Talk to me about 'dolas...

[Keith Erickson]

I've been playing 'cello for almost 7 months. I love it. The sound is deep, rich and hauntingly beautiful. I may have lost a 12 string guitar but I have a mandocello for the rest of my life

So when my MAS returns I will need to deal with it logically. What do I not have? A 'dola

Okay so talk to me about 'dolas....

*Why should I have one?

*What will it give me that the 'cello is not able to provide?

*Is it the "octave higher tone" but still on the low end that makes a 'dola??

*Can I pull haunting drones out of a 'dola?

*Will the 'dola make my hair on my arms stand on end like the 'cello does?

I hope my quesitons didn't rub anyone the wrong way, but I've been kicking this around my head for quite some time.

Much obliged

[catmandu2]

If I were to be limited to one instrument, it would be dola. It's in between all those other great instruments, has a great range and timbre...(and, I play a lot of tenor banjo). So, of all the mando family, it's my favorite. However, they're ALL essential!

[Markkunkel]

Originally Posted by Keith Erickson

*Why should I have one?

*What will it give me that the 'cello is not able to provide?

*Is it the "octave higher tone" but still on the low end that makes a 'dola??

*Can I pull haunting drones out of a 'dola?

*Will the 'dola make my hair on my arms stand on end like the 'cello does?

I hope my quesitons didn't rub anyone the wrong way, but I've been kicking this around my head for quite some time.

Much obliged

Hi, Keith. Isn't it fun to get different sounds? I have one of Gene Dellinger's wonderful Kestrel mandolas, which I reviewed here:http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=48544
It's one of my instruments that I am certain to play every day.

So, on to your questions (and I can't imagine why they would rub anyone the wrong way). The mandola, as its cousin the viola, seems in my admittedly limited experience to be a perfect bridge between the mandolin and the mandocello...it has that rich and sonorous bass thanks to the bigger body and the longer scale length, but brings a lot of mid-range definition and treble crispness to the spectrum as well, without being etched as sometimes its mandolin cousins can be. Yes, you can get those drones, although they won't have quite the depth that your 'cello does... and as for piloerection (that "hair standing on its end" thing), yup. Gene told me when he first put the strings on mine that it brought a tear or two, and I have had that same experience many times.

In summary: richer and mellower than the mandolin, and more defined and trebly than the 'cello. Easier to play tunes on thanks to the shorter scale length when compared to the mandocello, but also permitting some mandolin chord shapes and fingerings. Takes a capo very nicely too (but I am careful who I mention that to).

Hope you can find a very nice one, and if you're serious (and even if you're not) I recommend Kestrels enthusiastically and without reservation. Gene is doing splendid work (he's "Kestrel" on the forum; NFI of course).

Enjoy!

Mark

[Markkunkel]

Originally Posted by catmandu2

If I were to be limited to one instrument, it would be dola. It's in between all those other great instruments, has a great range and timbre...(and I play a lot of tenor banjo). So, of all the mando family, it's my favorite. However, they're ALL essential!

Said in these four sentences what it took me much longer to say less well! Ah, well...

[catmandu2]

Originally Posted by Markkunkel

Said in these four sentences what it took me much longer to say less well! Ah, well...

I only haven't had my coffee yet ... :mandosm iley:

[Bob Wiegers]

whenever I'm tempted by a dola, I get down the octave and put a capo on 5. suits me, for now at least. would a "real" dola be substantially different?

[catmandu2]

Originally Posted by Bob Wiegers

whenever I'm tempted by a dola, I get down the octave and put a capo on 5. suits me, for now at least. would a "real" dola be substantially different?

Only enough to justify 'M(dola)AS.'

[Bob Wiegers]

that's what I thought :-) but that would be about 4th in line right now (after better mando, better octave, and a 'cello)

[allenhopkins]

Originally Posted by Bob Wiegers

whenever I'm tempted by a dola, I get down the octave and put a capo on 5. suits me, for now at least. would a "real" dola be substantially different?

Yes. Smaller body (generally), different string gauges.

