Multi-bug Puglisi?

[Richard500]

196291196292Today’s project, courtesy SGW, is a bowl back with a few interesting features. I bought it for the colorful bugs - romantic. An image browse points toward Puglisi or someone in Germany, but your good guess would be appreciated.
The top of the peg head has a shape seen on P’s, and a (sensible to me) ancient repair added plates to the top side, which might be justified if the wood was worn. There’s a label from a UK dealer, but nothing else; no stamp aft of the bridge, nothing inside. Looks like rosewood on the staves, one of which is going to need Richard’s Unpatented single side glue clamps. Bridge probably replacement. Sounds reasonable on antique strings so far. Action is playable, but zero fret is at least .010” too high.
There’s hardly any cant to the top, and the nearest brace is about 1” forward of the bridge location, which I understand might be ok, and it has a prior repair with a sistered piece. The top forward has deformed but not enough to get up about.
Comments?
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[brunello97]

A curious instrument in terms of its details and hardware.

It doesn't look like Puglisi to me, though I can understand how it would come to mind. The tuners, tailpiece, bridge (maybe not original) and general vibe don't look Sicilian to me.

Puglisi certainly labeled their instruments (and well-glued the labels) and while they also might have jobbed out work for others, I think an alternate source from Middle Europe might be the more likely bet.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

I agree with Mick that it is not a Puglisi. I think the tailpiece is one of those German ones, for what they us worth. Other than that, looks a bit clunky to me. Is the workmanship decent or so-so?

[Richard500]

I agree with Mick that it is not a Puglisi. I think the tailpiece is one of those German ones, for what they us worth. Other than that, looks a bit clunky to me. Is the workmanship decent or so-so?

Can’t speak about workmanship, other than it’s held together for more than a century, and the top hasn’t cracked, and it sounds strong. Certainly not the top of the line, if fancy trim involving more labor hours is the criterion. Must have been a factory item, and German makes sense. The dual-moth celluloid applique is slightly interesting in that its details are engraved, and it’s thin and not inlaid.
So while I’m writing: today, still in my away from home condition with very limited tools, I went after the one bashed stave, the high zero fret and the bridge using stuff at hand. Knowing that an item is not rare or valuable is liberating, a license to experiment and to do the expedient!

One very expedient move today, lacking hide glue and clamps, was aligning, gluing, and filling the stave break with the MC recipe of cyanoacrylate and baking soda as a strong, and instantaneous setting adhesive. Immediately able to be sanded and stained. Good thing nobody was watching.

[brunello97]

Nice.

A friend once said to me: "What's the best bicycle out there? The one you're riding RIGHT NOW."

I got it.

Sometimes I feel the same way about the mandolins or accordions I'm playing.

It takes more effort for me to not like one.

Get it fixed and keep playing it.

Bowlback mandolins are like magic.

Mick