Re: Vintage Mandolin Napoli
This is a very nice mandolin. Far older than you suspect.
This bowlback is in the style of DeMeglio...one of the better makers of Neapolitan mandolins from the classic era.
It very well may have been made by DeMeglio to be sold under a different stamp, so to speak.
Folks here often speak of "DeMeglio clones" and there may be some copies out there. Given the production from the DeMeglio
shop, I believe many of these were actually made there. The details are often exact.
The '40s date is about 30-35 years, maybe 40 too late. This is likely from the 1898-1910 era of production.
The DeMeglio system of construction offered a variety of details, some stylistic, some perhaps affecting the tonal performance.
I own a few and have played many. They are very very nice mandolins.
Good projections, well balanced, very good intonation...which can be muy sketchioso on cheaper MOR Italian mandolins from the era.
DeMeglio made hundreds, if not a few thousand mandolins with that design and, yes, with that pickguard.
Very commonplace scrachplate for a few builders from that era.
Umberto Ceccherini used a similar pickguard throughout his production in the 1890s to early 1900s.
Ceccherini's mandolins are exceptional. I own a modest model UC and it is very nice as well.
Many of the DeMeglio models featured a brass zero fret, as this one does, which I enjoy. Some had a brass saddle as well.
We don't see many of these in the states. I can't quite tell from the photos what condition the neck angle is in.
Looks like someone put some heavier strings on it, which is not a good idea.
For that price ($300) if it were near me I would definitely ride over and have a look.
If the neck is in decent enough shape to fiddle with the bridge / saddle and get playable, that is a very attractive price for a mandolin of this quality.....with a crack free top.
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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