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Thread: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

  1. #26

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by stinkoman20xx View Post
    I sent you a PM on one that is under $400.
    Odd, I never saw your message. I just checked my user settings, all normal, I should have been notified of a PM, hmm.

    Currently I am thinking Brazil, maybe. Online prices at least seem very reasonable, the issue would be finding a trusted seller, then having it shipped to the USA.

    It seems 1k buys a lot of mandolin in Brazil, though now I can afford a little more than when I originally created this topic.

  2. #27
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Don Dv: that poster sent you that PM almost a year ago.

    Good luck on the bandolim from Brazil. I actually saw one by Rozini. That is a budget brand and probably will have solid top and laminated back and sides. I have a cavaquinho of that brand and it is decent.

    Here is the Rozini Holanda model.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    I just bought a 10 string Weber Yellowstone f style mandola. Seller said it had been dropped and that the top had sinkage when using 10 strings. Didn’t look that bad to me in the photos so, after consulting with Bruce I bought it. Sent it to Bruce for a “once over.” After new frets, new bridge and a few cosmetic touch ups got it back. Looks and sounds fantastic. Bruce said to build it today would cost somebody $10K. He estimated it’s current value for insurance purposes at $7K. So I wound up with a $7K instrument for a fraction of that, including repair and tweaks. I am much pleased.

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  5. #29
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Ranger Bob: can you post some photos or even a recording. I don’t know if I ever saw a 10-string Weber. Also, what is the scale length?
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

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    OK Jim,
    A little more back story: When I talked to Bruce he said it is normal to have a little top leveling, especially with a 10 stringer. He put a new bridge on it. It had the original "S" base which he doesn't use anymore and put on an offset top. The new bridge base has a little wider footprint which helps to reduce the perception of (or actual) top leveling. The tuners are Waverly guitar singles modified to fit. Allen TP. Scale is 17". The .12's 1st course was what Bruce had intended. I find they are OK for a D but are at breaking point tuned to E. So, I am experimenting with maybe a lighter 1st course to tune to E. Meantime, having it tuned to D is more like my cittern tuning and I'm working well with it. Posting these pics has tested the limits of my technical skills. When I recover I will try to post an sound clip. See? I couldn't even get the pictured turned correctly! BTW, Bruce said he only made 3 of these.
    Last edited by Ranger Bob; Jul-28-2019 at 10:41pm. Reason: Forgot something.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    I forgot to add that Bruce also put on a new nut and planed and re-fretted. The fret board work wasn't necessary right now but the truss rod was maxed out and it would have been needed sooner rather than later. He also smoothed out the speed neck which had some roughness.
    Last edited by Ranger Bob; Jul-28-2019 at 9:32pm. Reason: Additional information

  8. #32
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Strange to have a .012 tuned to E for a 17" scale. D'Addario J74 has .011 as E strings and the scale is usually under 14". I woul go much lighter I would think.

    BTW what exactly is an "offset top"?
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Offset bridge top/saddle.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Strange to have a .012 tuned to E for a 17" scale. D'Addario J74 has .011 as E strings and the scale is usually under 14". I woul go much lighter I would think.

    BTW what exactly is an "offset top"?
    Exactly about the .12. I am going to try .10 and .09 just to see how they work.

  11. #35

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    I have some bad news.

    A plain steel string will break fairly quickly when tuned to G#4 at a scale length of 25.5". if the string is thicker, it is stronger, but needs more tension to get to pitch. If the string is thinner, it requires less tension, but will break at around that pitch.

    A plain steel string will break at a pitch of D#5 at a scale length of 17", for the same reasons.

    You need a maximum scale length of around 15" to get comfortably to E5. You are a few inches longer than that, so D5 is pretty much your highest pitch if you expect strings to last at all.

    Sorry!

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  13. #36

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Maybe you can settle for a mandola for that lower sound? Like this Trinity College mandola in your price range?

    I am not sure of his pricing but Dudu Maia plays a 10-string bandolim by Pedro Santos. I have a feeling it is above $1000 but you can check...

    i love jacob do bandolin. i had a cassette years ago then flound a cd and a few years ago found a book of tabs for that cd. gotta learn a few.

