Sicilian gypsy folk guitar

elianu · July 2022

Hello everybody, it is worth restoring the label? I mean remove it and regluing it better? The guitar has a long line of wooden cleats, all along the guitar back, probably the guitar has been made this way? Or it has been a restoration ?

I don't know, but the label has been glued over the cleats and this led to its breaking, due to being old paper glued over an irregular surface; Is it worth restoring that too? I don't know, maybe smooth down a bit the cleats where the label lays over? Is it a possible thing?

Elia

AndyW · July 2022

I'd think you could moisten the label and carefully remove it - you should be able to save it and perhaps glue it on top of another piece of thicker paper. It depends on the glue used, though, which might have been the same glue used on the cleats.

Those cleats are surely not original - I 'd say, probably added to repair a back joint that was separating.

<Edit>

On second thoughts & having seen the later back-off pictures , I think the cleats on back & top might be original to the the build. Maybe. Who knows lol ! 🤷‍♂️

elianu · July 2022

Surprise surprise, there is a sign inside! And also another label. I hope you can read it, it pencil written It says "Franco" I think, I'm not sure, hat's the most resembling name I can see.

On the bad side, the guitar back cracked completly where it was halfway cracked, son now I have three pieces to glue.

ChrisMartin · July 2022

Every little clue might help to piece together the mysteries of the Catanian luthiers. Thanks for posting.

elianu · November 2022

Good evening folks, I'm posting some pics of my Salvatore d'Angelo " jumbo ".

As someone might remember the back was fully cracked in 3 pieces but I managed to glue the back togheter; I sanded the back to since the glued pieces made a very slight step between them so I'smooth it down a bit and now It joins good. Sanding it ment removing the previous varnish so it was plain wood, a nice walnut piece and I gave him a few layers of wax just for to try.

Also I've reglued the loose pieces of the dancing girl on the pickguard and with a tinytinytiny veil of putty I've filled a piece near her shoes. I found a guy in Italy selling some vintage acoustic/EKO tailpieces and I thought that the one I choose fitted good. Also the strap pin is an old cabinet knob in bone.

Unluckly the label inside broke even more, still readable but in worst conditions.

With a closing look I could have cleaned the tuners better so maybe I'm gonna take off the strings one day and clean them better. Argentine strings.

I could have done a far better work but unexperience and rush didn't help but I'm still happy with the results.

Elia

BillDaCostaWilliams · November 2022

Looks great!

AndyW · April 2023

A few pictures of what I'd call a Musicalia or Musikalia guitar sold in Sweden last year, but carrying a Vincenzo Miroglio e Figlio label - perhaps another indication that the Miroglio family business was buying guitars from other Sicilian luthiers/workshops, and (re-)labelling them for resale or export.

Older style tuner buttons, an interesting cast tailpiece, it also appears to have a one-piece neck, -features that might indicate 1940s or early 1950s, but I'm quite sure it is related to instruments from the workshop of Alfredo Leone