The Mendel Mandocello

**Walt** · Apr-05-2010, 9:41pm

If you've been watching the "mandolins in progress" thread, you know that Joe Mendel has been building a mandocello for me. I'm happy to say that my wife and I went to Missouri last week to pick up the mandocello, and it is better than I ever imagined. We met Joe Mendel and his wife Mary at the River Ridge Winery in Commerce, MO to have lunch and pick up the 'cello. Joe was also nice enough to bring by some of his octave mandolins that he just finished, and I got to sample them as well. If you are unfamiliar with Joe's work, he is building some amazing instruments. His octaves, as well as the mandocello, are flat top (induced arch) instruments, and they feature elevated fingerboards, which I think is a good feature. You can check out his instruments HERE. The Black Walnut that is for sale on his site is an extremely cool instrument that I very much wanted to take home.
Now on to the mandocello. The Mandocello has an Adirondack spruce top, and maple back and sides. The scale is 27" which is longer than the traditional 'cellos--this was done to avoid the tension problems associated with the low C string on most mandocellos. The 27" scale is surprisingly easy to play on. Don't get me wrong, it is a stretch, but 25" is also a stretch, and for me there is no discernible difference between 25" and 27".
One of the coolest features of this instrument is its floating tailpiece which Joe made. It is easy to coax harmonics out of this instrument and I think the floating tailpiece may help that. The bridge is a one-piece Henry style. The top bracing is reinforced with carbon fiber to better handle the enormous string tension of the mandocello.
I tried to put together a short youtube clip of the mandocello, but you'll have to forgive my dubious editing skills.

**Walt** · Apr-05-2010, 9:48pm

Here are two shots of the build process. Carbon fiber bracing and Curly Maple binding.

**Walt** · Apr-05-2010, 9:50pm

Here is a shot of Joe Mendel with his new creation, and a couple of me trying it out for the first time.

**sgarrity** · Apr-05-2010, 10:01pm

That thing looks and sounds GREAT! I got to see it while it was under construction. I've wanted one of Joe's octaves ever since. Congrats on a fine instrument!

**Gail Hester** · Apr-06-2010, 12:55am

I have been following along with this build from my good friend Joe and was excited to see the final pictures for the first time. It turned out looking and sounding just fantastic. Congratulations Walt and thanks for posting the video. Very well done Joe.

**Michael Lewis** · Apr-06-2010, 2:38am

Good one Joe! You gonna start carving some?

**Ivan Kelsall** · Apr-06-2010, 3:23am

I've never heard the sound of a Mando-cello before - totally awesome !!!. I'd love to hear one in the context of a trio of 2 Octave Mandolins & a Mando-cello,i think that the sound would be quite incredible.
Thanks for the clip & i really enjoyed your playing,
Ivan

**wildpikr** · Apr-06-2010, 8:32am

Good looking and good sounding instrument with some fine picking to go with it!

**sebastiaan56** · Apr-06-2010, 3:12pm

What a great sounding instrument, brighter trebles than some others Ive heard. Well done!

**Kool Keith** · Apr-06-2010, 4:35pm

Nice little jam.

**JEStanek** · Apr-06-2010, 5:57pm

Wow. Excellent execution, tasty playing and what looks like a nice place to pick it up to boot.

Enjoy!

Jamie

**Luthier** · Apr-07-2010, 4:37am

Awesome, Joe. I have planned three builds this summer. I am only using Redwood tops now. I will keep you posted. I am gong to do an Octave, a standard, and a "dulcilin".
Don

**swinginmandolins** · Apr-07-2010, 9:33am

Congrats Walt! That is one fine instrument. Enjoy!!

**nobullmando74** · Apr-07-2010, 9:45am

wow, I feel a mas attack coming on!

**Joe Mendel** · Apr-07-2010, 10:30am

Matt, I'm glad to see and hear that you've bonded so well with it, great playing. It was great working with you on this build and getting to meet you and your wife at the winery. Thank you, very much.
Thanks for the compliments, everyone. And, for all the advice & help from some great builders, Gail Hester, Graham McDonald, Michael Lewis, Rick Turner and probably a few I'm forgetting right now. There's a little of all of them in it. It was fun to build and a really good challenge.
Michael, I guess carved ones would be the next logical step, I may have to try it.
I have to add a plug for the River Ridge Winery http://riverridgewinery.com/ also & especially Jerry Smith, the owner. He's as passionate about making wine as we are about instruments, and a great and funny guy, who just happens to make some of the best wines anywhere. His wife Joannie serves up great food in their cafe, also.

**Bob Andress** · Apr-07-2010, 12:31pm

Wow. What a nice story, beautiful piece of work and great sounding video clip. Great work, Joe. And nice playing Walt - Enjoy that baby!

**Skip Kelley** · Apr-07-2010, 12:40pm

Matt, congratulations! I bet your just as excited as a new papa!
Great work, Joe; it looks awesome!

**Walt** · Apr-07-2010, 3:16pm

Thanks everyone for the compliments.
Yeah, The River Ridge Winery was fantastic. It was an amazing trip up to Missouri to meet Joe and his wife and pick up the 'cello. I got to taste good wine, good food and good mandos in a beautiful part of the country--what could be better?!