Archtop vs Bowlback vs Flattop mandolin sound comparison

[Seter]

I put together this video showing the sound comparison; I was frustrated by a lot of similar videos where the person will talk at length between each type so you forget the sound and that I'd give it a go myself. My mandolins are all fairly low end, I used my Strad-o-lin archtop, unknown maker bowlback, and my Soviet-era Russian Lunacharsky flattop. The actual playing starts about halfway through if you don't to listen to me ramble.

[DavidKOS]

Thanks for playing the same thing on several mandolins.

That's how you really hear the differences in instruments.

I'm not complaining - but I'd have liked to heard a tremolo-type Italian piece too, as a further comparison.

[Seter]

Thanks for playing the same thing on several mandolins.

That's how you really hear the differences in instruments.

I'm not complaining - but I'd have liked to heard a tremolo-type Italian piece too, as a further comparison.

Thanks, maybe I'll make another one sometime doing that. Maybe a piece involving natural sustain as well.

[LadysSolo]

Nice! I feel like the sound of the mandolins is not better or worse than any other, only different - kind of how I feel about my various mandolins - none better or worse, only different.