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New Item on project:

In the picture you will see an inlay, individual pieces, looks to be tortoise of some kind. It is cracked and crusty, and thin. What is safe to clean it and maybe polish it up a bit? My info is that it is around 100 yrs old.

Same style/make mandolin Marlon Brando played in Missouri Breaks. I did get the body back together using magnets and hide glue to hold it together, then used a hide glue soaked fabric inside to keep it together as the original builder did. Thankfully I had an IO camera to aide. Hide glue then wiped off with a damp cloth for a clean exterior. Plan to use a light shellac finish when done. All new binding at the moment. The side you see was the only significant piece of binding left.

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Hey Jerry, glad to see someone else gets these to work on. I've done three this year already with one more to go. I usually do a cleaning with a little mineral spirits and then a light french polish over the original finish. The bridge looks a little far forward to me, check your intonation after set up.

To me the bridge looks about the correct position -- of course you can only tell for sure by having it in hand. Vega was one of the only makers who set their mandolins up with the bridge on the tailpiece side of the cant (fold) in the top.

Totally agree. I was referring to the distance forward of the break. I find they set closer, but not past.

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