I think the banjo is a far easier instrument for tunes. This is based on the popular KM-270 Oval hole mandolin. We are always being asked what the best mandolin pickup is. Membership is free, and it only takes a moment to sign up. Flatiron was made by Weber, and I think their current mandolas have the same scale. They've become increasingly popular with mandolinists that want to expand their range of expression on an instrument that they can be instantly comfortable with. Which one do you like more? The fingering works OK with a capo at the second fret, thus reducing the scale length to 20 inches and keeping the GDAE tuning by detuning a whole step. I have a short-scale, 5-course cittern from Oakwood Instruments (no affiliation). It is tuned an octave below the mandolin and is about 10 inches longer. I feel like the large scale double course instruments give you all the difficulties of dragging a pick through two strings combined with the tougher stretches of a longer neck. It’s tuned an octave below the mandolin and is approximately 41 inches. Models from Eastman, Erin, Agnew, Phil Davidson, Tanglewood, Buchanan, Crafter, Ozark, Countryman, plus other quality makers. I did get an octave mandolin a few years and played melody on it - it’s very nice but like the mandolin itself it suffers a bit from low volume in sessions although you can buy high quality mandolins with more powerful sound $799.99. If not it should be. I have and play a mandolin and I am considering buying a real OM as I have a small four string guitar tuned to GDAE on which I use to play fiddle tunes. Mandolas are fun but the transposition can be a p[roblem Remember that you willl have to play on the lower strings to have any effect as its only the low c that is different to your mandolin. The most popular way to tune it is in unison pairs. It is tuned one fifth below a mandolin. If you aren’t a member of The Session yet, you can sign up now. Octave Mandolin. A octave mandolin is tuned  one fourth below the mandola. The octave mandolin occupies a sonic space between a guitar and a mandolin, it combines the punch of the mandolin with the sustain and range of a guitar. Since 1999, Folkmusician has been serving up the best values in acoustic instruments. It’s a fine-sounding instrument, tuned like an octave mandolin on the lowest-piched four strings (GDAe), and the highest (first) string is tuned to a b - everything is in fifths: GDAeb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdo7nUElgQ, As it happens, There’s one on Ebay right now with 4 days to go, (not mine, I would never sell it). 8/23/2019 The mandocello is boomier and bassier than an octave mandolin and sounds closer to a guitar. I wasn’t forced to give it up but I hardly ever touched the mandy again after I bought an octave. Take your ‘zouk out and display its charms to the public. I have a Davy Stewart, a Fylde and Sobell, for volume the Davy and the Fylde are great for sessions. Mandocello: This is the most significant and most profound of these mandolins. It is larger than the mandola, but smaller than the mandocello and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family. My mandolin and guitars just hang on my wall now. The mando-guitar’s body closely resembles the size and shape of a mandolin. No one can really advise and I expect your answer will come down to personal preference, not logic. It is a mandolin that is tuned one octave below a standard mandolin. The main difference between Mandoline and Mandolin is that the Mandoline is a cooking utensil used for slicing and for cutting juliennes and Mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family (plucked, or strummed). While there are several other good options, these should. Some of you will discern that a capo on the fifth fret would allow the instrument to have the same tuning as a mandolin on the highest-pitched four strings (though with a C as the lowest-pitched string: CGdae). Gold Tone OM-800+ Octave Mandolin (Mahogany) 4.9 out of 5 stars. The ukulele originated in the 19th century as a Hawaiian interpretation of a small guitar-like instrument brought by Portuguese immigra… Don’t feel a fish out of water. But it’s only for sale in Australia…….. A mando-guitar is a 6 string mandolin guitar hybrid instrument tuned like a guitar (EADGBE) except one octave higher so that it’s in the same tonal range as the Mandolin. ‘G’ 4th pair, ‘D’ 3rd pair, ‘A’ 2nd pair, and ‘E’ 1st pair (This is the same tuning as the mandolin above, but an octave below. If it’s any help, I played mandolin for years and have migrated to tenor banjo which I now prefer. I made a youtube clip a while ago to demonstrate the sound of Davy’s instruments on melody: Also if you put the word octave mandolin … I have never gone back to Mandolin, I love playing the Cittern and with the high A, tunes are no longer a problem, yes it is more of a stretch than Mando but the sound is so rich and as cheeky elf comments, "OM sounds better if you decide to do any backing" For bouzouki, it is a 25 scaled instrument tuned with just an octave below the mandolin. I play both fiddle and mandolin as melody instruments, and OM mainly for vocal accompaniment and backing. The mandocello is not particularly used for solo playing. On Octave Mandolin that is quite far. They are good for learning tunes indoors when you don’t want to upset the neighbours or even be heard at all. And Davy Stuart is a super nice guy and if the exchange rate