A modern oval hole mandolin

[peter.coombe]

This is a new type of oval hole mandolin I have just finished. Not sure what to call it, it is different from the vintage Gibsons, so I have called it "modern", but could have called it "small bodied" or some other name. Help me for name. This is something that has been in the back of my mind for a while, but never got around to doing anything until I heard a Gilchrist Model 1 in a video clip that really had me sit up and take notice. I have heard clips of Gil Model 1s and even got to play the original prototype a few years ago, and thought they were nice but nothing to get too excited about, until this video. Probably a good player with an outstanding instrument, together with a high quality recording setup. He sure has nailed the sound. So, it is about time I did my own interpretation of a modern oval hole mandolin. Here it is, and very pleased I am. What is different? Well it has a smaller body, and that moves the main air resonance mode up about 1/2 semitone. The result is an oval hole sound that does not have the bass emphasis that the vintage Gibsons have, the sound is very even across the strings. So no boomy G string. It is a true oval hole sound, not a hybrid, so no trace of the "throaty" character that you can hear in F hole and hybrid mandolins. I have chosen Red Spruce and Birdseye Maple for the wood combination. X braced and the Red Spruce was really stiff, so carved thinner than usual. Neck angle 4deg, bridge height 19mm. Bridge is Vern Brekke's new original Brekke Bridge design. The idea was to make a mandolin with a big dynamic range, and good clarity - i.e. an oval hole that can really be heard.

Result has greatly exceeded my expectations. This mandolin has a beautiful sweet open sound, with ring and sustain to burn, and it is really LOUD if you hit it hard, but beautiful and delicate if played soft. The clarity of mids and treble are crystal clear, best I have ever heard. Very versatile instrument, I love playing it. My friend Ray, who is the only one to play it yet, said "I want one", so I think I might be onto something. Even after 23 years and over 200 instruments, you can still learn a few new tricks. Thank you Steven Gilchrist. Hope you like the pictures.

[Skip Kelley]

Peter, that is a fine looking mandolin! I like the wide grain on the top; it really looks good! I'd love to hear it!

[fatt-dad]

can you put it in a box and send it to Richmond, Virginia?

Yeah, that's about perfect! I'd love to play it!

f-d

[AlanN]

Lovely.

How about 'Coombe Modern A'. Tells what it is and kind of rolls off the tongue.

[Tom C]

Nailed it.

[Ron McMillan]

Peter, that is beautiful. No matter what you end up calling it, I love the look. (I think I'd like it even more without the pickguard).

I'll join the chorus of demands for a good sound clip, and if possible a video tour of the instrument.

[David Lewis]

Coombe instruments are among the very best. Another triumph Peter.

[Steve Sorensen]

Any modifications to graduations and bracing from the Gibson tradition?

Steve

[David Lewis]

How about the Combe elegante? Or the Coombe elegance?

[Jim Garber]

Peter: That sounds about perfect. It was what I was looking for for many years — a modernized oval with enhanced clarity and volume. Pretty much what I found with my Brentrup A4C. Sounds like the main difference with yours would be the smaller box and x-bracing. I would love to try one but no plans to get down under any time soon.

[Randi Gormley]

Absolutely beautiful. I'd love to hear it (of course!) if you have a clip.

[CES]

Wow...

[Beanzy]

As you say it's all about perfect balance across the courses you could call it the "Balance A" or "Perfection A" series.

[Tobin]

Very nice! I like that you stuck with a 12th fret neck join instead of the longer hybrid style.

I'm glad to see oval hole mandolins making a comeback.

And yeah, where's the sound clip?

[fatt-dad]

(have you considered worm under tuners? I have two custom mandolins and asked for the Stew-mac Vintage restoration tuners for that very aesthetic. I like the look and those tuners too.)

Again, I love it!

f-d

[Russ Donahue]

Add me to the list of admirers. Beautiful.

[peter.coombe]

Any modifications to graduations and bracing from the Gibson tradition?

It bears little resemblance to the Gibson tradition. Gradations are thinner and it is X braced, and the arching is higher. It is closer to a Lyon and Healy than a Gibson, but the neck angle is greater and the bridge higher, and of course the body shape is different. So, not a copy of anything, I tried to think outside the box for this mandolin and it seems to have paid off. This one uses standard Schaller tuners, the next one should have the new Schaller Grand Tune tuners.

Unfortunately no sound clips yet, my now rather old recording setup died so will be a while before I get something up and running again. It is still less than 2 weeks old, so sounds new and has a long way to go to show it's full potential.

[John McCoy]

That's absolutely beautiful!

[Eric F.]

Gorgeous, and I'm sure it sounds great.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Absolutely beautiful in every way !!. The existing model of Schaller tuners look very nice indeed,
Ivan

[Nick Gellie]

It bears little resemblance to the Gibson tradition. Gradations are thinner and it is X braced, and the arching is higher. It is closer to a Lyon and Healy than a Gibson, but the neck angle is greater and the bridge higher, and of course the body shape is different. So, not a copy of anything, I tried to think outside the box for this mandolin and it seems to have paid off. This one uses standard Schaller tuners, the next one should have the new Schaller Grand Tune tuners.

Unfortunately no sound clips yet, my now rather old recording setup died so will be a while before I get something up and running again. It is still less than 2 weeks old, so sounds new and has a long way to go to show it's full potential.

Well what with the celtic mandolin breakout from Nigel Forster and Rory Dowling, we now have a wonderful Australian version of the oval hole mandolin. You have always have broken with tradition using Australian woods in your mandolins, so this is another extension of us Aussies having a crack at new ideas.

Yes I am really interested that you got the ideas from Steve Gilchrist. I did not realise that he had changed the body size to get a different tone out of the instrument.

Congratulations Peter. Along with the others I cant wait to hear a soundclip or two.

[peter.coombe]

It is not really correct to say I got the ideas from Steve Gilchrist. While it is certainly true that he changed to a smaller body quite a few years ago, the real reason why I used a smaller body is because I used a smaller body in my long necked oval hole mandolin some years ago, and I liked the more even sound across the strings it had. This mandolin uses the same mould and is more of a further development of that mandolin, but with the cross piece at the 12th fret rather than the 14th fret so the bridge is in the middle of the soundboard. I can certainly understand why Steve moved to a smaller body, but Steve's influence is really in the choice of the woods and the sound of that Model 1 convincing me it was well worth giving it a go. He does not use an X brace in his Model 1, it has a cross brace behind the soundhole, and I have no idea how he does the arching or gradations since I have never had a Model 1 in my hands. The prototype I thought sounded remarkably like one of mine, so he must have done a fair bit of work on the sound since then.

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks for the clarification. Yes I was aware that uses a cross-brace in his new model 1. What graduation he uses is anybody's guess.

I would like to see and play one one day to see if one can get an idea of what graduations he is using. He does say that he exclusively uses red spruce tops for his oval hole mandolins, possibly for sound projection.

[jerrymartin]

Call it the "Coombe de Grâce"

Jerry M.

[sbhikes]

It's beautiful and I love the blond wood.