octofone copy on ebay

needs some work...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Hand-Bu...53.m1438.l2649

"Patterned after" the Regal instruments, but with a pin bridge instead of tailpiece/floating bridge. "No reserve" bidding's now at $46 with $35 shipping charge.

IMHO it's not the shape of the original Octofones that makes them interesting instruments, and clearly not Regal's high manufacturing standards (not!), but the fact that they're the lightest large-bodied mando-family instruments I've ever played. My Octo weighs less than a regular mandolin, despite being much larger. It projects strongly -- a plus -- but is also very fragile -- a minus. I had to have it extensively modified (fingerboard removed, neck planed, carbon fiber reinforcing bar installed, new ebony fingerboard) to get it to where it is; I have it strung as an octave mandolin with "octaved" 3rd and 4th courses.

This Octo-copy looks a bit beefier, especially with the Formica pickguards -- which should come off immediately. How the heavier eight-string pin bridge would affect the top's vibration is another issue. For a low enough price, someone might want to take a chance on it. As the seller says, "So, now you know what to expect. No reserve and no returns. Buy it, fix it and play it, or buy it and hang it on the wall. Your choice."

As a risk-averse person who already owns an Octofone, I'll leave that to others.

it's going cheap but i never much liked the sound of octophones