Silvestri Mandolin minus headstock

[Len Biglin]

Hi everyone , This concerns a mandolin from Silvestri in Sicily , maybe 100yrs old ? Maybe not . Anyway the headstock was broken off and reglued by the owners deceased father and has come off again . Ive seen these before and was ready for the pine neck with rosewood veneer , but there is a rod of rosewood down the centre which has the grain running across the neck ! Just waiting to break . Im wondering if anyone has seen this before , or maybe just an ill-informed addition by the previous repairer ? Any ideas here - Ive considered a back strap but its a real V right past the break , maybe pull the board and head overlay and rout in a CF rod ? Len

[Mike Cornwall]

Maybe this kinda thing?

[Len Biglin]

Yes that would get it going , but Id like to do an invisible repair if possible , its a cute old thing .

[Mike Cornwall]

Under the fingerboard and replace the veneer I guess? I wouldn’t be able to hide that break line across the back  but maybe someone could 

[Len Biglin]

The back of the neck has a join line where the neck veneer meets the headstock veneer , thats the crazy situation with these things - its all veneer over pine !

[Len Biglin]

Well I drilled into headstock and neck , and installed a mild steel rod bent to the angle , epoxied it in and it worked well and was invisible .

[George Roberts]

Nice job on the Silvestri mandolin Len.  Looks very functional, and similar to the two piece guitar necks of the 1800s.  Interesting that it has a zero fret.

[MARK HARRIS]

Hi Do you know anything about Silvestri as I’ve just come by a parlour guitar I am renovating so would love to know about the makers.

[Len Biglin]

Hi Mark , sorry I don't know anything about them but they came from Sicily . And thanks George .