Mando for baroque sound

[jk245]

Without going for really expensive equipment,
what would you recommend to buy to get close to an authentic baroque sound?

Change strings on a modern instrument?

Buy an older instrument like a bowl back?

...???

[LKN2MYIS]

Occasionally there is an Italian dealer who advertises in the classifieds here at the Cafe.

Contact him - he may have something or at least be able to refer you. You never know.

[Martin Jonas]

Are you intending to play the original baroque mandolin repertoire? If so, "authentic" means playing on either a six course instrument tuned in fourths, or an 18th or early 19th century Neapolitan bowlback with mixed stringing. Both options are exceedingly difficult to obtain. The mandolin repertoire itself is great, but (with very few exceptions) relatively obscure.

If, on the other hand, you're thinking of playing arrangements of Baroque pieces written for other instruments (say, Bach, Handel or Vivaldi pieces), then you needn't be too concerned with notions of "authenticity" and can instead concentrate on whether the tone suits the nature of the music. A good Italian bowlback, though fundamentally different in construction, stringing and tone from what was available in the Baroque era, can work very well, but something like a Mid-Mo should work just as well (you may have to experiment with strings a bit). I personally would stay away from f-hole instruments for baroque music as I don't think their tone is sympathetic to it, but others may disagree.

Martin

[Eugene]

Occasionally there is an Italian dealer who advertises in the classifieds here at the Cafe.

Contact him - he may have something or at least be able to refer you. You never know.
The two who happen by here whom I can call to mind aren't known for affordability.

Feel free to play baroque music on your modern mandolin, jk245. #I think the sound of the strings prescribed by mid-late 18th-c. methods for the earliest incarnations of Neapolitan mandolin don't sound like what modern listeners expect, and they take some getting used to to play.

The mandolins of the baroque era were tuned in 4ths and most likely often played with the fingers like lutes.

Click here (http://www.mandolincafe.com/archives/builders/early.html) for some modern builders of baroque reproduction mandolins. #I own the 6-course instrument by Luciano Faria pictured there.

[Paul Hostetter]

I should also be pointed out that baroque "mandolins" had gut strings.

[Jim Garber]

Some high-end repros for sale in the classifieds (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=21874&query=retrieval)

Jim

[Eugene]

I should also be pointed out that baroque "mandolins" had gut strings.
Of course. I didn't mention this here because I'd elaborated on it in reply to a similar post jk245 made a few days earlier in the classical section.

[chas5131]

http://www.daniellarson.com/

Makes bowlback baroque and classic

[billhay4]

Brian Dean.