Identifying a Manouche Gypsy Jazz Guitar

ritchie123

I am a newbie living in Bulgaria, and have a French Manouche Gypsy Guitar which I would like to identify.
https://picasaweb.google.com/ritchiex/Desktop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCKf98L3x0KGv7gE#5808205199414637906
https://picasaweb.google.com/ritchiex/Desktop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCKf98L3x0KGv7gE#5808205418704186114
https://picasaweb.google.com/ritchiex/Desktop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCKf98L3x0KGv7gE#5808204670914488066[url]
I am not sure if the linked photos will be visible. :-(

The 'bathing beauty' scratch-plate is original, as is the aluminium tailpiece and the rest of the hardware.
Maker unknown. Age unknown. Any help gratefully appreciated.

ritchie

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Bones

I don't know anything about who made it but (as we say on the left coast of the US) Dude that thing is sick! (that's a good thing)

MichaelHorowitz

That is clearly the work of Carmelo Catania:

http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/itali ... etto2.html

frater

I think Michael is right. The cutaway shape, the big white dots, the headstock, the bridge and to certain degrees the tailpiece are Catania trademarks...

http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/itali ... ogo57.html


... and yet, nothing is perfectly right so it could be some minor sicilian luthier mimicking the master :-)

klaatu

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Runs away screaming]

SteveG

Mystery solved by Frater but not posted here on this thread, so I'm putting up the link for future reference.

viewtopic.php?p=61516#p61516

cheers