Re: Needing part of an old bowl back
All the parts you're seeking are available commercially. StewMac (formerly Stewart-MacDonald) carries a wide selection of tuners, also bridges and tailpieces. You need to measure the spacing of the holes in the headstock, to make sure you get four-on-a-plate tuners that will fit your instrument.
What you should look for is a bridge designed for a flat-top mandolin -- and, more specifically, for a bowl-back instrument. These are non-adjustable, and are generally quite low, and long, with extended ends that reach well beyond the saddle. One possibility for finding bowl-back parts, is to visit a dealer who sells vintage instruments; many of them have parts taken from un-repairable or un-sellable bowl-backs, that get thrown in a drawer on the chance that someone like you might need them. I have had luck in replacing a partially broken bridge on my B & J Victoria bowl-back, from a local dealer.
You can fill the holes for the tailpiece screws, and drill new ones. I'm not sure if you're missing the entire tailpiece, or just the cover...?
In any case, check for top sinkage, for failure of the neck-body joint resulting in the neck being pulled forward by string tension, and for possible neck warpage. All these are common in old bowl-backs that were strung with too-heavy strings. If you get it back to playability, put ultra-light strings on it -- not standard "lights." GHS makes an acceptable set.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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