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Thread: Is this even a mandola?

  1. #1

    Default Is this even a mandola?

    Hello,

    I'm very new to the music world, I recently started learning ukulele about 6 months ago. Now i found this mandola (is it even a mandola) at the recycle shop I work at, for 30 bucks. I've actually a deceased grandpa that played mandola a lot, also to me and my siblings+cousins.

    So I thought, I think I wanna buy that thing. It's not at all in perfect shape but it's a bargain, and I don't think I would buy one from an actual retailer. As long as it's actually a mandola, that is, since the reason I've been wanting to learn it is to like remember my grandpa by it.

    Some pictures coming up, could you all please give me some info on what kind it actually is??

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    Thanks for reading and in advance for replying,
    And have a nice day o/
    Last edited by Mandolin Cafe; Jun-02-2020 at 2:08pm.

  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    From the proportions it looks like a mandolin. However, to be sure: What is the scale length? Measure from the nut to the 12th fret. If it is around 6-1/2" or so, then it is a mandolin. If longer (maybe 8 or 8-1/2") then it could be a mandola.
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Just from the photos I'd guess a mandolin rather than a mandola, if you measure from the nut to the bridge and it's 13-14" it's a mandolin.

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  4. #4

    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    $30 seems like a pretty good price regardless of mandolin or mandola as long as the action is playable and no emergent cracks. What you learn on mandolin would help you learn mandola down the road.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Thanks, for the quick replies!

    I'll measure it tomorrow, though if it's a mandolin I don't think I'll buy it.
    Will post again after having measured

  6. #6
    Registered User tonydxn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Looks like a mandolin to me too. I will just add that this is a typical German instrument and looks to be in pretty good condition. Mid 20th century roughly. I doubt if you will find a better mandolin than this anywhere else for $30.

    Mandolas don't come up very often. I would buy this and start learning on it but keep looking around for a mandola. When you find one you'll already be able to play it! Then you can sell this and get your $30 back.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Okay I measured it, rather quickly so not entirely precise though

    The whole thing is pretty much 65 cm or 25.5 inch
    Bottom of nut to bridge is 47 cm or 18.5 inch
    Bottom of nut to 12th fret is 33cm or 13 inch
    The difference between these (12th fret to bridge) is 14cm / 5.5 inch
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    I'm not so sure if the size makes the difference??
    If mandolas really are that rare though, I might as well buy it anyway.

    Your thoughts??

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    I should have asked it you knew what the nut and bridge were, the nut is the thing labeled on your photo as the bridge and the bridge is that piece of wood on the top of the body (around the middle) that the strings go over. With an overall length of 65 cm it should be a mandolin.

    Mandolas have to be bigger because they need longer strings than mandolins to sound the lower notes on the open strings.
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  9. #9
    Registered User tonydxn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    I agree with Derbex. If it was a mandola it should be 70cm long at least. String length (nut to bridge) is usually a bit over 33.5cm on a German mandolin like this. On a mandola it would be a bit over 42cm.

    There are probably about 100 mandolins in the world for every mandola. You can get them new or secondhand easily enough but you may have to wait a lifetime for one to turn up in a recycle shop for $30. Any skills you develop on this mandolin will be instantly transferable to a mandola later. I would get started with this straight away and set aside a couple of $ a week so you can buy that mandola in a year or two.

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  11. #10

    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by spurkl3z View Post
    Okay I measured it.

    Bottom of nut to bridge is 47 cm or 18.5 inch.
    That scale length of 47cm/18.5" definitely indicates a mandola, and not a mandolin.

    You can look up "mandola scale length" online and see on most websites that your measured scale length is in the mandola range. That will eliminate trying to figure out which of us is right.

    Quote Originally Posted by tonydxn View Post
    I agree with Derbex. If it was a mandola it should be 70cm long at least. String length (nut to bridge) is usually a bit over 33.5cm on a German mandolin like this. On a mandola it would be a bit over 42cm.
    I'm having a hard time reconciling those two measurements. Is a mandola's scale length a bit over 42cm, or at least 70cm?

