OM, Dola or Mandocello What’s next?

[LaVonne]

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been playing mandolin fro about 4 years and I also play guitar. I’ve developed the urge to add another mandolin family instrument but I can’t decide which way to go. I’ve been doing some research / reading but I would really appreciate some input from other players.

I’ve been leaning toward the OM. I like the fact that I don’t have to learn another tuning and I understand it’s not like playing a big mandolin.

The mandola is a wonderful sounding instrument with a reasonable scale length and learning a new tuning would help improve my sight reading.

The mandocello has a lovely sound and is tuned like the mandola but I’m concerned the size would be rather intimidating and the cost even for a low end used instrument is pretty high.

I know this is not a simple, straight forward question but hopefully it will generate some discussion that will also be interesting to others.

LaVonne

[Gerry Cassidy]

Hi LaVonne,

The quick, standard answer I have seen to this question (that really makes a whole ton of sense to me): If you go with the OM, well, you have the OM. Capo that same OM on the 5th fret and you now have a Mandola.

I would like to add to this and ask the others: I have problems with the Capo getting in the way on the small Mando/OM necks. Any recommendations on a Capo that doesn't get in the way?

[morgan]

I had a Freshwater OM that I had to sell because playing it aggravated some physical problems, so I bought a Spira mandola to replace it. I much prefer the mandola - a much sweeter tone than the OM while still having added resonance (vs. mandolin) of a bigger instrument, and less awkward to adapt to than the OM. Some of that difference is in the qualities my two specific instruments (and my relatively small hands), but I think its generically true as well. It hasn't been too hard to move everything over a fifth, but I still sometimes get mixed up as to where I am on the fretboard.

The OM has the advantages of being "two for the price of one" with a capo, and of having the same fingerings (when you can reach!) as a mando, but I'd still choose a nice mandola.

[PaulD]

"Any recommendations on a Capo that doesn't get in the way?"

Paige (http://www.themandolinstore.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=7368)

pd

[otterly2k]

re: capos... I use a short Shubb (designed for mandos/banjos).

re: instruments... I'm in the OM camp. but 'dolas are very nice too.

[jmcgann]

OM (http://www.johnmcgann.com/om.html)

[Bob DeVellis]

First, I'd not lean toward a mandocello. They seem to have neither advantage (tuning or manageability) of the other two options. If you play mostly on your own, a mandola is nice. The scale length increase is small enough that you can pretty much instantly play all the stuff you know on mandolin with the same fingering, as long as you're not bothered by it now being in a different key. If you play with other musicians, the fact that you'll pretty much be able to play everything you now know in the proper key gives a big edge to the octave. But it will take some getting used to the longer scale length with an OM although most stuff is manageable pretty quickly. If you're not used to anything bigger than mandolin, an OM can feel huge in the beginning but the strangeness soon passes if you keep at it. Mandocello doesn't just seem huge it IS huge!

[Celtic Saguaro]

I use a Victor style capo (Dunlap sells them) on my OM.

I will say that having an OM has eliminated my desire to buy a mandola. A mandola will sound different, of course. But I really like the sound of the OM both full scale and capoed up as a mandola.

[acousticphd]

I love my mandola (17" Sawchyn flattop), and use it a lot, though I will say I'd also like an OM.

I think I'd vote mandola. #Not a little 15.5 or 16" one, though; I like the 17" because it its tone and the way it can be played, are significantly different from a mandolin, but you can still manage a 4 fret reach. #

To me the "different" tuning of a mandola isn't too much of an issue or difficulty . #You can look at mandola as doing without the high E mandolin string, and learning how to add the low C string that is "out of reach" on the mandolin, as morgan said. #Or you can approach it as transposing to new Key shapes (this is what I tend to do mentally, especially for chords). #If you've been playing mando for a few years, chances are you already work on scales and tune melodies over both the upper and lower registers/octaves, in which case mandola could feel pretty familiar. #As far as capoing, you can also cover a lot of bases and stay in familiar chord shapes by using a single capo position, at the 2nd fret.

[Jack Roberts]

As for learning to sight read with a mandola, do you have experience with the alto clef? I am planning a mandola purchase myself, and have been looking at viola music, but music written for the viola is another world completely to those of us who learned to sight read at the piano.

I visited a gentleman who has one of each: a mandolino (tuned a fourth higher than a mandolin) a manolin, an alto mandola, an octive mandolin a mandocello (I, and he was saving his nickels to buy a mando bass. What did he play the most? The mandolin.

[kww]

I just post this link every once in a while because it's a really cool looking instrument. I think you should buy this (http://www.pamelasmusic.co.uk/images/Forsale/string/mandolins/L071.htm).

I mean, why buy a mandocello when you can get a mandocontrabass?
http://www.pamelasmusic.co.uk/images/Forsale/string/mandolins/L071f1.JPG

[Gerry Cassidy]

With Bass being my primary instrument, I would love to try that thing.

