Looking for mandolla or octave mandolin

[hendrix2]

Hi,

I'm an addict of string instruments and now I would like to ad a mandola or an octave mandolin to my collection (most of all I would like a mandocello but that's to expensive at the moment).

The problem is, here in Belgium there is just no shop that has some mandolas/octaves (don't know which I want at moment) to try, so I would be buying blind on the internet.

Can you guys give me some information on different brands that have mandola's or octaves? I hope to find something around 1000$ (720 euro) but that's my absolute maximum price.

So any suggestions are welcom,

greetings,
Kenneth

[kristallyn]

did you try boetzkes snaarinstrumenten?
I can t find a mandola on his website but I know for a fact not all the instruments are actually on his website, you might try to give him a phonecall?
http://www.hboetzkes.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=2

[Jill McAuley]

Check with Trevor over at The Acoustic Music Co. in Brighton, UK. There's a link to his website on the Cafe homepage. I've heard good things about Oakwood instruments but don't know what the price on an OM from them would be.

Cheers,
Jill

[auteq]

Nice to hear from belgium. I lived there for 5 years in Rosieres (suburb of Brussels/Bruxelles near waterloo), cheers!.

For your price range I like the weber mandola, though they are a bit over your price. Are you doing celtic stuff??

[hendrix2]

Thanks for the information.

I've made up my mind. Since the first time I saw a mandocello, I fell in love with it. So I decided to save a bit longer to eventually get myself a decent mandocello. Buying a mandola or octave mandolin would not feels as nice as buying a mandocello :) It litteraly is the instruments of my dreams!

Auteg, I play all sorts of music. I like celtic things to, but don't know to much of it. Nice to hear you lived in our little country :D

[kristallyn]

nice kenneth,
hope you ll save up fast enough so we can soon hear you play your new instrument:grin:

[Cape Cod Struggler]

There is a supplier in Germany, Hans jens, who imports instruments from Romania under the brand label of "Celtic Star" which can be found on the USA eBay website. The Celtic Star product line includes Celtic style CBOM instruments - mandolin, mandola and octave mandolin

I have played an CS octave mandolin and have a borrowed mandola both of which belong to a friend in the local session group. I like the mandola because its comes tuned GDAE which is great for traditional Irish music. Quality wise, the Celtic Stars are OK for the money. Check out the Celtic Star website.

[delsbrother]

New Ovation mandocello (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250439044017) on eBay. NFI.

[hendrix2]

I was looking at the Freshwater mandocello's. They seem interesting for that price! But I see they have a rather thin string gauge: .016 .032 .040 .058 and they normally tune them F C G D. I would like to tune C G D A, quite a bit lower thus, will it be possible or will the strings become floppy?

[Eddie Sheehy]

If you're going to tune it lower I imagine it would take heavier strings. Time to exercise the string-tension calculator...

[JCLondonUK]

I've got a Paul Hathway mandocello which is about in your price range, and is wonderful. Like you, I had been hankering after a 'cello for a long time, and didn't think I could afford one. Paul Hathway is a London luthier. You can easily find his website via Google. I actually got mine from Hobgoblin in London. Might be worth looking at what they've got in stock too.

[hendrix2]

Hey JCLondonUK, do you maybe have a soundclip or something? I already saw the paul hathway site and noted it on my list. I found some other builders to, but must admit that paul's prices are very good.

[JCLondonUK]

Hi Kenneth,

I'm afraid I don't have a sound clip (never got into recording things), and as far as I know there isn't one on the Paul Hathway site either. Maybe if you contacted him, he could send you a clip? Or, have you looked on Youtube for someone playing a Hathway 'cello.

Otherwise, I think you need a trip to London. The Euro is strong against sterling right now, so you might get a bargain. :)

Good luck!

[IanBowden]

I've had my like-new Ovation mandocello up for sale for a couple of months and didn't recently renew it in the Mandolin Café classifieds. It's within your budget at an even $1K.

I own a Romanian-made "Irish Bright Bouzouki" that I got off eBay a few months ago for around $300 - an excellent value. The bridge isn't floating and the neck's awfully long, but it has a built-in pickup and has a fairly nice - but not very booming - sound.

Ian