Made you look!
I got this 3/4 fiddle from c.1900 at a flea market up in more northerly Vermont, complete with a top and back in several pieces, no hardware, and some drill holes in the head.
Never fear! I ripped off the old (dyed maple) fingerboard, made a new cherry fretboard, fixed "all de problems" and set it up as a 4 string mandolin.
The result? It's very loud, sounds great with chords, and has super oomph and projection. I never woulda guessed. Here's a YT video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLyfoRovwOk
At any rate, this has been my little project while tending the store this week, done in the 2-5 minute gaps when customers weren't around.
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