Vinaccia 1896 Neapolitan mandolin

[Brocky]

Hi, I have just bought a Vinaccia Neapolitan bowl back mandolin, 1896. Looking for advice on gentle repair and restoration to get it playable please.
There is a depression to the top and a couple of manageable splits. My biggest worry as someone with little knowledge of mandolin is that when I run a straight edge along the frets the edge rams into the bridge, is this irretrievable? Can I gently restore it myself or is it a professional job?
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=48

[poul hansen]

............when I run a straight edge along the frets the edge rams into the bridge, is this irretrievable? Can I gently restore it myself or is it a professional job?
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/n...newthread&f=48

?? That sounds good. It means that the strings will clear the frets

[Brocky]

Do you know how I can raise the top into the correct position without taking it off altogether?

[allenhopkins]

Assuming you've strung it up and put the bridge on -- or just put a couple strings on, enough to hold the bridge in place -- take a pic from the side of the instrument, showing it from nut to bridge, so the experts among us (not me!) can assess the action. A slightly sunken top, if it's stable, is surely not uncommon and not a fatal flaw. (You should see the "dished" and multi-repaired-cracked top on my 1890's Washburn mandola!) Bridge heights can be customized to compensate for changes in the geometry of the instrument (within reason).

[Brocky]

Thanks, I will do that tomorrow (Friday). Great tip, thank you

[Jim Garber]

I have a feeling that you might be amiss on your terminology but a few photos will certainly help. Do you mean that the straightedge hits the top where the bridge would be? This may indicate need for a neck set. The glue joints there may have loosened. Unless you have worked on these before you may need a pro to do the repair. John Maddock (screen name: Tavy) is an experienced luthier in the UK and has worked on many bowlbacks. Hopefully he will chime in here.

[vic-victor]

A lovely Vinaccia well worth restoring. The sunken top is usually caused by the loose brace underneath. Sometimes it is possible to re-glue the brace through the hole without taking the top off. Those Vinaccias are very delicate and the fretboards are usually very thin, so even a slight change in the neck joint angle makes them unplayable. Definitely must be repaired by the experienced mandolin luthier.

[Brocky]

I have a short video from the day I collected the beautiful instrument. I am new on here so I just need to work out how to post a video within this thread

[Jim Garber]

You have to first upload the video to YouTube or other video hosting site. Then copy the URL and click on the small film icon in the message window.

Good clear photos of the instrument would probably work just as well.

[Brocky]

Quick video from the day I collected it.

https://youtu.be/vbgr4lkIhGk

[vic-victor]

Thanks for the video. From what I've seen the bridge is missing it's bone saddle and could be not original anyway. The neck appears to be OK and if it is so you are in luck, as this is the issue most difficult to rectify. The original tailpiece cover is missing and the MOP triangle at the back of a headstock, but they are both purely decorative. Loose brace/sunken top needs to be addressed before anything else anyway, and you will need a new bridge made (or the current one modified) at the very least. Which is a good case scenario and should not cost you more than a few hundred bucks. Fingers crossed you won't need the neck reset. Good luck, it is a nice mandolin.

[Jim Garber]

For your viewing convenience.

[Tavy]

>John Maddock (screen name: Tavy) is an experienced luthier in the UK and has worked on many bowlbacks.

This topic actually started over on the mandolin FB group, so I've replied already. +1 on what others have said, well worth restoring, and hopefully not too expensive to do properly.

[Brocky]

Many thanks John
Much appreciated