What am I and what can you tell me about me

[PeggieL]

I am attempting to upload a few pictures of an instruument I was told was a bowl mandolin. I puicked it up on a whim as I just fell in love with the looks. Hopefully all the pictures will upload so someone can help me out on where to find tuning/playing info. The label says Alfredo Primivera and I found a label online but it had an email address this one does not so I assume made before email . The picture on it appears to be a man and woman dancing. Thanks for any info!

[Ron McMillan]

Youtube is your friend. Put 'mandolin basics' or 'tuning a mandolin' into the search engine, and away you go.

ron

[PeggieL]

I have tried that but I get nothing that looks like this so do not know if it is the same as a normal mandolin or not. I have not seen one with that bowl under it like this has. Would also like to know any history of this shape etc as a bonus.

[Seter]

If you could upload a picture of the headstock with the tuning gears that would be nice. It looks like a fairly standard bowlback mandolin, it should do well for you as long as it is properly set up and the neck is in good condition. It will be tuned GDAE from the thickest strings to lightest strings. If the strings are rusty you'll want to get new ones, it will help the sound immensely.

[PeggieL]

Thank You. Here is front and back:

[Seter]

Here is a good video made by another Cafe member on how to hold a bowlback, good to watch:

[Jeff Mando]

The label says Alfredo Primivera .....

That's what I usually order at Olive Garden....................

[MikeEdgerton]

You have what appears to be a fairly recent bowlback mandolin (or possibly a mandola depending on the scale length) that was made in Italy or at least the label says it was. That doesn't look like Primivera on the label. Are you sure that's what it says? I doubt it's much older than the early 80's or so.

[DavidKOS]

I have tried that but I get nothing that looks like this so do not know if it is the same as a normal mandolin or not. I have not seen one with that bowl under it like this has. Would also like to know any history of this shape etc as a bonus.

Bowl back mandolins are the oldest most traditional form of the mandolin. This is a typical Italian model, not too low grade, not a top end one either!

They are tuned and played the same as other more common American mandolins.

You need to use the lightest strings so as to not damage the instrument. Typical strings for Bluegrass mandolins are too heavy and will damage the instrument.

I'm a rare one in these parts, I prefer these mandolins to the Gibson archted type. So congratulations on getting a real Italian mandolin.

[Ray(T)]

I'm no expert on bowlbacks but that one looks to me as if it was built since the turn of the millenium and so no reason to assume that the maker didn't have an email address. As it doesn't appear to have any form of adjustable truss-rod in the neck, I would stick with light or extra light gauge strings.

[DavidKOS]

You have what appears to be a fairly recent bowlback mandolin (or possibly a mandola depending on the scale length) that was made in Italy or at least the label says it was. That doesn't look like Primivera on the label. Are you sure that's what it says? I doubt it's much older than the early 80's or so.

It reminds me of Catania made instruments.

[MikeEdgerton]

As far as the genre of what you have it's one of these made in Italy.

[bennyb]

Looks like Alfredo Privitera on the label. Here is a little bit on Dave Hynds site on the history(successor to Puglisi family). Looks like more on google.

[PeggieL]

The label definitely says Alfredo Privitera and when my husband googled it and did some hunting found the company label and it matches with the exception the newer ones have email address on. I have no idea on the company for when it was made I was just trying to find out what I could about it and maybe hoping I did not get taken on the price I paid Thanks for the info and links. I am certainly chasing them down.

[MikeEdgerton]

The label definitely says Alfredo Privitera and when my husband googled it and did some hunting found the company label and it matches with the exception the newer ones have email address on. I have no idea on the company for when it was made I was just trying to find out what I could about it and maybe hoping I did not get taken on the price I paid Thanks for the info and links. I am certainly chasing them down.

Your original post says this:

The label says Alfredo Primivera

Primivera and Privitera aren't the same.

Here is every thread with Privitera in it on the Cafe.

[PeggieL]

OOPS.. it is tera not vera... brain fart I guess.

[mrmando]

Interesting approach to shaping the ribs there.

Looks nice although it doesn't appear to be a terribly valuable instrument. Made for export; that's why the label is in English. Privitera factory is in Catania, Sicily. I do like the dancing couple on the pickguard.

Standard 8-string mandolin tuning is GDAE no matter what the mandolin looks like. Most information from a mandolin video will still be applicable even if the video doesn't have a bowlback in it.

[allenhopkins]

Looks like an all-maple bowl, and the English label and "Made in Italy" definitely indicate it was built to be exported.

When you restring it, get extra light strings, GHS A-240 or equivalent gauges. Bowl-backs aren't built for the same string gauges as most of the carved-top or flat-top mandolins with which you may be more familiar.

[DavidKOS]

Looks nice although it doesn't appear to be a terribly valuable instrument. Made for export; that's why the label is in English. Privitera factory is in Catania, Sicily. I do like the dancing couple on the pickguard.

Looks like an all-maple bowl, and the English label and "Made in Italy" definitely indicate it was built to be exported.

I thought it looked like a Catania-style mandolin. Thanks for the research to all.

[brunello97]

I recall us having a conversation about Privitera Alfredo some time back. I think I even turned up a Google street view of the shop.
Pablo might correct me but those look like the common "Ping" tuners used on a range of mandolins from a broad range of makers.

The mandolin I got in Paracho, Michoacan has them along with those big frets and mystery "rosewoood" fretboard. The tuners are surprisingly quite dependable. The frets and fret board surprisingly soft.

I enjoy the splicing of the maple staves on the back of the bowl. It has a zero fret, which is nice in my book. Maybe what appears to be a Louisville Slugger type neck we see on various Suzuki and MOR Japanese bowls from the '60s and '70s, though I agree with Michele that this is likely '80s or newer. Maybe considerably.

I'd sure like to try it out. I'd bet David would, too.....

I'm blanking on the name of our Catanese friend who posts on here....guitar player. Giuseppe....? I wonder if he has some knowledge of Privitera's work.



Mick

[Jess L.]

... I'm blanking on the name of our Catanese friend who posts on here....guitar player. Giuseppe....? I wonder if he has some knowledge of Privitera's work. ...

Maybe Giuseppe Torrisi? On YouTube, and MandolinCafe (username "mandoguitar"). Looks like he hasn't logged into MandolinCafe in a few months but he posts new videos regularly on YouTube. The name rang a bell because he's one of the YouTube channels I subscribe to.

[brunello97]

Maybe Giuseppe Torrisi? On YouTube, and MandolinCafe (username "mandoguitar"). ......

Yessir!

Thank you. I was feeling a bit embarrassed for not remembering his last name. You bailed me out....

I hope he happens by the conversation.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

Pablo might correct me but those look like the common "Ping" tuners used on a range of mandolins from a broad range of makers.

¿Quien es Pablo?

[brunello97]

¿Quien es Pablo?

Paul Hostetter....of course. He knows his tuners. Among many other things.

Mick

[Jim Garber]

Paul Hostetter....of course. He knows his tuners. Among many other things.

Mick

Ah, I agree but I don’t think PH has posted here I quite a while. At least I don’t recall.