Styles of Mandolins

**Ben Milne** · May-22-2012, 8:09pm

Stereo just isn't the term to use here.
Stereo is a concept that relies on two individual sources of sound.
The waveform emanating from your mandolin takes some distance to develop and is a result of the entire top moving, not just the apertures (ports that allow the body to pump). The complexity of the waveform changes depending on the shape of the ports amongst many other things.

If I were to set up a single passive 2way speaker you would accept that it is mono. If you were to put your ear up close to it you would hear that the tweeter emits high frequencies, and the woofer emits low frequencies. Stand back the waveform develops and you are listening to a single source.

When you put your ear close to an instrument you are effectively doing the same thing-getting right in amongst the complexity. Your ear hears more treble strings while near the treble F-hole because it is also closer to the treble bridge foot and the string itself. Same with the bass side.
Step back to where the waveform develops and you have a single source.

**Tom Wright** · May-22-2012, 8:26pm

I had to test this, because it seems on its face wrong, but worth checking. Seems to me that the overwhelming sound output is from the top plate except for the low resonances, so any asymmetry would be the strings themselves, not the air resonances emphasized by the f-holes. Trying to test by holding near my ear was hopeless, since my ears are not matched in response, and trying to use the same ear for both means a different angle on one as opposed to the other.

I held my decibel meter snug up against the bass-side f-hole, pointed away from the bridge to minimize the direct sound from the string, and did pefjr's test. I used the little points of the "f" to match my positioning. I saw no difference in the readings, although I had to do a lot of tries to average out the random loud or soft attack. Ditto on the treble side.

There is a strong asymmetry in violin-family instruments, since the bridge rocks, pivoting on the treble-side soundpost, and the braces are asymmetric, existing only on the bass side (bass bar). But on a mandolin or guitar, the very rigid bridge will move as unit, so I don't see how asymmetry could be present. I think that even if there were separate bridges for each pair, the top plate would not move asymettrically, but as a unit.

**pefjr** · May-22-2012, 9:37pm

hmmm... I don't know what either of you has said other than the term stereo is wrong. I used stereo effect in my second post on the subject as I was unsure also if the definition was strictly met. The f holes are tuned also , is the oval hole tuned?? I don't know. Paris Swing has three different size oval holes, where as the f holes can only be so large and keep the mandolin in tune.

**Ben Milne** · May-22-2012, 11:09pm

Originally Posted by pefjr

hmmm... I don't know what either of you has said other than the term stereo is wrong. I used stereo effect in my second post on the subject as I was unsure also if the definition was strictly met. The f holes are tuned also , is the oval hole tuned?? I don't know. Paris Swing has three different size oval holes, where as the f holes can only be so large and keep the mandolin in tune.

Hhmmm, just read those posts back, they seem to read okay.

Tuning f-holes (and therefore the air chamber) is done with the purpose of balancing the instrument's tone.
Keeping the mandolin in tune is relatively unrelated to the tuning of the f-holes, and more to do with tuning machines, nut and bridge slots, string gauge and bridge placement. This applies whether the instrument is f-hole, oval hole, triple hole, solidbody etc.

Back on subject, the sound produced by a mandolin depends on many factors, the shape of aperture being just one. Carved archtop, flattop, the bracing design etc all come into play.

**benbonewilly** · May-22-2012, 11:45pm

Thanks for all the information about mandolins guys. I'm probably going with the Kentucky that y'all mentioned. It'll be a long time before I can afford anything made by Gibson of any era. LOL! I do love how Mike Seeger sounded on his old time Gibson Astyle Oval hole mandolin. One day, I'll get me one too.

On a side note, I now know who the geeks on this board are. hahahahh! You guys crack me up. I'm an electronics tech nerd myself so I understand the obsession and getting things precise. I hope you guys are already married.

**Mike Bunting** · May-23-2012, 3:17am

A models have f holes too. Some F styles have oval holes.

**benbonewilly** · May-23-2012, 4:10am

Originally Posted by Mike Bunting

A models have f holes too. Some F styles have oval holes.

I was actually aware that the A styles had F holes. I have one.

It doesn't produce the sound I'm after though.

**benbonewilly** · May-24-2012, 12:29am

I hope I didn't get you cats angry with me! I was only joking!

**mandroid** · May-24-2012, 6:02pm

$500, price niche? too low for a good F5, but OK for an Adequate A.

Lots of people that get Saga's Kentucky mandolins seem to write ,
here, that they like them..

same notes on the fingerboard.. , save another Grand or 2
then go back in the market for the curvy , pointy bits.

in the mean time pick, and have fun.

It doesn't produce the sound I'm after though.

then you just have to go where you can take a bunch of Mandolins
off the peg in the shop , play blindfolded even, and see if any
have the sound you are after..

One of my Friends went to the Eastman brand , importer's warehouse and did that.

**benbonewilly** · May-25-2012, 2:30am

Originally Posted by mandroid

$500, price niche? too low for a good F5, but OK for an Adequate A.

Lots of people that get Saga's Kentucky mandolins seem to write ,
here, that they like them..

same notes on the fingerboard.. , save another Grand or 2
then go back in the market for the curvy , pointy bits.

in the mean time pick, and have fun.

then you just have to go where you can take a bunch of Mandolins
off the peg in the shop , play blindfolded even, and see if any
have the sound you are after..

One of my Friends went to the Eastman brand , importer's warehouse and did that.

Thanks for the advice. I'll probably get a Kentucky A style with oval sound hole.

I recently started watching Dr. Who on Netflix. I'm on season two of the reboot from the 2000s. Daleks are neat.

**OldGus** · May-27-2012, 12:26pm

FYI, there is a used KM-171 with a pickup and only 3 hours play time for sale on Ebay at the moment.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-KM-...item2ebea361de

**benbonewilly** · Jul-09-2012, 8:07pm

Originally Posted by OldGus

FYI, there is a used KM-171 with a pickup and only 3 hours play time for sale on Ebay at the moment.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kentucky-KM-...item2ebea361de

Thanks a bunch OldGus! I got a new one from Folkmusician.com. I'm very pleased with it. Just what I was looking for!