Bob A
Sep-02-2004, 5:19pm
For those of you who have suffered long, reading my whines on the topic, be informed that this morning a parcel arrived containing a restored Giuseppe Vinaccia mandolin.
While it took nearly two years, Tom Crandall came thru with a mighty fine resoration job on a mandolin that was severely compromised. The instrument had structural problems: the thing had shrunk to the extent that the cross-ribs had poked thru the side (well, rim) of the bowl. Gods only know what else was wrong; I never saw the instrument, purchasing it thru ebay and having it sent off directly to Jersey City. (There really IS a place called Jersey City, it seems. Too strange).
At any rate, Tom resurrected the thing, french-polished (freedom-polished) the top to a fair-thee-well, cleaned up the whole thing, fabricated a pair of "eyes" as bridge-locators, added a triangle of pearl to the back of the neck at the peghead join, and set it up with a wonderful action.
I must be said that it will never be a new instrument. There is a multidimesnional curve to the table around the soundhole, and the 17th fret suffers from the inevitable sag of age, as do I. Still, it is playable, if not easily.
So much for complaint. The instrument is otherwise a fine example of a midlevel late 19th century Italian mandolin. (Sadly, the label does not indicate a year; merely 18. I think this was not uncommon: Alex has an illustration of one with the same omission, I believe.)
Sound is very good for an instrument that has not been played for probably several decades: that is to say, it is already more than acceptable regarding tone and volume, though perhaps a few more dB would be welcome. It is set up and newly-strung with Dogal Calace strings, so a few weeks of strumming will probably be required to break in both the top and the strings. Given that it is already pleasant, I eagerly await what it will turn into.
Body is rosewood, trimmed with some satinwood-type of edging; this is arranged so the grain runs perpendicular to the line of the edges (necessitaqting that it be made from a multitude of little bits of wood); to add a degree of difficulty, this edging is itself edged with another line of the same. arranged so the grain will form a herringbone pattern where they meet, separated by a thin line of holly, or whatever kind of wood is used to separate the 25 ribs. An awful lot of work for the man who set it up. Peghead plain, topped with a slab of rosewood. Bone (?) tuners, nice MOP inlay around the oval soundhole, neck backed with rosewood veneer, a delicate bridge with the wood serving as string spacers and an ivory saddle. Finished off with a profusely engraved string shield, making it comfortable to play for extended periods.
On the whole, it is a fine mandolin, well worth the wait. For all those who may still be waiting for TC to work his magic, rest assured that you, too, will be more than pleased.
While it took nearly two years, Tom Crandall came thru with a mighty fine resoration job on a mandolin that was severely compromised. The instrument had structural problems: the thing had shrunk to the extent that the cross-ribs had poked thru the side (well, rim) of the bowl. Gods only know what else was wrong; I never saw the instrument, purchasing it thru ebay and having it sent off directly to Jersey City. (There really IS a place called Jersey City, it seems. Too strange).
At any rate, Tom resurrected the thing, french-polished (freedom-polished) the top to a fair-thee-well, cleaned up the whole thing, fabricated a pair of "eyes" as bridge-locators, added a triangle of pearl to the back of the neck at the peghead join, and set it up with a wonderful action.
I must be said that it will never be a new instrument. There is a multidimesnional curve to the table around the soundhole, and the 17th fret suffers from the inevitable sag of age, as do I. Still, it is playable, if not easily.
So much for complaint. The instrument is otherwise a fine example of a midlevel late 19th century Italian mandolin. (Sadly, the label does not indicate a year; merely 18. I think this was not uncommon: Alex has an illustration of one with the same omission, I believe.)
Sound is very good for an instrument that has not been played for probably several decades: that is to say, it is already more than acceptable regarding tone and volume, though perhaps a few more dB would be welcome. It is set up and newly-strung with Dogal Calace strings, so a few weeks of strumming will probably be required to break in both the top and the strings. Given that it is already pleasant, I eagerly await what it will turn into.
Body is rosewood, trimmed with some satinwood-type of edging; this is arranged so the grain runs perpendicular to the line of the edges (necessitaqting that it be made from a multitude of little bits of wood); to add a degree of difficulty, this edging is itself edged with another line of the same. arranged so the grain will form a herringbone pattern where they meet, separated by a thin line of holly, or whatever kind of wood is used to separate the 25 ribs. An awful lot of work for the man who set it up. Peghead plain, topped with a slab of rosewood. Bone (?) tuners, nice MOP inlay around the oval soundhole, neck backed with rosewood veneer, a delicate bridge with the wood serving as string spacers and an ivory saddle. Finished off with a profusely engraved string shield, making it comfortable to play for extended periods.
On the whole, it is a fine mandolin, well worth the wait. For all those who may still be waiting for TC to work his magic, rest assured that you, too, will be more than pleased.