.

For what it's worth, even the super-fancy inlay encrusted Ceccherini models had only 17 frets, but Leopoldo Francia was said to have a "four-octave" (24 fret) custom-made Ceccherini.

Martin

I knew Jim would get in there somewhere ;)

I can't say whether the fretboard is a replacement - the markers look exactly like Ceccherini ones (apart from the snowflake one which I had to replace with a copy). Even the standard of the inlaying (somewhat rough and ready with lot's of back-fill) looks Ceccherini.

The way the fretboard is canter-levered over the top is unusual too - I can't see any obvious damage to the top from removal of the old board - but the gap between board and top is so small it's hard to see in there to be sure. To me, this looks like something that was deliberately designed, rather than a later replacement. But I guess we'll never really know for sure. Maybe a custom order?

Tavy
Jul-03-2015, 12:33pm
Forgot to say - the 17th fret dot marker has a screw under it which screws the board to the top - that surprised me! Normally that would suggest a later repair, but I seem to remember from somewhere that Ceccherini was actually quite fond of screws?

Ah here we go, this franken-mando one (http://www.marcsilbermusic.com/inventory/db-pages/desc.asp?instid=1886#Photos), strangely looks to have a similar fretboard to mine too:

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Lord of the Badgers
Jul-03-2015, 12:57pm
Ooh heck you got me thinking of Simon Bates... not good !

Lovely mandolin matey - super work as always