Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: A few new Mowry octaves.

  1. #1
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default A few new Mowry octaves.

    I guess it's been a while since I posted any photos here, so here goes! Thanks for indulging... These octaves are both Engelmann spruce and red maple, French polished. The only real difference is the oval hole vs. f holes.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4850.jpg 
Views:	203 
Size:	270.2 KB 
ID:	155940   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4858.jpg 
Views:	218 
Size:	270.7 KB 
ID:	155941   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4863.jpg 
Views:	188 
Size:	238.5 KB 
ID:	155942  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4866.jpg 
Views:	175 
Size:	271.6 KB 
ID:	155943   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4983.jpg 
Views:	199 
Size:	255.1 KB 
ID:	155944   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4988.jpg 
Views:	220 
Size:	244.7 KB 
ID:	155945  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_5065.jpg 
Views:	175 
Size:	248.6 KB 
ID:	155946   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_5073.jpg 
Views:	183 
Size:	234.8 KB 
ID:	155947   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4909.jpg 
Views:	155 
Size:	258.2 KB 
ID:	155948  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_4978.jpg 
Views:	184 
Size:	272.1 KB 
ID:	155949  

  2. The Following 11 Users Say Thank You to amowry For This Useful Post:

    + Show/Hide list of the thanked


  3. #2
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Richmond, Virginia
    Posts
    7,635

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    what scale length do you use? I've seen numbers from 20 to 23-in.

    they are beautiful! Well done!

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  4. #3
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Thanks! I've used around a 22" scale on almost all of my octaves. There are always tradeoffs, but I've had good luck with that scale. If you go too short you have to use heavier strings, and I think that impacts the playability even though the reaches are slightly shorter.

  5. #4
    Registered User Lane Pryce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Asheboro,NC
    Posts
    2,281

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Perfection as usual. How are you buddy? Lp
    J.Lane Pryce

  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Sebastopol, CA
    Posts
    83

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Yeah, way beautiful. I'm still intimidated by french polishing, I guess eventually I'll have to give a try. Is the body shape closely similar to an L5?

  7. #6
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lane Pryce View Post
    Perfection as usual. How are you buddy? Lp
    I'm great, thanks Lane! I hope you are as well.

  8. #7
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Quote Originally Posted by GaryTimmons View Post
    Yeah, way beautiful. I'm still intimidated by french polishing, I guess eventually I'll have to give a try. Is the body shape closely similar to an L5?
    I'm still intimidated by French polishing too. I'd think you'd be crazy not to be Yes, it's exactly based on an L5, scaled down proportionally in all dimensions, with a 14" body compared to 16" on an L5.

  9. #8
    Registered User Lane Pryce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Asheboro,NC
    Posts
    2,281

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Doing well bud. Sometime back I stopped by your website. After looking through the gallery my thoughts were you had mastered the craft. Looking at those octaves is just an affirmation for me. Lp
    J.Lane Pryce

  10. #9
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Lakebay, Wa
    Posts
    4,162

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Nice, Andrew, very nice. Can we hear them?
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

  11. #10
    Registered User Tavy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Tavistock UK
    Posts
    4,438

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Very sweet!

  12. #11
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Ardnadam, Argyll, Scotland
    Posts
    2,280

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Tremendous work and skills there, Andrew.
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores

  13. #12

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Stunning, it would be interesting for a sound comparison between the oval and f hole.

  14. #13
    Registered User amowry's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Bend, OR
    Posts
    2,168

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Thanks folks! Unfortunately these are already on their way to their owners and I didn't make recordings, but it is fun to compare the two--the oval hole doesn't seem to make as much difference on these bigger instruments as it does with mandolins, but it definitely sweetens up the sound a bit and makes it a little more "present", while the f holes have more "punchiness", as you would expect.

  15. The following members say thank you to amowry for this post:


  16. #14
    Registered User Jim Roberts's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Remulak (near France)
    Posts
    817

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    I saw these two instruments at Andrew's shop before they were finished and they were strikingly beautiful.

  17. #15
    Lord of All Badgers Lord of the Badgers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    South West UK
    Posts
    1,327

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Saw them on Facebook - but not the f-hole one. LOVERLY
    My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers

    Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
    Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
    Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
    My band's website

  18. #16
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Bellingham, WA
    Posts
    3,110

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Perfecto!

  19. #17
    RedKnucklesUnclesCousin GKWilson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Yakima, the high deserts of Washington
    Posts
    545

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Yes. That's the word for the quality of Andrew's instruments. Perfect.
    My F5 is a pleasure to play and a joy to look at every time I pick it up.
    vincit qui se vincit

  20. #18
    Registered User bruce.b's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebanon, Ct
    Posts
    506

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Wow! I love them.

  21. #19
    Registered User red7flag's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Dickson, TN
    Posts
    3,292

    Default Re: A few new Mowry octaves.

    Andrew does fabulous work and these new GOMs are simply gorgeous. Andrew made a custom GOM for me with Oregon claro walnut and engellman spruce top. I think the finish is nitro, but not sure. Feel free to chime in Andrew. He adapted his art deco A model headstock for the GOM at my request. He also inlayed a bear head in the headstock (my nickname is TBear). Andrew is a pleasure to work with. The sound of my GOM is to die for, deep and resonant, everything you would want a GOM to sound like (I played a Mowry F5 at Carters that is right there with the builders selling for 5 figures). Playing an instrument with a 22 inch scale took some time, but the playability is just what you would want it to be. I am going to post pictures of my GOM which provides a nice contrast to the L5 look.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0373.jpg 
Views:	97 
Size:	108.2 KB 
ID:	155995   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0371.jpg 
Views:	101 
Size:	103.0 KB 
ID:	155994   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0388.jpg 
Views:	98 
Size:	79.8 KB 
ID:	155996  

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0353.jpg 
Views:	91 
Size:	56.5 KB 
ID:	155997   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0339.jpg 
Views:	92 
Size:	95.2 KB 
ID:	155998   Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0333.jpg 
Views:	104 
Size:	77.4 KB 
ID:	155999  

    Last edited by red7flag; Apr-14-2017 at 9:20am. Reason: Added thought.
    Tony Huber
    1930 Martin Style C #14783
    2011 Mowry GOM
    2013 Hester F4 #31
    2014 Ellis F5 #322
    2017 Nyberg Mandola #172

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
  •