A tale of a tailpiece

Small masterpieces!

During the almost 10 months in making of the A/I Stathopoulos bouzouki, the luthier Giannis Tsoulogiannis and I, continuously researched multiple resources trying to find quality old woods, and antique hardware bouzouki parts.

Specifically, to find  a vintage  tailpiece for my bouzouki, the research lasted more than 3 months.
When our effort did not return any fruits of success, I started to take in consideration the idea  finding a vintage  engraved mandolin tailpiece. ( following the shell / scallop-shape engraved tailpieces which some of the A.Stathopoulos genuine bouzoukia , carry).

My attention was initially focused on  the hard to find mandolin tailpiece by C. F. Martin & Co.
Its engraving theme and style is very similar to A. Stathopoulos genuine bouzoukia tailpieces
.

Mandolin tailpiece by C. F. Martin & Co.

I had no luck finding one !

My second choice was the holy grail for vintage mandolin restoration projects, the beautiful Lyon And Healy Tailpiece.

Lyon And Healy Tailpiece And Tailpiece Cover.

Washburn 1925 catalogue

But in a price range of $ 550.00 this solution became prohibitive for my budget.

Then, I researched information regarding engraver artists, who could work on a modern shell-type tailpiece cover, creating with their talent a small masterpiece, similar to A. Stathopoulos engraved tailpieces

First and top in my list was the talented artist Weldon Lister

Engraved Allen tailpiece by the talented artist Weldon Lister

Engraved Collings mandolin tailpiece by the talented artist Weldon Lister

His time availability and cost became the cause of premature deletion from my list.

Other talented engraver artists as David Giulietti, Jim Downing, Michael Ladan, Cfjewelry,  Denny Lytle been taken in consideration when the luthier Giannis Tsoulogiannis suddenly informed me for the discovery and possession of an old German mandolin tailpiece, which belonged to a vintage - ebony body- mandolin made by the famous luthier Dimitri Mourtzino.

Jim Downing's engraving work

Cfjewelry's engraving work

Denny Lytle's engraving work

I temporarily gave up  the idea engraving a modern tailpiece for my bouzouki, planing one day to do the engraving on the original Dimitri Mourtzino's tailpiece

This way I can bring a little more of the A. Stathopoulos glamour on my A/I Stathopoulos bouzouki.

Original Dimitri Mourtzino's tailpiece

                                                                     

                                                   I wish a Happy New Year, full of new memories!