Mandolin

My friend P. Dana loaned me this mandolin in hopes that I'd fix it up and use it.  The instrument was not in playing condition.  I cleaned it and polished it quite a bit, but the real problem was the tuning pegs.  They were not functioning.  Because they were manufactured either with metric increments or old-fashioned increments between the pegs, the new tuning machines would not fit in the existing holes.  I had to bore out the holes to accommodate the new pegs.  Also, the bridge was so humongous that the strings were over a half an inch above the fretboard.  This also makes the instrument unplayable.  With help from my brother, I removed the bottom part of the existing bridge.  I don't believe that this was part of the original instrument.  Now, with a little help from my brother, Keith, I know a few chords and I'm learning to play this instrument.

boring

old parts I removed

My next project is to restore the original canvas case.  This will mean hand sewing new piping and replacing clasps and handle.