Re: Octofone Questions
I string my Octofone as an octave mandolin, GDAE with the G an D courses in octaves. The "Octo" in "Octofone" was supposed to indicate that it could be tuned like eight different instruments, as bingoccc says: here's a quote from the Wikipedia article:
The name "Octophone" came from the idea that the instrument could take on the "tone combinations" of eight instruments, the tenor guitar, tenor banjo, ukulele, taro patch, tiple, mandolin, mandola and mandocello. Changing from one instrument to another was a matter of changing the tuning. The instrument came with an instruction book that told owners "how to use, how to tune and how to play" the instrument.
Now, this is obviously hype: the string gauge variances that would have to be incorporated to tune the same instrument as a mandolin and a mandocello, are totally unrealistic. And as bingoccc points out -- and as I found out -- the Octofone is one of the most lightly built instruments I've ever owned; one needs to be careful in stringing and tuning it. The suggested tuning you found is an octave-lower variant of a common ukulele tuning, one step higher than the common GCEA uke tuning, whether it's "re-entrant" (high G string) tuning or not.
If your instrument has a sunburst finish and perhaps some binding around the top, it's probably a more "deluxe" model. Seems clear that Regal started selling them around 1928, but I can't find a source for when they discontinued making them. Pretty sure it was before WWII, sometime during the Depression I'd guess.
Enjoy yours; I've had a lot of fun with mine. I did spend fairly significant buxx to get a carbon fiber reinforcing bar installed in the neck, under a new ebony fingerboard. My neck warped even with low string tension. It's a fragile creature, but capable of some good music.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
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