I'm not a good person to chime in, 'cause I've hardly ever seen a mandolin/mandola/OM/mandocello etc. I didn't like and want to have. But in my experience, every instrument in the continuum has its strengths and good points.

Mandola works really well in ensemble with mandolin and/or fiddle. Its alto voice provides great close harmonies, and it can step up and take a lead in the mandolin/fiddle range as well. It's good for vocal accompaniment, where the mandolin's a bit too treble. Due to its shorter scale, it can be a bit more agile than zouk, OM or mandocello; there are mandolas being used in a bluegrass context, to lend a little "darker" sound; Ronnie McCoury with the Del McCoury Band uses one on several songs.

Can't speak to what makes people's hair follicles vibrate, but I have three mandolas (Sobell, Eastman, Washburn bowl-back), and they get a decent amount of work. But, as I said, I'm just an instrument junkie and not everyone accumulates as much as I do.

[catmandu2]

Allen-

I think you're the other guy who has about 75 instruments. I thought I was about done...and last week, after purchasing Andy's bouzouki, I scored another Fender Jazz. And today, I bought another tenor banjo! (Good G-D!) At least these are instruments that I work with regularly...unlike my fascination with hammered dulcimers..

But, while mandos, bouzoukis and citterns are very cool...still, Keith, my favorite is the dola--much for the reasons Allen describes. The languid flat-top, the punchy carved-top...

[mandroid]

Dola tuned 4 string electric on a mandolin, is what Goes out ,
paired with a mandolin, to play [as I do] occasionally.

and H scale [.4M] acoustic, I use lighter gage
Octave strings on that at present, 6 wound strings.

[steve V. johnson]

Hi, my name is steve and I have mandola fever.

I'm holding it at bay by using the capo on the bouzouki, which works nicely. But the more I hear of mandolas, the sicker I get. I've had the devil of a time getting my head around the transpositions, but my head has begun to stretch a bit of late, mostly a result of actually using the 5th-capo'd zouk when playing with others, particularly in American music and not Irish or Scottish tunes. And especially, as noted, with singers. Wow.

It's the ones that have the tiny bit of string rattle, like a nice zouk, and still do all the stuff described here really get me going.

And Gene Dellinger's Kestrel that Mark showed us has definitely got my attention. *sigh*

Thank you,

stv

[Eddie Sheehy]

Hi, My name is Eddie, and I'm a mandoholic...
I have a zouk, an OM, a Mandola and several mandolins. They are all necessary. I have owned 6 Mandolas over all - 2 Gypsys (a 16" and a 17"), a Gallatin, an Eastman, a Vega (actually a 15" 10-string), and a Dinnel (currently out on loan)... and I'm always on the lookout for one more.... I am NOT an addict - I can stop anytime I want to.... I just don't want to....ever...

[Keith Erickson]

WOW!!!! My apologies for not responding but there has been a lot to digest. Thank you all for responding.

I feel like I'm a little bit more educated about the 'dola. Since posting, I have received a few messages asking if I am interested in purchasing their 'dolas.

Truth be known, my MAS has been satisfied for now. However I know that it will resurface. Once it resurfaces, I would like to make an educated decision about what to purchase.

...and yes I've heard that Kestral and it is beautiful to look at and listen to.\

Last night, I was at practice with the 'cello. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I also do enjoy the compactness of the mandolin. But this whole thing of carrying the mandolin and mandocello to practice and then church has got me thinking down the road.

....Thank you all again for your insight. I feel like I'm more educated now than I was 24 hours ago

I've been thinking, it would be nice to carry something a little smaller.

[man dough nollij]

I choose the mandolin/OM trip. It makes sense that the Mandocello/Mandola pair would make sense, as well.

I haven't heard from anyone on the Cafe about this point, but is makes sense that you would play two instruments in CGDA, an octave apart, the same way a lot of us play OM and mandolin. You can use the same fingerings on the 'cello that you use on the 'dola. Eh?

