Im a sucker for punishment

[simso]

When should you say no.

[J.F. Custom]

Great !!

Now I know where to send them

Enjoy

Jeremy.

[nnickusa]

Right about now, I reckon.

Lot's of us joke a bout our guitars ending up as kindling, but really....

[simso]

The owners house burnt to the ground, a family member found the owners grandfathers banjo-mandolin in the wreckage and has asked me to repair it, to give back to them.

[Nick]

I have a mando/banjo neck I changed out for a guitar neck if you need to replace Steve. It's just missing the square strainer brace that runs across the body as I grafted that onto the new neck.
Found the original post viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2963&p=36098
Just the cost of postage would be all I'd want.

[simso]

Wow, thats really generous of you, thanks.

My process because from what Ive been told its close to 100 yrs old anyway, is to carve off the dead wood, then splice some fresh sections back on, and then shape it up. This way I can retain as much of the original instrument as possible

Will post an afterwards photo when completed, Its currently been stripped and placed into a high humidity box to try and get some moisture back into the wood, as its pretty dry at the moment.

[simso]

I joined a forum called madolin cafe, to try and see if anyone can recognise what model or manufacturer this might be, if anyone recognises the headshape, I would appreciate feedback

Regards

Steve

[Nick]

I know on the Slingerland(which this isn't judging by the headstock shape but that's not to say they didn't use different shapes through the years), that the back was a maple ply affair with the 'hump' being formed & held in shape by the fact that it was laminated rather than a carved shape & the outer layer was a birdseye veneer as was the final layer of the body ring. Yours ofcourse will be flamed.

[kiwigeo]

Looks like the special BBQ model......

[Nick]

There's a character that's posted a pic of a banjolin near the bottom of this page that has a shape close to yours, it appears to be made by a John Grey & sons, the burnt label on yours looks like it could be one of these?http://www.banjolin.co.uk/banjolin/grey.htm But then again?

[simso]

Thanks guys, I posted as mentioned above on a mandolin forum and it appears to be a non descript banjo-mandolin that would have run with a local stores logo on it.

Makes sense.

Either way, restoration has started. Lots and lots of bad wood been cut out so far, definetly a little bit of woodwork will be needed.

[Nick]

Lots and lots of bad wood been cut out so far, definetly a little bit of woodwork will be needed.

I'd like to nominate this sentence as understatement of the year if I may?
Looks almost like you'd be better off starting again . Hope you keep that shutter working Steve, I'd like to see how this Phoenix is resurected.

[simso]

Stripped

[simso]

As soon as you touch something, it looks good then dis-integrates

[charangohabsburg]

That looks like the only original parts be left will be the metal parts and a flimsy sliver of wood beneath the small part of +/- intact looking varnish.
And yet, there will be something original left, which is the main point of the operation as I understand. I wish you luck and patience. Without any doubt both, the owner and your customer will be moved by the result you will present.

[kiwigeo]

As soon as you touch something, it looks good then dis-integrates

Well thats one way to get ebony REALLY black