Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Octave Mandolins

  1. #1

    Default Octave Mandolins

    Ive been playing mandolin for a few months now and am beginning to get the hang of the basics and am considering branching out a bit. I have seen some videos of Octave mandolins and was wondering. Since it is just tuned one Octave lower that just means you can play the same tunes on it, they will just sound deeper correct?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Octave Mandolins

    The theory is all the same, in practice it's quite a bit different. You'll need to use your little finger a lot more, the bluegrass chop is out of the question, open chords and two and three note chords will be much more useful. If you think of it as it's own thing, rather than just a big mandolin, it makes it much easier and opens it up to a lot of new things. They are very cool instruments and can do a lot of things very well.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Octave Mandolins

    thanks for the info. yeah I am not really too into the bluegrassy stuff. I practice more classical and celtic tunes so this sounds like a good route to go

  4. #4
    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    No. California
    Posts
    1,259

    Default Re: Octave Mandolins

    If you also play guitar, you'll be used to the one-fret-per-finger approach.
    still trying to turn dreams into memories

  5. #5
    Registered User mandobassman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Delran, NJ
    Posts
    2,921

    Default Re: Octave Mandolins

    Joe's answer above is accurate, but much depends on the scale-length of the octave. Scale length (distance from the nut to the bridge) is pretty standard on mandolin, but on octave, it varies widely. In general, octaves range from around 19" scale to around 23" scale or so. I have a octave that I converted from a small guitar and it is a 23-3/4" scale. Let me tell you, the first time I strung it up and played it, I instantly recognized that I was not going to be able to play it in the same way I played mandolin. I have never played a 19" scale octave, but I would love to do that sometime to see how much different it feels. Part of what makes my conversion difficult to play is that the neck is much wider than most octaves. I've been able to get used to it and have adapted my playing on it to suit that instrument. I play very little on it that I play on mandolin but have worked other stuff that sounds great and would never play on mandolin.
    Larry Hunsberger

    2013 J Bovier A5 Special w/ToneGard
    D'Addario FW-74 flatwound strings
    1909 Weymann&Sons bowlback
    1919 Weymann&Sons mandolute
    Ibanez PF5
    1993 Oriente HO-20 hybrid double bass
    3/4 guitar converted to octave mandolin

Tags for this Thread

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
  •