A friend in Lyons brought me his old George Bauer Bowl Back Mandolin, with the neck coming off and top, smashed in. I wiggled the neck a bit, and it came off, with a bit of the top still holding onto the edge of the fingerboard, which also crumbled off the bottom. It looks as though all the pieces are there but restoraton to playable condition is pushing the bar.
George Bauer was in Philidelphia, Pa and putting out stringed instruments in the late 1880's. He later joined forces with Stuart Banjo and took that company over in the early 1900's.
Our poor broken one is called model Monagram, and I see that model in later instruments too and considered entry level. With it's beautiful top, Brazilian Rosewood bowl strips, I'd hardly call it entry level! The neck joint is one I've yet to see. Not the dove-tail joint that we're used to encountering, but a crude, hand carved asymetrical joint.
Well, after consulting a luhier here in Rochester, he brought to my attention, that the neck was previously re-glued, using Gorilla Glue. The urethene glue has already satuated the wood fibers, rendering hyde or other wood glues not effective. So, at his advice, I cleaned up my joints and reglued the neck with the Gorilla Glue.
The next serious issue, is the left top bout where the fingerboard and top meet. The top is smashed down over 1/8 inch. I cut a scab to glue under my seam, and jacked and glued the left top section to the fingerboard.
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