Nikos Apollonio Apollo Stringed Instuments

[Peto]

Saw a Apollo Octave Mandolin on the Classified- Beautiful! I own two of Nikos instruments- a Mahogany back and sides with a Western Red Cedar top Dreadnought and a guitar bodied octave mandolin with wenge back and sides and a Cedar top. I've owned old Martins, Guilds, Larrives, Breedloves, Collings and I put my Apollo above them all. His price was way fair and turn around from order to door was quick. Anyone else feel the same?

[ptritz]

Yup. A couple years ago, Nick built a real gem for me. I call it a long-scale mandola. He calls it a babycittern. It's set up for DAEB at a 19 1/4 inch scale, maple back and sides and spruce top. It's a joy to play and a lovely sound.

Pete

[Peto]

Hey Pete- I'd love yo hear it. I recorded a You Tube of me playing Nics' Octave. My playing is rough but gives the idea of the sound. I noticed when I turn the sound hole to the mic it sounds like I put the effect pedal to the metal. It's just a usb mic and a logitech web cam capturing all that sound. Take a listen and embrace my obvious musical flaws...

http://www.youtube.com/edit?ns=1&o=U&video_id=6la0MruQCCQ

[Bill Snyder]

Your link will not let me go to youtube without signing in. Is this a private link?

[allenhopkins]

This it?

6la0MruQCCQ

[Marty Jacobson]

I received a nice recent Apollonio 20.375" OM from Mark Kunkel in trade. It was OK in GDAEB tuning, but set up that way, it never really grabbed me.

Then I tuned it up to FCGDA - mandola with an extra F course on the bass side. Now instead of being a wimpy OM it is a very forceful mandola. It is continually shocking to me how many low overtones there are. With the big body, it sounds like an OM. The A course played at the 12th fret sounds more like a mandolin A, though it is actually an octave above. I had to check with the strobe tuner several times, as I was positive I had it tuned an octave too low.

I'm really enjoying it. Still getting the hang of it... the nut width is really wide for me.

https://soundcloud.com/martyjacobson/appolonio-fcgda-cittern-20-375

108763108764
String set:
A4 .011" PL == 22.32#
D4 .016" PL == 21.04#
G3 .025" PB == 20.96#
C3 .037" PB == 20.8#
F2 .056" PB == 20.81#

[Peto]

This it?

6la0MruQCCQ

That's it!

[Markkunkel]

Then I tuned it up to FCGDA - mandola with an extra F course on the bass side. Now instead of being a wimpy OM it is a very forceful mandola.

You make it sound GREAT, Marty... thanks for sharing.

MK

[MandoDave1]

I've got an Apollo Bell cittern that I've owned for four and a half years, and which is amazing. One of my very favorite instruments.

[ptritz]

I finally got around to recording a sample of my Apollonio mandola. Here are a couple tunes - it was jsut recorded on an ipad using the internal mic, but I think it will give an idea of what it sounds like.

Pete Tritz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARGf8fQIZt4