Mandolin - Round back made by Marco Rebora circa early 1900s

Antique Italian mandolin labelled Marco Rebora, producer of mandolins and guitars at Via Roma, Napoli. Date not present on label but style of make suggests late1890s to early 1900s.

Mandolin is restored to fully playable condition and set up for nylgut strings (see further down for details). Action is set nice and low – 1.6mm over treble side and slightly higher over bass side. Neck is slightly wider than usual which would be an advantage for players requiring more space for fingers.

Restoration included – replacing fretboard with new thicker rosewood, fretted with narrow 1.1mm fretwire. Replacing nut and bridge, cleaning of tuners, re-finishing of soundboard using shellac. Bowl had only one split between ribs (repaired) and one of the ribs is protruding slightly.

Soundboard had to be removed in order to correct it's shape around soundhole and near tailpiece, there was only one minor crack which has now been repaired and re-enforced. Tail block has been replaced for slightly larger one to provide more gluing surface of soundboard near tailpiece.

Finish was mainly intact so only cleaned and touched up with shellac to revive wood grain while keeping aged appearance.

Mandolin is fitted with new nylgut set of strings – Aquila M1Red Series

This type of strings have very low tension compared to steel strings therefore are very soft which makes playing more effortless and long hours of practising scales less painful.

Mandolin with Nylgut strings sounds more gentle and delicate, has less volume which is also good where a loud instrument isn't needed. For a sound sample please drop me a message.

Soundboard – Solid Spruce with tortoiseshell pick-guard inlaid with M.O.P.

Bowl –27 rosewood ribs & 2 side slats

Neck – U shaped, made of maple with rosewood veneer

Fretboard – New rosewood with MOP inlay

Nut – new bone

Bridge – New rosewood

Frets – 17 1.1mm crown width, Japanese Nickel-silver

Instruments measurements are as follows:

- total length 60.5cm

- body width 19cm

- body depth 14.6cm

- from nut fret to 12th fret 166.5mm (total scale length 333mm)

- Neck width at nut is 31.6mm, at body merge 41.8mm