Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Manson

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Maryland, USA
    Posts
    34

    Default eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Manson

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1723.jpg 
Views:	344 
Size:	312.6 KB 
ID:	130713Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_1520bestback.jpg 
Views:	285 
Size:	214.5 KB 
ID:	130718Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1741.jpg 
Views:	272 
Size:	153.3 KB 
ID:	130715Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1743.jpg 
Views:	309 
Size:	148.6 KB 
ID:	130716
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1738.jpg 
Views:	462 
Size:	195.7 KB 
ID:	130714Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1746.jpg 
Views:	241 
Size:	152.6 KB 
ID:	130717


    I was photographing some of my instruments recently, and it occurred to me that some readers of this forum might be interested in my somewhat unusual octave mandolin. It was made for me by English luthier Andy Manson in 1995. Manson has become quite well known as a maker of guitars, mandolins, and other instruments, including among his clients various well-known recording artists, including John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin, etc.) and Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull). There is a wikipedia article that discusses his work here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Manson_%28luthier%29

    The body of my octave mandolin is made of flamed maple. The top is spruce (I don't recall what kind). The neck is Brazilian mahogany, the fingerboard ebony. The trefoil sound hole was a feature that I specified, because I had seen one on another octave mandolin made by Manson, played by Celtic musician Danny Carnahan. The scale length is 21 inches. I like the tailpiece design -- it accommodates both ball-end and loop-end strings. The instrument came with a custom Calton case.

    This octave mandolin (or "octave mandola" as they call it in the UK) is very playable, and has a great sound. Unfortunately I never found time to become very accomplished on it -- it has reached 20 years of age almost entirely as a "safe queen," and still looks brand new.

    In recent years there have been a number of threads on this forum about Manson and his instruments, including these:
    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=manson

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=manson

    In addition, Manson has a website which includes photos of a variety of his creations. I see there a photo of one octave mandolin that somewhat resembles mine.
    http://www.andymanson.com/mandolin_family/

  2. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to dougjay For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Butcherer of Songs Rob Zamites's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Holt, MI USA
    Posts
    735
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Have you got a close-up shot of that tailpiece? Thanks!
    =============================
    Apollonio Acousto-electric bouzouki (in shop)
    Mixter 10 string mandola (still waiting 2+ yrs)
    Unknown brand Mandocaster (on the way!)
    =============================
    "Doubt begins only at the last frontiers of what is possible." -- Ambrose Bierce

  4. #3

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Have you got a close-up shot of that tailpiece? Thanks!

    I clicked on the 1st pic a few times, enough to get the idea. Must be cast or machined - very nice!

  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Maryland, USA
    Posts
    34

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Here you go:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1775.jpg 
Views:	247 
Size:	207.6 KB 
ID:	130739

  6. #5
    Butcherer of Songs Rob Zamites's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Holt, MI USA
    Posts
    735
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Quote Originally Posted by dougjay View Post
    Here you go:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	DSCF1775.jpg 
Views:	247 
Size:	207.6 KB 
ID:	130739
    Thank you! I've never seen a tailpiece where I would be nervous about the ball ends popping up and off before, I'm so used to seeing them 'threaded' through a hole of some type. Nice work!
    =============================
    Apollonio Acousto-electric bouzouki (in shop)
    Mixter 10 string mandola (still waiting 2+ yrs)
    Unknown brand Mandocaster (on the way!)
    =============================
    "Doubt begins only at the last frontiers of what is possible." -- Ambrose Bierce

  7. #6
    Registered User Colin Lindsay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Tandragee, Northern Ireland
    Posts
    416

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Yes, that’s quite an unusual design! Almost an ‘RZ’ for yourself on one of your own instruments, Rob?
    "Danger! Do Not Touch!" must be one of the scariest things to read in Braille....

  8. #7
    Butcherer of Songs Rob Zamites's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Holt, MI USA
    Posts
    735
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Lindsay View Post
    Yes, that’s quite an unusual design! Almost an ‘RZ’ for yourself on one of your own instruments, Rob?
    Indeed, very close! I'm thinking I'm going to go with a very low profile tailpiece and a fixed bridge; Nikos Apollonio has a sweet design, IMHO.
    =============================
    Apollonio Acousto-electric bouzouki (in shop)
    Mixter 10 string mandola (still waiting 2+ yrs)
    Unknown brand Mandocaster (on the way!)
    =============================
    "Doubt begins only at the last frontiers of what is possible." -- Ambrose Bierce

  9. #8
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Zamites View Post
    I've never seen a tailpiece where I would be nervous about the ball ends popping up and off before
    Changing a single string (e.g. because it broke) would be a good occasion for that...
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  10. The following members say thank you to Bertram Henze for this post:


  11. #9
    Registered User Marc Woodward's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Devon, England
    Posts
    294

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    See group photos here for more eye candy! http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/gr...=grouppictures

    and well worth visiting the gallery on Andy's website for astonishing instruments www.andymanson.comhttp://www.andymanson.com

    Marc
    http://www.youtube.com/marcowoodward


    Andy Manson 3 point F5;
    Gibson 1920 F2;
    Vega Guiseppe Pettine Special;
    Weber Abrasoka octave mandolin-
    and various others!

  12. #10
    Registered User Mike Anderson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    London, Ontario
    Posts
    560

    Default Re: eye candy: octave mandolin by noted English luthier Andy Mans

    dougjay, that is gorgeous, as is all of his work. Here's another nice set, a cittern made for bodhran maker Seanie McGrath in Clarecastle:

    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5910298&type=3

    Just plain stunning.
    "But wasn't it all stupid nonsense, rot, gibberish, and criminally fraudulent nincompoopery?"
    - Neal Stephenson, Quicksilver

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •