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Thread: Jewel in the rough...

  1. #1

    Default Jewel in the rough...

    I was walking by an old junk shop the other day and something caught my eye. It was an old beat mandolin... I picked it up to have a look, it was really old but nothing that couldn't be fixed. It looked all original and the structure looked good. It's missing the nut and has some cracks. It has very nice inlay work and mostly all in tacked... I brought it to a Luthier today and he told me it looks like it's from the late 1800's or early 1900's. I think it's worth getting it restored so he is working on an estimate for me. It was made in Valencia, Spain at the Francisco Leon Zaballos Guitar Company. Nothing at all comes up for that company in Google so it wouldn't surprise me that it is 100 years old or so... Here are some pics of it.

    If anyone has ever seen on of these or heard of the company please let me know.

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  2. #2
    '`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' Jacob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    My guess is that it isn't a mandolin, but a bandurria.

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  4. #3
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    Cool find!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

  5. #4
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    That looks like a nice old one. It looks in pretty good shape except for that crack on the top. If you are in Spain, I am sure you would have no problem finding proper strings for it. In the US Juststrings carries two brands. It is traditionally tuned : G♯, c♯, f♯, b, e and a. Personally, I would tune it like an octave guitar.
    Jim

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  6. #5
    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    boy ya all thaught a mandolin was kinda a bear to tune, I bet that thing is a Grizzly!

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    I bet it is even harder to play, what a stretch to make chords....

  8. #7
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    I believe that you prob play lots of open strings for chords, not chop chords as on a mandolin.
    Jim

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  10. #8
    Registered User pfox14's Avatar
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    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    Definitely not a mandolin.
    Visit www.fox-guitars.com - cool Gibson & Epiphone history and more. Vintage replacement mandolin pickguards

  11. #9

    Default Re: Jewel in the rough...

    You are right, it is in fact a bandurria... Looking into getting it restored now. I just hope they don't try to take me to the cleaners to get it fully restored and playable. I left it with a good Luthier to get an estimate...

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