New Instruments

Old Italian fluted bowl-back

This is an old, bowl-back mandolin, Italian-built probably late 19^th/early20th century. It is in excellent condition after restoration.  There is a label which says…

Fabbrica & Specialita D’instrumenti Armonici

Scarano

Pedementine S. Martino, 6

Napoli

   This instrument is now fully playable after restoration. The top is sound with some scratches but no repairs. It has a superb 26-piece rosewood bowl back with several small repairs. It has a new inlaid semi-concert fingerboard in rosewood with 21 modern frets. The tuners, tail, and bridge are original. It has been refinished throughout with shellac and Tru-oil. It has been restrung with ultra-light GHS bronze wound classical strings and is now playing well with a bright rounded sound, and an easy playing action.

Other than cleaning, I have repaired as follows, though there is evidence of previous repair which seems well done and stable… 1) made and fitted a new fingerboard in rosewood and bone nut; 2) reglued/replaced missing/loose edging; 3) repaired some open seams in the fluted bowl, and replaced some missing German silver stringing; 4) refinished throughout with shellac and Tru-oil; 5) refitted the original bridge; and 6) strung and set up

 

Mandolin Specifications (In Millimetres)
Overall Length of Mandolin	605mm
Width of mandolin at widest point	200mm
Approx. Depth of mandolin	140mm at bridge.
Finish	Refinished throughout, with shellac and tru-oil.
Belly wood	Excellent quality, book-matched, close-grained, spruce top. No repairs except to edging…. Multiple pieces replaced.
Scratch plate	Original in good condition with lots of MOP,
Sound hole	70 x 40mm. approx. with purfling and inlay. Slight warp left side.
Back and sides	A superb 27-piece, fluted rosewood bowl-back and clasp. Tulip sides and decorative trim.
Neck and Head	2-piece, veneered neck and head, in good condition. Shows evidence of an old stable repair to veneer.
Fingerboard	New inlaid semi-concert f/b in rosewood with 21 frets. New bone nut. 8 MOP position markers.
Machine heads	Original steel and brass enclosed tuners with original buttons. All working despite one or two missing screws.
Tailpiece	Original in brass with 4 brass string posts.
Bridge/tensioner	Original ebony and bone bridge refitted.
Scale Length Bridge to nut	Scale of 330mm
G string height at bridge	6.25mm
E string height at bridge	5.5mm
12th fret to bottom of G string (Action)	1.25mm
12th fret to bottom of E string (Action)	1mm
Width of fretboard at nut	28mm
Width of fretboard at widest point	40mm