Second opinion on vintage Italian bowl back mandolin

[Richard500]

Even brand new good tuners sometimes need running in, that is hundreds of revolutions with a tuner hand crank or even a power screwdriver. An antique set can have corrosion products reducing clearances or may have always been too tight. Some of us may even use grinding paste (automotive valve product) plus running in until things loosen. After, solvent cleaning to remove any residual paste.. When the round gear is permanently attached, it’s the only thing that can be done. Don’t worry about getting too loose a fit. That really doesn’t matter.
People here can be picky about lubricants, worrying about capturing dirt or something. Just use something that has enough body to stay put, and small amounts, also run in to distribute it.
The photos look as if the mandolin has been stripped of finish. Is it? And if so, how?

[Capitano]

Even brand new good tuners sometimes need running in, that is hundreds of revolutions with a tuner hand crank or even a power screwdriver.

I'll look into the hand crank.

People here can be picky about lubricants, worrying about capturing dirt or something. Just use something that has enough body to stay put, and small amounts, also run in to distribute it.

I'm not picky!

The photos look as if the mandolin has been stripped of finish. Is it? And if so, how?

The front of the body has no finish. As far as I know it has always been like this. I'm 61 and I know this instrument since I was 6. My dad certainly didn't strip it of finish. He inherited it from his Dad and it has been in the family for 4 generations.

[brunello97]

Our sadly departed amigo, Pablo Hostetter, always recommended Triflow for lubricating tuning gears and I took him up on it and find it to be great for the job...both in terms of penetration and l'accumulo di gunk.


I doubt if there was any top finish to have been removed.

From my experience it has been very common to find Italian bowlbacks, particularly the MOR versions, to be without much, if any, top finish.

I've heard tell that a light coat of wax might have been initially applied, but have no verification of that.

Dave Hyndes relates that he has used a light wipe down of a lemon oil product on the bowlbacks he restores.


Mick

[sebastiaan56]

That's what I thought and I am surprised that my Napolitan luthier contact seemed not to pick up on that. He wrote to me "the mandolin is not of that era", implying he thought it meant the year. Which must call into question his real expertise.

Please bear ion mind that Neapolitan’s dont speak Italian as a rule, they speak Neapolitan. I saw several attempts at Google translate from Italian. 1737 was still Baroque period, It definitely not a baroque instrument.

Wax was a finish I watched being used several times when I was in Naples. It produces a lovely soft looking finish. It makes good sense for the soundboards.

[Capitano]

Please bear ion mind that Neapolitan’s dont speak Italian as a rule, they speak Neapolitan. I saw several attempts at Google translate from Italian.

Well he messaged me in Italian, which is a language I speak well. No Google involved!

[Eugene]

Emberghers and probably other Roman mandolins have hinged tailpiece covers. There were probably suppliers in Rome who made them for the various shops.

De Santis as well.