Gennaro Fabricatore 1822

The guitar maker

Gennaro II (1800~1853)

The Fabricatore family were amongst the most important and best known builders of plucked instruments. The head of the line was Vincenzo followed by Giovanni Battista (active from 1780-1811), Gennaro I (active from 1773-1823), Gennaro II (known activity in 1841) and Pietro.

Gennaro Fabricatore (c. 1770 — c. 1844), active in Naples: there are of his instruments in Museums and private collections. His guitar models show differing levels of skill and the soundboard outlines are similar but never precisely the same from one to the next, a detail that might suggest construction without the use of a mold.

From the labelling of his guitars we can deduce where he would have been working:

From 1773 to 1793 and from 1808 to 1815 in Strada S. Giacomo N.3, he moved to N. 26 in the same street from 1802 and 1808.

From 1814 to 1830 he worked at Strada S. Giacomo 42 and from 1830 onwards in Via Toledo 297.

Description

A most elaborate and refined instrument by Gennaro Fabricatore (Naples 1822).

 
Front in spruce decorated with mother-of-pearl 'affogata' in black stucco.
Fingerboard heavily inlaid with an elaborate decoration in mother-of-pearl and bone inserts in black stucco.
One-piece back and ribs of figured maple edged with ebony and bone inserts.
The neck is Spanish Cedar entirely overlaid on all surfaces with rosewood veneer.

Condition

The instrument is in fairly good condition.
Except of bridge and pegs all parts are original.
The soundboard shows some hairline-cracks but it seems to have its original thickness.
The neck/body-joint (a frequent weak point at these instruments) is stable.

Restoration

The guitar is restored by Bernhard Kresse in 2018.

• The instrument was opened, the back removed and old repair supports detached and replaced.
• Bars on the front and back reglued.
• Rhombus-shaped element at the back detached and replaced.
• Bridge removed and reworked.
• Back-linings enlarged to get wider glueing area for the back.
• Edges and bindings at the back renewed.
• 3 pegholes bushed out and pegs refitted.
• Soundboard cracks belayed and supported.
• Missing parts of mother-of-pearl inlays replaced.
• Frets reworked.
• Retouching and revarnishing works done.