is in your favor, it can be the best deal in all of fretted instrumentdom. If so, either one will be easy to adapt to. Can also add a course to the bottom to get a low D, making the tuning [DGDAE] or [EAEAE], or a multitude of others.In this case, the [D] is the lower bound, and the [E] is the upper. All three of these recommendations are passive pickups. Not sure, but the one person I've jammed with who played mandocello kept it in some sort of open A tuning. The technique is also slightly different due to the low string tension and styles of music they tend to be used in. Mandolin emerges in Italy at the end of 17 th century. Hi Cape cod struggler, The octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in fifths, G − D − A − E (low to high), an octave below a mandolin. If I had some spare dosh I’d go for a nice upper end mandolin, they’re far more versatile and can be heard instead of being drowned out. The melodious sound of mandolin was produced when the strings plucked with a plectrum. Best Mandolin Pickup K&K vs Radius vs Fishman, Ovation Mandolin Reviews and Buyers Guide, Kentucky KM-858 F-Style Mandolin Gold Top. While you can get Archtop instruments, they tend to be very expensive and there are few options. It is tuned one fifth below a mandolin. I’ve heard from a few people that Oakwood are very nice. It is tuned one GDAE, just like a regular mandolin. For an octave mandolin, look up Tim O'Brien My Girl's Waiting For Me on youtube. Tim's playing an octave mandolin in that. The first link should be from the John Hartford Memorial Festival. a new color option for players that prefer a more organic look. Octave Mandolin: Scale length of a Sobell is 58cm or 22 7/8". Having said that I later went one step further, up to a bouzouki, and I’ve since given the octave to a friend. I find I get more fluent triplets for example, on the OM which is my main instrument. 9. Say hello to the new Kentucky KM-276 model! These are not the best sounding acoustic mandolin made, but on stage they are in their element. The octave mandolin is a tear-drop shaped instrument strung with four courses of steel strings, usually tuned GDAE or similar, one octave below mandolin pitch. The original instrument was the mandore, which evolved in the fourteenth century from the lute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdo7nUElgQ, http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Davy-Stuart-Octave-Mandolin-/181115255419?pt=AU_Musical_Instruments_Instruments&hash=item2a2b4f7a7b&_uhb=1#ht_717wt_932. Many years ago (around a century), mandolin orchestras were common and the amount of mandolin family instruments exploded. The OM-800+ features a generous 22 1/2" scale (commonly used by the best custom makers in Ireland). The main difference between Mandola and Mandolin is that the Mandola is a musical instrument and Mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family (plucked, or strummed). That’s funny. A mandola falls somewhere in-between a mandolin and octave mandolin as far as overall size. Tuned [GDAE], exactly one octave below fiddle or mandolin.Nearly equivalent in scale length to a guitar capoed at the 2nd. Most players picking up an Octave mandolin or mandola will more than likely own a mandolin already. Set up included Also to consider: I changed fingering from mandolin to octave mandolin so it can be a little confusing at first The mandocello is often described as being to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin. The mandolin is a Fylde and it does have good volume for a session. As many of you know, this is not an entirely new mandolin, but instead. My vote would definitely be for the octave. Get it as soon as Tue, Nov 17. Its relationship to the mandolin is that of the tenor violin to the violin, or the tenor saxophone to the soprano saxophone . The tuning is CGDA, or the same as a viola. Lower on the register still are octave mandolins (a full octave below a mandolin) and the mandocello, a fifth below that. August 11, 2018 Double coursed too, bouzouki has the bottom two string pairs in octaves like a … You know about mandolins. It is tuned an octave … Report Save. It has a wonderfully rich, delicious ring with the easy reach of a 17 in scale. Octave Mandolin: The title of this octave mandolin clarifies its gap from the mandolin. To me, an octave mandolin can almost act as a replacement to an acoustic guitar for a … If you are on the fence, we would suggest Octave first, then consider Mandola later. The mandola, though now rarer, is an ancestor of the mandolin. Everything you’ll ever need for mandolin is right here at Eagle Music. Ten string and twelve string versions are known as citterns. The octave because it is tuned the same, the mandola because it is closer to mandolin in size, and the same basic scale patterns work, you just need to match the key. Guitar I will use for playing tunes ( if its not too large a session ) or chords. This version is a special order for us from APC and comes with onboard pickup/tuner. It’s a very fitting sound. some experienced opinions as to the ease of playing and differences between the two instruments. Need to add some mandolin to your high-volume rock band? The scale length is longer and it is more like playing a guitar. 99. Octave Mandola – Octave Mandolin. Maybe replica but good price considering crack. The mandolin family is quite diverse. Origins, use, and different types My reason for asking is quite simple.