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Ted Eschliman
Jul-03-2004, 10:48am
You heard it here first.
Fender's jumping on the bandwagon, expanding their acoustic Folk line with their FBZ-66 Bouzouki and FMO-66 Octave Mandolin at Summer NAMM, the end of this month in Nashville.
How cool is that?...

Sellars
Jul-06-2004, 2:54am
very!!

I'm looking forward to seeing them. If you have pictures be sure to share them ;)

s1m0n
Sep-02-2004, 11:21pm
This seemed worth running a search:

http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM04....-lg.jpg (http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM04/Content/Fender/PR/FBZ-66-lg.jpg)

http://www.bananas.com/product....trument (http://www.bananas.com/productdetail.asp/pid_6100/productname_Fender-Bouzouki-Celtic-Style-Folk-Instrument)

http://www.bananas.com/product....trument (http://www.bananas.com/productdetail.asp/pid_6101/productname_Fender-Octave-Mandolin-Celtic-Style-Folk-Instrument)

pickles
Sep-03-2004, 9:36pm
Dang. Glad I never got that tattoo I was considering. Every time I find something slightly unusual to do, be it ride a skateboard or decorate myself with mhendi or play the octave mandolin, all of a sudden it's everywhere. Well, I broke my arm on the skateboard, mhendi barely shows up on my skin anyhow, but I'm not giving up the OM. I'll just have to be a little common in that one, small way. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

steve V. johnson
Sep-03-2004, 11:09pm
Hey Kathleen!

Hurdy gurdy. It's the only frontier left. <GG>

And that prehensile tail thing, that's gotta be the bomb. I've always wanted one.

stv

pickles
Sep-04-2004, 9:35am
I know a bloke who builds hurdy-gurdies. But, yeah, thanks for the thought, stv... it's true, I have yet to see a Hohner hurdy-gurdy.

But that which we call an octave mandolin, by any competent luthier, would sound as sweet.

Ted Eschliman
Sep-04-2004, 9:39am
Had the Hurdy Gurdy when I was stationed overseas in the Army.
Shot of penicillin cleared it right up, though...
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

s1m0n
Sep-05-2004, 12:22pm
What intrigues me is that I see a major difference between a bouzouki and an ocatve mandolin as being one of scale length*; but Fender's models clearly have identical necks with one model having a slightly wider body. WHo cares?

*Shorter than (about) 21.5 inches it's good for playing melody = OM
Longer than 21.5" useful for banging out chords = Bouzouki
YMMV

WoodyMcKenzie
Sep-05-2004, 3:43pm
And I like what they say at the Banana's site:

"Essential for anyone interested in Irish style music"

Shoot, they are probably backordered by now!

Woody

MTH
Oct-05-2004, 6:26pm
From the zouk ad:

SCALE LENGTH 20.15" (512 mm)

Seems really short to me. Shouldn't a zouk be in the 630-660mm range?

Jacob
Oct-05-2004, 6:47pm
Irish bouzoukis typically have a scale length that ranges from guitar size (around 25 inches) up to Greek bouzouki size which may be a couple of frets longer. Instruments with around a 20 inch scale are usually called octave mandolins or octave mandolas, depending on geography, and are designed with the short scale to make melody playing easier.

delsbrother
Oct-05-2004, 7:03pm
Fender's models clearly have identical necks with one model having a slightly wider body.
I dunno about "clearly", one looks longer to me..

Are these Trinity College product?

s1m0n
Oct-05-2004, 7:31pm
I dunno about "clearly", one looks longer to me..

It looks longer to me, too, but the numbers say otherwise:

The Bouzouki:


SCALE LENGTH 20.15" (512 mm)

WIDTH AT NUT 1.12"

NO. OF FRETS 21

The Octave Mandolin:


SCALE LENGTH 20.15" (512 mm)

WIDTH AT NUT 1.12"

NO. OF FRETS 21

Can you see a difference? If the stats they provide are correct, then they're the same neck.

delsbrother
Oct-06-2004, 1:31am
Printed specs (especially on closely related instruments, probably from Dale's favorite East Asian country) are hardly something to rely upon. In other words, it's probably a typo.

If I believed everything I read about imported mandos I'd still be trying to adjust my Mandobird's truss rod.*

Darrell

*Hey, it came with a wrench! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

mandolman
Oct-06-2004, 6:29am
You're wrong !

Go on the fender site on see the specifications http://www.fender.com/products/show.php?partno=0956601

otterly2k
Oct-06-2004, 12:44pm
yeah- it seems (from the Fender site link above) the 'zouk is 670mm scale (26")-- quite long... the 20.15 applies to the OM. Which makes sense.

But more importantly... has anyone played any of these?

delsbrother
Oct-06-2004, 1:01pm
Hey, no one's mentioned the piezo pickup included - I wonder how e-zouk and e-o-mando fans will respond. I'd love to hear some fuzzed-out octave mando! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

rosincloud
Oct-06-2004, 2:22pm
. . . I wondered about the compensated bridge . . . it looks like a 'mandolin' (short scale - light(ish) string' type). The staggered off-set saddles on my Baz. seem different (I use 12 ; 18w ; 30w & 40w) . . . but I guess the Fender must play OK?

T.P.