    Or are you and Derbex talking about total instrument length? Given the variations possible in headstocks, and in distance from bridge to instrument heel, total instrument length is irrelevant to instrument type, especially as the scale length relates directly to the possible stringing.
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  12. #11
    Registered User tonydxn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Explorer: The OP is not familiar with mandolin terminology. If you look carefully at his pictures you will see that his measurement of 47cm is actually the distance from the nut to the tailpiece. It is not the scale length.

    When I said, 'If it was a mandola it should be 70cm long at least' I was referring to the total length of the instrument, not the scale length. Sorry if I did not make that clear enough for you. The measurements I have given are relevant for German instruments like the one we are discussing here.

    I do not agree with you that total instrument length is irrelevant to instrument type, as a longer instrument is needed to accommodate a longer scale length. Therefore, mandolas are longer than mandolins (as also pointed out by Derbex).

  13. #12
    Registered User Tim N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    I have the identical instrument (it's a mandolin) . The only difference is that mine doen't have the "Triumph" logo. The label inside mine says "Waldhari Mittelwald", It is, indeed as someone said, a German, mid 20th centurary instrument. Can you tell what the neck is made of? Mine is beech, which is unusual, signifying that it was built shortly after the war (timber shortages).Do your tuners have DRGM embossed on them? That signifies that the parts were pre-war. I can't remember what it stands for, but my luthier told me this (I live in Germany). You've got a bargain there,even if its not in great condition! I paid 250 euros for mine! The sound is sweet, and resonance great with Thomastik strings on. How does yours sound? Might be worth a bit of attention.
    "What's that funny guitar thing..?"

  14. #13
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Tim N, what is the scale length on your mandolin? Curious because of the short scale length spurkl3z seems to indicate. He or she states that "12th fret to bridge is 14cm/5.5 in." - and the images provided indicates that "bridge" is actually the nut - it appears a measurement was made from the back edge of the nut to the 12th fret, if the images are correct, yielding a scale length of less than 11"?
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  15. #14
    Registered User Tim N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    Tim N, what is the scale length on your mandolin? Curious because of the short scale length spurkl3z seems to indicate. He or she states that "12th fret to bridge is 14cm/5.5 in." - and the images provided indicates that "bridge" is actually the nut - it appears a measurement was made from the back edge of the nut to the 12th fret, if the images are correct, yielding a scale length of less than 11"?
    From my reading, Spurkl3z gives different measurements to the ones you quote, and they don't seem to make sense. Yet my measurements tally with the ones you quote... The only thing that I have in common with his is the length of the "whole thing" which is indeed 25.5 inches.
    Otherwise:
    Distance from nut (actually zero fret) to 12th fret is 6.5 inches.
    Total string length is marginally over 13 inches.
    Distance from 12 fret to bridge is 6.5 inches (actally 14.5 cm)

    If the size of the instrument is the same, how can his be a mandola? I'm comparing his photos carefully with my mandolin, and it looks identical in size and proportion.
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  16. #15

    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Looks a Waldzither to me. OP’s Scale length matches my Waldzither. Waldzither usually has an extra bass single string. I have mine tuned like a Mandola. But if OP’s measurements are incorrect, he seems to have omitted the bridge in his calcs, then it’s a mandolin.

  17. #16
    Registered User Rodney Riley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Susan, (noticed she signed the opening post as “Susan”) did you purchase it? If there are no bad structural defects, you could do like others and flip it for a profit at that price. Or as others have said, start lessons and switch to a mandola later.

    I have put different strings on and tuned one mandolin CGDA mandola tuning. C string was a little sloppy but I learned the chord fingerings on it.

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  19. #17
    Registered User Tim N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is this even a mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodney Riley View Post
    (noticed she signed the opening post as “Susan”)
    Ah, indeed. So sorry, Susan for not noticing that! At the end of the day, I'm pretty sure we share a mandolin - but I really can't understand your measurements... I started learning on this instrument, but found it rather constrained for my fingers, so I moved on to something with a marginally larger neck.
    "What's that funny guitar thing..?"

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