Short neck of some A style's

[Patrick Sylvest]

The body of my Eastman 504 joins the neck at the 10th fret. That doesn't leave alot of room to work with. When playing in B, I'm holding the neck heel and the body of the mandolin for some chords and really reaching over for some notes that are very easy to reach on my F style. I realize that not all A's are built to this scale.

Is there a logical explanation for this design? Perhaps a different type of music or style of play?

[MikeEdgerton]

It was the length of the neck found on mandolins built before the advent of the F5 Lloyd Loar models built by Gibson in the early 20's. It's a nod to tradition.

[JEStanek]

Having the neck join the body at 10 shifts the bridge down further on the body of the mandolin. This is part of the reason for the tone of a short necked mandolin. The hybrid oval holes, ones who join the body at the 12th or 14th fret like an F5 have a different sound.

Jamie

[Jim]

I prefer the short necked oval hole "A" for most things I play, most of my favorite mandolin sounds are below the 7th fret anyway. I hadn't thought about the different bridge position but I'm sure that must be as much of the reason that I prefer the tone of an oval hole A as anything. Do F4 mandolins join the body at the 10th fret?

[sgarrity]

Do F4 mandolins join the body at the 10th fret?

F4 necks usually join the body at the 12th fret. Oval hole A-styles join the body at the 10th fret.

[Jon Hall]

Do Old Wave A models join at the 10th fret?

[Patrick Sylvest]

Having owned a Collings MT, and not being an expert on all things mandolin, I had that design in mind when I ordered my Eastman 504. I had never really looked closely at pictures of old Oval hole's to discern that difference in construction.

I can appreciate the nod to tradition, as well as the difference in tone. I really like the 504. I love the way classical tunes sound on it.

I'd guess that where I'm going with this is that I'm obviously in need of another instrument. How I'm going to sell that idea to the Mrs. is quite another matter.

[Mark Levesque]

Does anyone have a case (brand & model) recommendation for a short necked A-4?

Thanks,
Mark

[Manfred Hacker]

I like the rectangular case that came with my Eastman 804.
Manfred

[TomTyrrell]

The Eastman 504 has the "short" neck because that's the way the old Gibson ovals were. The Eastman 505 has the "long" neck in keeping with the usual way the Gibson F hole mandolins were.

You need one of each, they are a set. (Didn't work with my wife, maybe with yours?)

[John Flynn]

Do Old Wave A models join at the 10th fret?
Mine does. I saw a quote from Bill Bussman here where he said he tried a longer neck for ovals and he didn't see the advantage so he did not intend to do it again.