Achille Lanfranco e Figlio naples mandolin

[Solidturtle]

Do any of you know if this is priced right or have any experience with this maker

Many thanks

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262634431073?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[Jim Garber]

It seems like a fair price for a simply-adorned mandolin of that era. String lightly (I like Dogal Calace RW92b dolce strings), make a new bridge and probably have a few other thing checked out and fixed and you would be fine, I would think.It was nice that the seller did take a photo of the height of the strings over the fretboard.

[brunello97]

?....It was nice that the seller did take a photo of the height of the strings over the fretboard.

Which does look a bit scary to me. I'd want to confirm that "height of strings over the fretboard" before purchase. It is a sketchy photo but it looks high to me.

I've owned a few Lanfranco mandolins. From my experience they are very MOR instruments, similar in quality to the many DeMureda and Ferrari, etc. mandolins that show up on Ebay.uk. Lightly built and responsive in comparison to US bowlbacks of the era, but more prone to neck problems accordingly. Fret spacing and intonation can be dicey if not downright bizarre.

They do have that "shimmering sound" as our friend, Martin Jonas so memorably put it, even in such modest models. You can't get that from just anyplace.

That price may be either okay or a waste of money depending on the neck condition. $200 for a playable Italian mandolin from the Golden Age would be great. If it were playable.

Jim's recommendation for Dogal strings is right on, both for sound and reduced tension on the neck and top.

Let us know what you decide....

Mick

[Jim Garber]

I don't see very clearly what you are seeing, Mick. I agree, tho, to ask the seller how high the g string is above the 12th fret to get an idea.

149877

[brunello97]

Well......have a close look at where the neck meets the body. You can see how the neck angles up to the left of that.

Open in Photoshop, rotate image to align top (with that section of fretboard to a PS guideline. Zoom in. The G string looms above the 10th fret and the neck wonk is even more apparent. Not catastrophic, but I wouldn't want to play with that action.

Granted the intonation on these can get dicey higher than the first position anyhow, so if you just wanted to play up there maybe it is passable.

I suppose one could tweak the bridge a bit and get it to play right, but I'd be very careful before dropping 200 clams on this one. Looks like a candidate for a fretboard replacement. Fix the action and verify the intonation in one swoop. I did this to a Lanfranco a few years back. Made a nice mandolin that I passed along to a friend--but I think I got it for $60. Actually IIRC, Jim, you spied it for me......or maybe that was a Stridente. Maybe IIRIC. ;)

Mick