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Thread: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

  1. #1
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    Default Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    My two new 10 string mandolas, made by Michael Dubova, a luthier who lives near Charlottesville, Virginia. I'll be picking them up in a couple weeks, try them out in my swing band, then eventually sell one and keep the other. Tuned CGDAE, these are like a combination of a mandolin and a mandola in one instrument. Which sounds best to you? The f-hole model is Sitka spruce. The other one is Engelmann. The one piece backs of curly maple are from the same log, adjacent slices, that Michael cut and split. He's on Facebook if you'd like him to make one for you. http://youtu.be/d7-6S95rZBU

  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    Loos like he mainly sells them on Etsy.
    Jim

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    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    Not bad. I'd like to know the scale length and string diameters.
    Bill
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    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    He's a young builder and player. His wife's a lawyer and guitar player. He takes care of the kid and builds mandolins. Yes, he sells some things on Etsy, but mostly word of mouth in Virginia. These are his first mandolas. He used Roger Siminoff's plans and thicknesses for a mandola. His prices are very reasonable, and a lot of his mandolins have very good tone. He likes to use local woods where he can. These mandolas have a 16" scale. I only use flatwound strings, and I provided him with normal gauge flatwound strings for electric Mandola from eMando: .048, .035, .022, .014, and I provided some .010 E bulk strings from JustStrings. Sometimes I use .009. Some of the .010s break, but with care, I succeed. Those are the strings he is using in the video.

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  6. #5
    I may be old but I'm ugly billhay4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    Thanks, BlueMountain. I wish him success in his building. He's off to a good start. He might want to look into a multi-scale fretting pattern. It'll help with string breakage without introducing much complication into the building or playing.
    Bill
    IM(NS)HO

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    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    Do you mean a fan fret pattern? I made one about eight years ago, a five string. It worked well for soloing, but with the fan pattern I used, I found the Jazz chords I used rather difficult. I think there are others that work better. 16" scale works well for a Mandola, and I can put up with breaking a couple E strings that cost less than a dollar each. I think the balance on these mandolas is very smooth.

  8. #7

    Default Re: Two New Michael Dubova 10 String Mandolas

    Hey, BlueMountain! I'm looking at getting a Dubova mandolin made for me. Can you tell me your thoughts on the mandolas you got? This will be my first step-up mandolin from my Kentucky 150.

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