Octaves: Guitar Bodied or Not?

[blauserk]

Which do you prefer and why? I think I have a slight preference for the fuller sound of the guitar body, but I'm wondering if that's because I played guitar for 30+ years before picking up the mandolin. It may also be because the GBOM's I've heard have really been among the very best (Heiden, Brock), and I've heard very few top-notch OMs otherwise. The one Duff mandocello-bodied (!) OM i heard also sounded outstanding.

[Steve Baker]

I have a standard bouzouki, from Fyled, and a Graham MacDonald GOM. I love them both. The guitar bodied instrument has a huge sound that all my friends remark on when they hear it. It's not as strong in the upper registers as my Fylde, which actually plays very well as a mandola with a capo at the fifth fret. If I could have only one it would probably be the GOM but regardless I would miss whichever one I passed onward.
That was probably no help at all. ��

[CHASAX]

I am predjudiced against a mandolin that looks like a guitar. I expect it to sound like a guitar. They often do.

I have considered getting an octave mandolin, but have been put off by those that sound like a guitar.

[foldedpath]

If you're gonna play a big mandolin, then play a big mandolin.

Note: the following post assumes we're comparing archtop GBOM designs, not flattop guitar-shaped OMs.

The avatar photo at left is my Weber Yellowstone OM behind my Lebeda mandolin, so you can see where my sympathies lie. You don't need those curly bits that add to the cost, but that body shape and size is guaranteed to make it sound more like a big mandolin than an archtop 12 string guitar tuned in 5ths.

There is only so much bass you're going to get from low G strings anyway,. It isn't a mandocello with roughly the same scale as a guitar, and that should be a clue about appropriate body sizes vs. pitch.

It's a waste (in my opinion) to put a low G bottom course on a large guitar body designed for lower pitched strings. When I want a low pitch, I pick up a guitar tuned Drop-D. The octave mandolin is a different beast. It doesn't need a big guitar body to sound good, if you accept it for what it is, and learn to love a more focused sound from a mandolin body that isn't swamped with bass resonance. Not all GBOMs do that, but it can happen with the larger body size and airmass.

YMMV, just my opinion, and other standard disclaimers apply.

[Dave Hanson]

From a personal point of view, I want my mandolins to look like mandolins, not guitars, I think Andy Irvine started this off with having a guitar shaped bouzouki made.

Dave H

[Astro]

I'm in the low end market.

For me its an equation of the best Tone and Playability within my Price. If all of those were equal, sure I'd love an Fstyle mandolin-shaped curved top OM. Or the arch toped Brock or Northfield shape. But that isnt going to happen in my price range. Its not going to happen under 4k I dont think.

For playability, I'm guessing I'd prefer 21 inches or less scale length. I've heard some oval (Astyle) OM's but the tone was thin or tinny and jangly. The small GBOMs from Pono sounded good on their clips but so hard to tell reality on utube recordings with special mics and expert players. I think the guitar shape is more comfortable than the Astyle shape with these bigger bodies, but probably not as neat and comfortable as the Fshape. But again the Fshape is not in my picture unless something extraordinary happens.

I wish Eastman would post some sound clips. Eventhough its hard to judge, utube clips are better than nothing.

[Marcus CA]

Which do you prefer and why? I think I have a slight preference for the fuller sound of the guitar body,

I generally prefer A-style OM's because, to my ear, they have a richer sound. The GBOM's I've played have had more punch, but the good A-style ones I've played have had a more expansive sound. I've never played a GBOM (including ones made by great American builders) that I've liked as much as my flat-bodied Peterson Level 3.

[indexless]

I just "made" a GBOM out of a Harmony Stella, filled and drilled the headstock, put on a new overlay, tailpiece and bridge, cost me about 50 bucks. It's a 24" scale but it scratches the itch to have an Octave which I will use about 3% of the time. It sounds pretty good, I'm thinking a sound port and a reshape on the neck.....I don't use/play one enough to justify the cost of a great one, this fills the bill

[fatt-dad]

I have no idea on preference. I am excited to get my Eastman in May! Then I'll actually own one!

f-d

[David Hansen]

I've owned a Flatiron, a Trillium, a Weber Bridger and two Sobell octave mandolins and one GOM, a Weber Bitterroot Octar and although the Octar was loud and powerful I prefer the more focused sounds of the octave mandolin. I play mostly tunes and not chords and my octaves cut through better for that.

[JeffD]

The whole reason I went to the mandolin way back in the day was because it wasn't a guitar. Didn't look like a guitar, sound like a guitar or play like a guitar. Nobody was going to confuse me with a guitar player.

I recently started playing a mandolinetto, with its tiny guitar body, and even that, so many years later, felt a little like an acquiescence.

Seriously, being a contrarian is as bad as being a follower; you're just controlled by the other end of the stick.

I have nothing against guitar bodied mandolins. I am not drawn to them, but I have nothing against them. I don't know of any musical advantage to a guitar body. I have heard some say it is easier to hold. I am skeptical that it makes much difference to the sound, but I would not be really really surprised if it was found that it did.

[Mandobart]

I'm in the low end market....For me its an equation of the best Tone and Playability within my Price. If all of those were equal, sure I'd love an Fstyle mandolin-shaped curved top OM.... Its not going to happen under 4k I dont think.

For playability, I'm guessing I'd prefer 21 inches or less scale length....But again the Fshape is not in my picture unless something extraordinary happens.

If you look beyond the well known builders you may find an F style OM is closer than you think. Tom TJ Jessen has built a few carved top A and F style 21" OM's in the $2 to $3 k range. NFI, but I love his work well enough to have 4 of his instruments.