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Thread: Regal octophone

  1. #1
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    During Bernunzio's big expansion sale, I bought this 1930's Regal Octofone today. Scale is just under 21 inches; birch sides and back, spruce top. The headstock has been repaired. John B's strung it with OM strings, but I may be experimenting in the future. Very light weight, bright sound, and a lot of projection; workmanship seems quite clean for what was obviously not a primo instrument 75 years ago.

    Interested in comments -- and in knowing if anyone's ever owned another Octofone, and if so, how he or she strung/tuned/used the instrument.

    Later: edited for spelling -- "Octofone" not "Octophone." What was I thinking?



    Allen Hopkins
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    Looks like you got a fine deal on it as well.

  3. #3
    Registered User otterly2k's Avatar
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    cool Allen-- I've wondered about those... almost bought one a few months ago. But decided against the ebay gamble.
    Karen Escovitz
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  4. #4

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    Wow. Had I seen that I would have bought it. I have one in pieces at home that I have been taking dimensions from in order to build one. I really like the looks of the octofone. How does it play?

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    Full Grown and Cussin' brunello97's Avatar
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    Allen,

    I've seen a number of these go by on Ebay. Yours certainly looks in far better shape than the ones I've seen. The price seems quite good. Nice catch.

    Mick
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Man, Allen, you got to stop before your signature gets longer than the Mandolin Cafe page.

    (I should talk....)

    Jim
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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (Celtic Saguaro @ June 05 2007, 16:37)
    Looks like you got a fine deal on it as well.
    Guess so -- I lucked out, living in a city with two excellent vintage instrument dealers, John Bernunzio and Dave Stutzman. Between them -- well, you can see the result below, and let me assure you, what I list are just my mandolins. There are also guitars, banjos, ukes, Autoharps, concertinas, etc. As they say, I can resist anything but temptation!

    John's having a big sale, to help finance his store expansion, and he dropped the price on the Octofone about $175. I had been thinking about it before, but when I saw the reduction, I went for it.

    He's also got a prototype Eastman mandocello that he says was made for the winter NAMM show in CA. When the chaos in his showroom caused by expansion is over, I may try to test drive it and post a report here. Not in the market to purchase it; it apparently lists around $2400. Here's a picture from Bernunzio's website.
    Allen Hopkins
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  8. #8
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (thistle3585 @ June 05 2007, 17:02)
    How does it play?
    Kind of a narrow, deep, "banjo-y" neck. Action's a bit high up the neck, and the bridge is quite low, so there's not going to be a lot of adjustment possible. Still, within my fairly generous parameters for playability.

    Not a big sound from the small box, but very clear, with a lot of projection. Fret spacing similar to a short neck (17 fret) tenor banjo. Seems like it would be a better lead than rhythm instrument, in a band context, or useful for vocal accompaniment.

    Since I have a decent OM already, my Flatiron 3K, I'm considering doing some experiments with stringing, perhaps doing the lower courses in octaves. For now I'm taking it to jam sessions and sing-arounds, searching for its best role. For less than $200, I think it's an excellent instrument.
    Allen Hopkins
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    Natl Triolian Dobro mando
    Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
    H-O mandolinetto
    Stradolin Vega banjolin
    Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

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    Hello! #I'm fairly new to the Cafe, advanced beginner (and likely always will be), but I love all things mandolin, I struggle with MAS, and have found great advice here!

    Calling all OCTOFONE players:

    Recently found a nice Octofone with a straight neck, dead flat top, clean frets, no cracks, good tone. #(Not as good a deal as Allen's, but inflation is everywhere!) #I know these were supposed to be "Eight Instruments in One" by changing the tuning, but wonder just how this could possibly work. #

    I'd like to play it as a Unison Octave (I love the 21" scale)- any string weight and type recommendations, given that I'd like the straight neck to stay that way? (I am partial to Thomastik-Infelds...and Single Malts! #Go figure...) #Just curious: any string weights that could be OM but feasibly tuned down to Mandocello without being floppy? #

    Also need to find a case, preferably hardshell, new or used - any suggestions?

    Thanks in advance! Gotta go hear Irish Music tonight!
    Mark Duluk
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    Registered User steve V. johnson's Avatar
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    Congrats Allen and Marquis!

    I've handled two of these, one pretty healthy, the other unstrung and very cracked up, tho in one piece. #

    I was amazed at how light they are, and I both of these were offered to me but I passed, thinking that they were just
    too fragile for my hamfistedness.

    I saw a pretty healthy-looking one on eBay recently and I was a tad tempted, but still felt that fragility to be daunting.
    Maybe that's just me...

    I'll look forward to following your adventures with these so I hope you'll keep us up on the different configurations that you find for them.

    Thanks and congrats again,

    stv
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  11. #11
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    [1] They are light and fragile. I've had mine back in the shop twice, after an old headstock repair let go, and then the re-repair also let go.

    [2] Definitely a niche instrument, IMHO. I've strung mine as an OM with octaves on the lower two courses, hoping to reduce the tension on the neck and top by using lighter strings. The action is a bit high, and since the bridge is quite low, there's little adjustment room; the instrument's not worth a neck reset. My repair person says the neck block is small and made of a fairly soft wood, so I want to avoid too much string pull.

    [3] Right now, I'm mainly using it for vocal accompaniment, and a few instrumentals not at top speed. It works quite well as a different, "non-guitar" voice behind old-timey or Celtic songs. The octave lower strings give it a broad sound with a lot of overtones.

    [4] I took a first (unwound) string, which is tuned to E, and tuned it to D as a pair with the lower (wound) third string. Then I took a second (wound) A string, tuned it to G to pair with the lower fourth string. Works OK so far.

    [5] There's not a lot of angle over the bridge, so I have to play with a fairly light touch to keep the lower string of the fourth course from jumping out of the bridge slot. I may deepen the slot just a tad to avoid this problem.

    [6] I would recommend babying the Octofone a bit. It's lightly built, quite responsive, but I can foresee trouble ahead if I don't treat it gently. And as for a case: it came with a generic 75-year-old grey chipboard case, and is still reposing there. Someday I may slap together a coffin case for it.
    Allen Hopkins
    Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
    Natl Triolian Dobro mando
    Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
    H-O mandolinetto
    Stradolin Vega banjolin
    Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

  12. #12
    Registered User otterly2k's Avatar
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    After being curious seeing these around, I played one of these last summer and had the same impressions... very light, also rather fragile, light sounding as well, and I didn't think it would stand up to my hammer hand... so didn't pursue further. I do like the shape, tho, visually... they are interesting. If I had one, I'd use light gauge strings as I'd be concerned that it would cave under higher pressure.
    Karen Escovitz
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Otter OM #1
    Brian Dean OM #32
    Old Wave Mandola #372
    Phoenix Neoclassical #256
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    If you're gonna walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!

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