  14. #37

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    there is a relatively insexpensive short scale cittern in the classifieds now--not mine-- by our long term friend nick appollonio from maine.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Explorer View Post
    I have some bad news.

    A plain steel string will break fairly quickly when tuned to G#4 at a scale length of 25.5". if the string is thicker, it is stronger, but needs more tension to get to pitch. If the string is thinner, it requires less tension, but will break at around that pitch.

    A plain steel string will break at a pitch of D#5 at a scale length of 17", for the same reasons.

    You need a maximum scale length of around 15" to get comfortably to E5. You are a few inches longer than that, so D5 is pretty much your highest pitch if you expect strings to last at all.

    Sorry!
    Thanks. I agree. Bruce was able to get .12's to work with E5 but, broke some in the process. I have found that D5 works just fine and is close to the tuning I used for my cittern. So, I am making some adjustments and I will keep the 1st course tuned to D5.

  16. #39

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Don Dv: that poster sent you that PM almost a year ago.
    Yes, unfortunately I only saw it very recently, so I was surprised about not catching it sooner.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Good luck on the bandolim from Brazil. I actually saw one by Rozini. That is a budget brand and probably will have solid top and laminated back and sides. I have a cavaquinho of that brand and it is decent.

    Here is the Rozini Holanda model.

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    Apparently they do not sell direct, I guess they have some of the same concerns I have, about reliability or something.

    Maybe I need to post a separate topic concerning buying from Brazil.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Am I too late to this thread?

    I'm currently hunting hard for a 10-stringer

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    You are only about 3-1/2 years late.

    BTW I wonder about this thing for a conversion to 10-string, 5 course instrument. Scale is 15”. https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldt...struments/f-12

    Though nut width is 1-7/8”… though you would not have to find hardware.

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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Never too late.

    Like anything else, quality and cost are going to be related.

    The 10 string covers my mandola needs easier than schlepping both mandolin and mandola everywhere, and switching back and forth, and all that.

    I finally settled on a Girouard 10 string fan fret instrument. The issues related to the fan frets are not difficult. Within a day or to it was second nature. I had more problem making the transition to having a new bottom as I had been associating "bottom" with G string for so long. But even that goes away with practice.

    There are lots of threads regarding 10 string instruments, and the advantages of fan fret, and they are worth finding.
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  20. #43

    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    I wonder about this thing for a conversion to 10-string, 5 course instrument. Scale is 15”. https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldt...struments/f-12
    Somebody did manage it.

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    Details in the following topic.

    https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...F12-Mod-advice
    ----

    Playing a funky oval-hole scroll-body mandolin, several mandolins retuned to CGDA, three CGDA-tuned Flatiron mandolas, two Flatiron mandolas tuned as octave mandolins,and a six-course 25.5" scale CGDAEB-tuned Ovation Mandophone.

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  22. #44
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    The obvious benefit of a fan fret for a ten string is that you have multiple scale lengths. So on the deep end you have a true mandola feeling, scale length, fret spacing. And on the high end you have a true mandolin feeling, scale length, fret spacing. The bottom isn't too floppy, and the top isn't to tight. And, of course, every string in between. It all feels and sounds like a family. Different pitch but similar enough tones. And that feel.

    I started my five course adventure in the electric world. I was jonesing for a five string electric and got a Fender FM60E SB. And I do love playing it, But getting the sound and feeling of the bottom string right has been a challenge. I am sure once I get the string gauge right it will be great, but that is what moved me in the fan fret direction when I wanted five courses in the acoustic world.

    My aha moment was meeting Allen Hopkins at a festival and noodling with his Lehmann fan fret 10 string. I was intimidated by expected problems with fingering, but to my surprise it was easy to get used to and actually felt good.
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  23. #45
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    Default Re: Affordable 10 string mandolin/mandola?

    No one in the U.S. makes a low-priced 10-string. Tom Buchanan in England makes a good one for less than $1500. I have three, and the third one is really good. It records well and is popular for folk dances.
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