An unknown guitar

elianu

Hello everyone, I'm back again with a new finding. I got this in France during a trip, It has also tailpiece and bridge, I only have to replace the tuners buttons.

It Is quite big, not a jumbo but not the averege classical size, a bit wider. A small soundhole.

Looks very cheap, the headstock reminds me something but I do not recognize the luthier style. The paint is a bit crumbly so my plan Is to remove It and french polish It since now I'm learning properly of how to do It, also to give It a new and nicer shade.

Any guesses?

Elia

billyshakes

Looks like a fun project, and my guess is you didn't have to pay much for it. Do I see correctly some rough wood finishing in the headstock slots (on the back)? Almost like it wasn't completely finished? Also, the ring around the soundhole (you can't really call it a rosette) seems to have been inscribed by hand with some stray cuts along the way?

Would love to see photos as you progress with the restoration.

elianu

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/114036#Comment_114036

Yes the headstock insides are still a bit rough, also the rosette looks like It has been made with a pyrograph.

Right now I'm scraping away all the old varnish, It Will take me a bit to do it properly.

I Will keep the thread updates with some photos

pdg

Looks like the neck doesn't line up with the soundhole. I can't tell if the neck is misaligned with the body or not, but make sure to put the tailpiece where it will line up with the neck, regardless of whether it's centered at the lower bout.

elianu

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/114038#Comment_114038

I didn't Remember well when i got It, It had strings on and from the photo I have looks like they we're in line, It the soundhole that Is off centered

elianu

At this point now I've sanded the guitar from all the previous varnish. Sides and back look like that usuale mahogany-type wood they used for those kind of gypsy/parlor guitars ( ex. my Di Mauro parlor). I don't know what the neck could be, also the top , except for the fact that Is off centered.

I have a tailpiece, an classic one for these guitars, and the bridge which gives a very high action: since right now I don't have strong to do the test I used a thread tied to the tuners and the tailpiece to test the bridge and Is quite high so It has to be sanded at the end.

Jangle_Jamie

That looks like a lot of work!! I hope it's worth it. If it had a cutaway, I'd be much more interested in restoring it, but I'm afraid my patience with this sort of project has run very thin. Having said that, I bought a Patenotte with no cutaway in poor condition a while ago and am currently sorting a new top out for it (the previous owner had fitted a thin plastic top to it that gave a dreadful sound!). I don't expect it'll ever be great, but I'm interested in getting it sounding better.

Good luck with your project