Re: Bowlback action
Originally Posted by
allenhopkins
I haven't seen bowl-backs with the string hold-down bar behind the bridge that yours has, but I surely haven't seen every bowl back made. The auxiliary sound-holes on the side are also uncommon. Does yours have a maker's label inside?
Alan...and Carrie... these bar type tensioners were standard on DeMeglio bowlbacks, of which 1000s were imported into the UK, as well as some other Neapolitan makers. DeMeglio also had numerous particular features such as the side sound holes we see here that influenced other 'copiers', some faithful to DeMeglio and some less so.
From the limited view of UKCarrie's mandolin, my hunch is that this is Sicilian made. More photos would make that clearer.
The super wide grain on the top is what has me thinking that, along with the soundhole decoration.
The Catanese builders were enthusiastic copiers, translators and collagists of mandolin design from the mainland (and from the US in some occasions) as well generators of delightful designs of their own. Many many many were imported to the UK that then bore labels from the local dealer (eg. J Geo Morley.)
Fair play to you, UKCarrie, for scoring a vintage bowlback with good, playable action on your first purchase. So many of these old bowlbacks have had their necks go south, rendering them difficult if not impossible to play.
Mick
Last edited by brunello97; May-13-2021 at 7:02pm.
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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