[kww]

One other option can be found at
JP Charles (http://www.jpcharlesluthier.com/eng_BAC.htm). Note the BAC 101: 63.25 cm scale, 10 strings, CGDAE tuning. It's a 5 course mandocello (a "Liuto cantabile" according to Musica Viva). If you can get used to the scale, the treble four strings play like an octave mandolin, and the bass four play like a mandocello. I guess you could capo it and get a mandola, too.

He has a bad link in his English page. For the wood description, use this link:


exotic woods (http://www.jpcharlesluthier.com/eng_woods.htm)

[Jim Yates]

I wonder how big that mandocontrabass is. would you play it horizontally or like a stand-up. It looks like there's an arm rest.

[kww]

From the link I provided: "Overall length 88 cm (spike end in). Back length 82 cm, body width 61 cm, playing scale length 88 cm, body depth 21.5cm" I don't understand how the overall lengths and scale length can be the same. Judging from the picture, the back length measurement and the scale length, I'd guess the overall length to be 128 cm. It has an armrest and a spike.

[Londy]

Ok, i have a question. I am learning the Mando now, only been playing for a few months and I really enjoy it. However, I do like the deeper sound of the Octave Mando. Would learning the OM be difficult? In other words, how different are these two instruments? What would you recommend?

[allenhopkins]

And after five years, the thread resurfaces...

(By the way, apparently Pamela's Music in the UK still has the "mandolin bass" shown in Post #11. Hasn't found the right buyer yet!)

But to approach Londy's question: the chords are the same on octave mandolin as on "regular" mandolin, but the OM is much much bigger, with a longer scale and a larger neck. The four-finger "closed" chords (no open strings) one might make on the mandolin, are nearly impossible on the OM. The playing approach must of necessity be modified to accommodate the difference in size. The octave mandolin has uses as an overall rhythm and vocal accompaniment instrument, due to its lower voice, as well as a melody and "harmony" instrument. Mandolin tends to be a "melody mostly," though not exclusively, instrument.

I don't see this as an either-or choice. A lot of what is learned on the mandolin, can directly be applied to the OM; however, the difference in sizes, does require a different approach to chording, playing fast melodies, etc. At present I'm playing mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, and mandocello at different times, and I think the basic "core technique" is at least partially adaptable to all these instruments.

To minimize the change, consider getting one of the shorter-scale octave mandolins, such as the Trinity College; it will be more "mandolin-like."

[Tavy]

I would also add that playing the OM has definitely helped my mandolin playing - both in getting used to the longer stretches - and in learning how best to use the different sounds of different instruments.

Oh and I've decided that - for me at least - a mandola with a 16 or 17" scale length is the easiest mandolin familiy instrument to play (fingering wise). Could be a controversial comment that one, but we'll see :)

[red7flag]

I am forturnate to have had both and either today or tomorrow will be receiving a new Mowry GOM. Not long ago, answering this question, I would leaned to the OM for many of the same reasons as stated above. In time, I have come to really enjoy the dola on its own terms. If I could only have one, I would have a dola now. The reason being is that it provides a different experience than the mandolin/OM. I actually don't think this answer would change even if the Mowry GOM gets here today. I am almost surprised that I am writing this, but true it is, for me. I just realized that my answer was with the assumption that I would have a mandolin to play too. But, even if the only one, dola for me.

[Mandobart]

As I've posted before, I enjoy mandolin, OM and mandocello. They all are great, and I believe, compliment the learning of each other. For all around utility (melody, chord comping, solo singing/playing performance) the OM is what I turn to. My hands are slightly larger than most, so the OM is easier for me to play than the mandolin, which I find just a little cramped. I don't know if the five year old capo question still applies, but I use Kyser (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Kyser-Banjo-Mandolin-Capo-100325142-i1130242.gc) cheater clamps when the need arises. Easy on and off, no screws to screw around with. I get weird colors (anything but black), so my capos always come home with me.

[Marcus CA]

Would learning the OM be difficult? In other words, how different are these two instruments?

I would second pretty much everything that the other 2011 posters have written. I would add that if you like playing chop chords, you ain't gonna get those out of an OM. However, you will get a gorgeous sustain out of the OM that you ain't gonna get out a mando. I love both instruments, but use them totally differently.

Also, if you play guitar, that will make learning OM quite a bit easier because you won't find the scale length to be all that foreign.

[red7flag]

One big difference that I have noticed after playin a lot of dola lately then getting my new OM is the spacing is quite a bit more on OM. Switching from the mandolin to the dola is not nearly the switch to the OM in finguring not in theory. What Marcus says about the sustain is really true. The open two finger chords just resonate. You can feel the open G string in your gut. A lot of fun.