New Puglisi, my ugliest yet

[poul hansen]

Today I received my to date ugliest mandolin, a Puglisi et figlio. It has cracks in the bowl, defect tuner, cracked bridge, missing "tortoise" decoration and maybe modern laquer on the back.

[Jim Garber]

Well-played, though, much loved and what stories it would tell. I assume you will fix it up and I bet it will sing.

[poul hansen]

Well-played, though, much loved and what stories it would tell. I assume you will fix it up and I bet it will sing.

I have started bringing it back to former glory, I just wonder how it ever came to look like that

[Sue Rieter]

Looking better already, Poul. When I see some of these instruments you adopt, it puts me in mind of a shelter where they take in unwanted cats and dogs and find new loving homes for them

[Jim Garber]

Playing in lots of smoky bars and leaving it hanging on the wall in the house. Not treated gingerly and played the potatoes (or pasta) out of it.

[poul hansen]

Looking better already, Poul. When I see some of these instruments you adopt, it puts me in mind of a shelter where they take in unwanted cats and dogs and find new loving homes for them

Haha, that might well be but I have a problem finding new homes for them, after spending so many hours and developing new "clever" methods to new problems.
I just passed 54 instruments, of which I have restored 8 and as many are waiting.

I am however refining my mandolins, selling off the lesser and only buying quality ones.

[Hudmister]

It's so wonderful that none of the MOP inlay are missing at the sound hole. I am curious how many hours you estimate it takes for you to complete a project like this.

[poul hansen]

It's so wonderful that none of the MOP inlay are missing at the sound hole. I am curious how many hours you estimate it takes for you to complete a project like this.

I never estimate or count hours, I'd probably give up beforehand if I did.

But when I finish I'll pull up a chair and sit for half an hour with a cup of tea and admire it, feeling happy and proud (if I didn't screw up ;-) )

The MOP is nice but I'd rather have the turtle decoration intact. I'll have to make do with some fake in celluloid.

[Billy Packard]

This is SO cool!
My very first mandolin is a G. Puglisi Reale & Figli that I took as partial payment for labor at least 55 years ago, (+/- 1967!). I didn't know mandolins at all but I am an avid guitarist and loved the little mandolin. It needed a bit of repair work which I had done after which I set it aside and got on with life.
In the '80's Paul Hostetter did work on the headstock and fingerboard that stabilized it but it is no longer in original condition.
It is in perfect playing condition and has a huge bright voice that cuts through a noisy room. Unfortunately I have never adapted to the classical style body so it only gets a few strums now and then.
I do treasure it dearly!

[Jeff Mando]

I am however refining my mandolins, selling off the lesser and only buying quality ones.

Besides getting more exercise and cutting back on sweets, "refining" my collection is part of my New Year's resolution this year. That includes guitars, fiddles, banjos, and projects/basketcases, as well!

[poul hansen]

That's nice. I don't strive to keep original but it happens inadvertently, as I prefer to repair, against replacing. I just glued 9 small pieces of wood on the headstock, front and back, as they were very chipped.