[catmandu2]

Actually, you can use the same "fingerings" on them all--simply must transpose.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Originally Posted by catmandu2

Actually, you can use the same "fingerings" on them all--simply must transpose.

Or don't bother transposing and just play the same fingering. All that changes is the key. If I need to change the key there's always a capo...

[violmando]

Keith, if I had to only own two, I would own cello and dola....I can play all my fiddle tunes on dola; I just pretend the top string is the same as the fiddles and they come out mellower and that sounds WONDERFUL! That being said, altho' I like my Trinity College 'dola for Celtic stuff, if I had to do it over, I would wait until I had the money for a really good one so I could get a really rich and mellow sound....mine just isn't that deep. But I'd still vote for dola over OM or even mandolin, unless someone offered you a PHENOMINAL one for cheap...Yvonne

[foldedpath]

I have an acoustic-electric mandola I use mainly for blues and beginner-level jazz. I think the voice of a mandola works very well for those styles. It's a 4-string archtop with a humbucker, so I'm going for sort of the "mini jazz guitar" thing. I use my mandolin and OM mostly for Irish and OldTime, very different styles so there's definitely a place for a mandola in my world.

If I want a more acoustic/flatpicked mandola tone, I can use a capo on my OM. However, that's not exactly like the sound of a true mandola. The larger body and thicker strings give it a darker sound, with a bit more sustain than you'd hear with a typical mandola. An actual mandola would be a more focused sound, and probably a little brighter on the treble strings. One day I might want a more traditional mandola, but for now I have my hands full with these three mando family instruments.

[John McGann]

Keith, IMHO a cello is a cello- humongous, deep, fat and incredible! It even has it's positive points

A dola wouldn't 'replace' a cello, they are different beasts separated by a common tuning (give or take an octave).

I do aspire to actually own a 'cello one day (I borrowed the only existing Zeidler cello for my "Plays Bach, Debussy, Rodrigo" project in 1989- the instrument was in John's shop for repair when he died, so it awaits resurrection- an amazing f style cello!) as it's just a unique and fantastic instrument- and so is the 'dola (I am awaiting Smart fanned fret 10 string #3 which should be ready in a month or two...)

So I'd say get a 'dola, life's too short

[groveland]

The happy offspring of a Mandocello and Bouzouki for me: Cittern. CGDAE.

[dulcillini]

Keith: I have a mandola and I love it. It is a unique instrument. I play mountain dulcimer as well. I would put my skill level at late beginner or early intermediate on mandolin/mandola. The mandola is my chill out instrument. The sound is so nice. I take songs I learn on the mandolin and simply fret them the same way on the mandola and the lower key is just enough to take advantage of the larger sound box and longer strings, causing a real nice sound. Becasue of the slightly wider spacing of the mandola strings, I found that playing the mandola actually improved my mandolin playing because of the extra stretching of my hand. Maybe that is all in my head, but it seems to work that way.

Get one when you get a chance. You won't be sorry.

Mike

[mrmando]

I had a mandola gig this morning. The singer's guitarist couldn't make it, so she hired me instead. If you're trying to fill a hole left by a guitar, the mandola is what you want. Closer in range to a guitar, and has a throatiness that no mandolin can match (at least, my mandola has it and none of my mandolins do).

[Orrin Star]

I've owned a mandola for about a year now (an Old Wave oval)
and think they are very cool.

I've started playing it in my solo shows, and find that
I prefer it to the mandolin. (Though in a duo setting, with
a guitar, mando sounds better.)

Bottom line: I'll be getting a second one sometime this summer.

Orrin
www.orrinstar.com

ps see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li2LqnPzwtA
for Sousa on the dola

[Keith Erickson]

I will say that I am quite impressed with the responses with my 'dola inquiry

What makes me feel like I can make an educated decision about this is that everyone one of your responses seem to have a nice mix of the heart and the mind. <<Not filled with over emotion but no over analytical>>

My conclusion is that a 'dola purchase will happen when my MAS acts up again. I believe I have a contingency plan in place. .....but I'm not going to reveal it at this time.

This is just too cool