Are there any 12-string mando-guitars?

[jerrymartin]

I have a retired friend who plays 12-string guitar, but seeks a physically smaller rendition, on a retiree's budget. Any ideas? I found a reference on the 'net to the South American charango-de-caja, a 12-string charango that can be tuned like a guitar (albeit three octaves higher), but I couldn't find where one could be purchased. Any help from all you unusual-stringed-instrument aficionados out there would be welcome!

Jerry M.

[dazzajl]

Not sure on the actual market value but there are options out there. :)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Vintage-Eko-12-string-electric-mandolin-60s_W0QQitemZ190335395302QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Mus ical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2c50dfa5e6&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_698wt_1167

[Jim MacDaniel]

I've only seen electric 12-string mando-guitars/octave-guitars from a few different builders: http://www.mandolin-guitar.com/pics/VoxMandoguitar.jpg

Here (http://www.mandolin-guitar.com/info/what.jsp) is a nice little tutorial on the mando-guitar in general. These have 15" scale IIRC, but there is probably some sort of acoustic instrument out there that he might be able to make work for him.

e.g., it has a much shorter scale than even the mando-guitar, but the Bandurria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandurria) might be an option. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Original_bandurria.jpg The scale can be 12" or less, and it is typically tuned in fourths, but I suppose he could tune it as if it were a soprano guitar if he chose the right strings gauges. (Here (http://larkinthemorning.com/product.aspx?p=MAN091) is a Bandurria available from Lark in the Morning, and here (http://www.juststrings.com/bandurria.html) are strings at Just Strings.)

[acruzn]

i do not play the charango nor have it, but i have purchased instruments from novica.com before and got what i wanted. the quality and shipment time was very acceptable. they do not any charangos de caja but they have the normal 10 string charango and the 10 string ronroco guitar for sale.

[Ryk]

They don't exactly give these away .... but i've heard sound clips and they do sound wonderful: http://www.veilletteguitars.com/acoustic_high_gryphon.shtml

Ryk

[EdHanrahan]

Maybe one of the many permutations from today's "Daily Featured Builder" could be adapted? Unfortunately, I didn't readily find a place on the website that lists stats like size, scale length, etc.

http://www.lonestarguitars.com/index.html

Lone Star's town of Parecho, Mexico, was featured in a Fretboard Journal article maybe a year or two ago so I suspect that the basic quality should be at least reasonable, maybe very good. (I read 'em totally out of sequence so have little clue WHAT issue it was!)

On the other hand, if the need for "physically smaller" relates mostly to reach up the neck (my rebuilt shoulder is what got me into mando), a 12-string capoed at 5 or 7 can be lots of fun AND have a pretty distinctive voice.

[EdHanrahan]

From the Lark In The Morning site linked above:
"The Laud is larger than the Bandurria and tuned one octave lower."

Laud?? Ya learn something new every day!

[Santiago]

Since playing mandolin I have suddenly rediscovered the 12-string guitar, and find myself playing them all the time in music stores. Maybe after I get my oval-hole and my mandocaster. :-)

[GTG]

Sort of parallel/relevant thread in Emando forum:

Vox mando-guitars (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41833)

[catmandu2]

I like this one

[foldedpath]

One guitar that fits the OP's spec would be the Tacoma 12-string Papoose (http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/PAP12E.htm) (sold item link at Elderly).

It has a 19" scale, fairly small parlor-sized body. They're well-made, USA production instruments that were aimed at the entry-level market, with minimal cosmetics to keep the price down. I never played the 12-string version, just a few of the full-size models and one Papoose in a music store. They were decent for the price. Tacoma didn't survive the influx of better-made Asian/Pac-Rim imports, and they were gobbled up by Fender a few years ago. Last I heard, the entire line was being phased out.

You'd have to try finding a Papoose 12-banger used on Ebay, or maybe there are a few languishing as NOS (new old stock) in music stores that you could hunt down.

P.S. note that the Papoose is tuned to A, so it's a little higher pitched than a regular guitar but not up into Charango territory.

[Mulong]

He is a site, who specializes on South American fretted instruments:
http://www.boliviamall.com/catalog/charango.php

[delsbrother]

JJ Neptune on eBay. (http://cgi.ebay.com/Jerry-Jones-Neptune-Shorty-Octave-12-String-Mandoguitar_W0QQitemZ320424238610QQcmdZViewItemQQp tZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a9ac5de12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14) NFI

[allenhopkins]

Maybe a tiple?

[Jim MacDaniel]

Love those JJ "Shorties".

[delsbrother]

How about a mandriola? But these are 4x3 courses, not 2x6.

http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/mandolins/mandriola.JPG

[big_e]

I am practicing on the charango at this time and will soon get a mandolin to learn on also.
I have 2 charangos which I had bought from local individuals. The above link on boliviamall is a good place to start. Handi-craftbolivia is another place I was looking in since they offered a cheap student model for $89.00. Here's a link (http://www.handicraft-bolivia.com/liste_produit.php?id_subcat=93) .
As it stands, I bought my 2 instruments from local guys so my search stopped at that point. I may include another one in the near future.
Charangos have 5 courses, I have heard of a 4 course charango made in Ecuador but have never ever seen one.
Charangos are tuned to (thick strings to thinnest) G-C-E-A-E. Note that the middle E strings will have a thick and a thin string in the same course so only that middle E course is tuned in octaves of E. Basically if you can play a ukulele you can find your way around a charango. Charangos use nylon strings though the nice concert models may use some steel with nylon. Most come in a woven papoose but the concert and electro models will have nice hard cases.
Here's my two charangos. the one on the left is my beater, a quirquincho, an armadillo back (yes that's real armadillo shell for the bowl), the other is a Wayra Nan made of naranjillo wood.
Ernest

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/Gordo_Ruckus/Foo/Picture057.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/Gordo_Ruckus/Foo/Picture058.jpg

[fishtownmike]

dean guitars make a thing called the mondo mando. Its a 9 string mandolin that tunes like a 12 string guitar minus the octave strings for the 3 bass strings. E A and D...Mike
hers a link to one being sold at amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Dean-Mondo-Mando-Mandolin-Guitar/dp/B00110JMCK
http://005f2f1.netsolhost.com/dean/mondo_mando_mandolin.jpg

[JeffD]

Laud?? Ya learn something new every day!

If its made in 1923 or 24 its called a Laud Loar. :grin:


Oh... Never mind.

:mandosmiley: