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Thread: Long Neck Oval Hole?

  1. #1
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    anyone know of an Oval Hole with the long neck like an A5?
    I'm thinking of either a mandolin or mandola.

    Any info would be great.

  2. #2
    Registered User otterly2k's Avatar
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    Do you mean a neck that joins that body at a higher fret (e.g. 14th) rather than lower (e.g. 10th)?
    Or do you mean actually longer scale?
    Karen Escovitz
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  3. #3
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    A quick check thru Eyecandy links (in case you havent visited that part of the site) shows Breedlove for, example, makes some, #12 is off the body, over the Neck-heel.
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  4. #4
    Registered User otterly2k's Avatar
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    Yes, I was going to offer Breedlove as an example... and something I really like about them...
    Karen Escovitz
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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    Brian Dean OM #32
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    Phoenix Neoclassical #256
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    If you're gonna walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!

  5. #5
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    Here's a long neck Brentrup oval. Kinda sounds half-way between an A5 and a traditional oval. Doesn't pop and sizzle so much, but it has nice projection and a deeper tone.
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    Wye Knot

  6. #6
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    The bridge will be closer to the soundhole if the standard scale is preserved. I've heard it said that this is undesirable ... but please take that with a grain (or a box) of salt. If it didn't sound good, Hans B. wouldn't sell it.

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    I've owned a few of these, a Woodley, and now my Smart. They do have a sound of their own, but from my experience the highs are definitely still sweet like an oval hole, bass strings are maybe in-between an A & an F.

    I like the accessability of up the neck playing, but IMO there are some trade offs. Definitely a hybrid.
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  8. #8
    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    SternART,
    Nice mandolin! Is that a keyed hinged tailpiece?
    Jim
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

  9. #9
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    thanks for the info.

    the more i think about it the more i might just get an A5 with F Holes. My Teens Gibson A oval hole really sounds killer so i will just learn to live with the shorter neck. it's not so much a problem as is the thickning of the neck at the joint but Andy Statman told me he got his shaved down a bit and gave me the number of his guy.

    so since my F hole isn't as impressive i should really just get one of those.

    but that hybrid is wonderful!!!!

  10. #10
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    Hey Jim...it is a Gil tailpiece, w/o the engraving. I've since swapped it out for a suspended ebony tailpiece made by luthier Neil Dean in VT. I don't have a photo of it with the new tailpiece, but I used them on a mando/dola pair that Lawrence Smart built & liked the result, so Neil was kind enough to make another one & I retrofitted the oval hole Smart.

    There wa a previous discussion on these ebony tailpieces on the Cafe & I saw where Neil was making them. Similar to archtop guitar tailpieces, or as Monteleone uses on his Radio Flyers. Kinda violin-like. This photo shows the tailpieces.
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