Customer Repairs -- Octofone, mandolinetto, Washburn style E, etc

[Jake Wildwood]

Blog post for the 20s Regal Octofone is here.







Blog post for the 1890s Regal-made mandolinetto is here.







Blog post for the 20s Washburn style E (Regal-made) is here.







Blog pot for the 24 Weymann style 40 (Little Wonder ring) jo-mando is here.







Blog post for the mahogany-topped Kay 2-point is here.

Forgive some ugliness on a few of these instruments -- a few have some ugly old work mixed-in with my own work (maybe mine's ugly new work? hee hee). This has been a fun batch -- I especially like the mandolinetto and the Weymann!

[Tavy]

Love that Octophone - looks like you were right on the limits with regard to bridge break angle and string tensions - but it sure does sound great!

[Jake Wildwood]

Love that Octophone - looks like you were right on the limits with regard to bridge break angle and string tensions - but it sure does sound great!

The back-angle is pretty average for one of those (and Regal tenor guits) and a bit better than the pics let on -- they don't need much with the light build to get 'em going pretty well.

The other part of this equation is that owners of instruments don't always want to shell-out $$ to get things going 100%... ...as I'm sure you're well-aware. To make an Octofone truly modern/efficient requires pulling the board, installing a rod of some sort, and replacing the dopey maple board with rosewood... and maybe decreasing the scale by 1" to put the bridge nearer the brace and allow it to use stiffer strings. I'd love to hear that but I doubt I ever will!!

[billhay4]

Still, the Octofone is a great sounding instrument.
You're a busy man, Jake.
Bill

[bbcee]

The Octophone is indeed cool, I dig mandolinettos of every stripe, but even all beat up as it is, that Style E is the business. It may be my favorite body style.

[allenhopkins]

...To make an Octofone truly modern/efficient requires pulling the board, installing a rod of some sort, and replacing the dopey maple board with rosewood... and maybe decreasing the scale by 1" to put the bridge nearer the brace and allow it to use stiffer strings. I'd love to hear that but I doubt I ever will!!

Jake, exactly (or nearly) what I had done to mine, since its neck was bowing. "Mystery wood" fretboard pulled and discarded, carbon fiber rod installed in the neck, new ebony fretboard (went your rosewood suggestion one better). Left the bridge in the same place, though; octave strung the two lower courses, tuned it GDAE, and am enjoying it.

[Jake Wildwood]

Jake, exactly (or nearly) what I had done to mine, since its neck was bowing. "Mystery wood" fretboard pulled and discarded, carbon fiber rod installed in the neck, new ebony fretboard (went your rosewood suggestion one better). Left the bridge in the same place, though; octave strung the two lower courses, tuned it GDAE, and am enjoying it.

Hee hee -- yes, I'm very familiar with Regals from the 30s and the Octos have a lovely sound but the necks are, basically, the same thing they use for their 4-string tenor guitars (maybe 1/16" wider at the nut) -- and bow like mad if you use anything close to modern gauges. The irony is that if they had used a 2-piece maple neck of the same dimensions, the necks probably would've held-up OK.

- - - Updated - - -

Still, the Octofone is a great sounding instrument.
You're a busy man, Jake.
Bill

I agree on both counts. :D