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Thread: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

  1. #1
    Registered User irishman's Avatar
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    Default Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    I have an 1920s American Eugene Howard (Ohio) mandolin serial 15935. It is not the fancy trim model and is worth on eBay about $200 max.

    But it belonged to my great grandfather, and drove me to learn mandolin. The face is warped. I am concerned the bracing may have come loose.

    I’d like to get it repaired and set up so that it can be playable instead of just sitting on a shelf.

    I realize I will probably invest more in the instrument that it is actually worth. But I’m OK with that. Does anyone have a solid luthier on the East Coast preferably near North Carolina that they would recommend?

  2. #2
    Registered User geechee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    Lawrence (Larry) Brown in Weaverville NC may be an option. Besides new builds, he used to do a lot of repair work on renaissance instruments. Good luck!

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    Quote Originally Posted by geechee View Post
    Lawrence (Larry) Brown in Weaverville NC may be an option. Besides new builds, he used to do a lot of repair work on renaissance instruments. Good luck!
    Well, maybe... he seems to be making some really nice guitars these days and made a few batches of carved mandolins. I asked him quite a few years ago about working on some of my higher end bowlbacks and he said something like, "if I ever see another lute, I will go mad." or words to disinfect. You could ask though.

    If it is just a loose brace causing the warpage and gluing it will correct the top and make it playable, there are plenty of folks who could do it although finding anyone who wants to do it might be hard.

    Jake Wildwood in VT might be willing.

    I also heard from a fellow MCer here who was using this guy, Chris G. Pantazelos, (in Massachusetts)who has experience with ribbed bowlback instruments (lutes, ouds, etc.) I don't know his work but he might be a possibility. There are folks in NC but i don't know if they want to work on bowlbacks. On some level they require some different techniques, tools, jigs, etc.

    Good luck!
    Jim

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    Registered User irishman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    Well it never hurts to ask, so thank you both very much. I tuned it and played it last night and it stayed in tune. The neck seems straight. I wonder if I could just put some really really light gauge strings on it.

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    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    Quote Originally Posted by irishman View Post
    Well it never hurts to ask, so thank you both very much. I tuned it and played it last night and it stayed in tune. The neck seems straight. I wonder if I could just put some really really light gauge strings on it.
    Old bowlbacks need extra light strings anyway, so please do so, and enjoy playing!

  6. #6
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    GHS A240 are decent but reasonably priced sets. Better strings for bowlbacks are Dogal Calace RW92b Dolce. Medium strings will destroy these lightly made mandolins.

    i would still be concerned about the warpage of the top. Have someone check it out. Fixing the brace should be something most luthiers can handle.
    Jim

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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    +1 for Jake Wildwood, a Cafe member and occasional poster. He has a fine sense of instruments' inherent value, and takes on some work just to get an abused or ignored instrument back to playability, while avoiding costly restoration. Plus, his blog makes for fun reading!
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    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    Another +1 for Jake. He has setup and/or repaired 4 instruments for me.
    It's always fun to visit his shop in Vermont. Great guy.

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    mando-evangelist August Watters's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for a US luthier that does bowlback restoration

    I've seen Jake's work too, excellent.

    Chris Pantazelos (Spartan Instruments, Lowell MA), mentioned in Jim's post above, has done some excellent bowlback repairs and restorations for me. Top-notch work: he's done historical restorations for Metropolitan (NY), Mus Fine Arts (Boston), Musical Instrument Museum (AZ), etc. Chris studied through the Greek bouzouki tradition, so bowlbacks are home base for him. He makes some pretty nice bouzoukis too.

    Anyone know a bowlback repair person in the Pacific Northwest?
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