Octar

[Bob Wiegers]

dang that looks cool. anyone play one yet?

http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pub...ns_00672.shtml

"The Octar synthesizes the percussiveness of the carved-top f-hole guitar with the haunting drone of the octave mandolin. The scale length options offer maximum playability for multiple venues, from the stage to the recording studio."

Hmmm. It's an octave with a guitar body, which should emphasize lower harmonic partials.

Has anyone played one yet? I'd be curious to know what they thought.

[groveland]

Hate to be so mundane, but I'm just wondering about the price. Anybody know what the list is on one of these?

[Domhnall]

Damn that looks nice, I can't find it one the Weber site yet. I too wonder about the list price.

[Yellowmandolin]

I think it said it was a custom order only kind of deal, so it may not have a list price... Looks pretty cool nonetheless.

[foldedpath]

Greg Boyd has the more basic trim Gallatin version in stock for $3005, so that should give some idea of what the other versions would be:

http://gregboyd.com/instrument_detai...rument_key=300

I was a little tempted, but I think I want an oval hole, traditional A or Celtic-type body if/when I get an octave mandolin. With a body like that, people would think I'd know how to play jazz, or something. I'd love to hear what this sounds like though.

[otterly2k]

While I"m always glad for more CBOM options out there... I have to say that the guitar shaped OM (or GOM as it's often referred to around here) isn't a new concept... several builders have been making these for a good while and make them well. #It seems like this one is a prototype...When there are a few of these out there in the world, I"d love to hear/read a report by someone with experience... and some comparison to some of the existing GOM's. #

Re: price... I'd expect the list price to be pretty high. If you look at STE's website... they have archtop guitars that start with the Gallatin and go up from there by $800-1k list price. Essentially, it seems these Octars are their archtops with an Octave Mandolin neck... I wonder if they're braced any differently. But if that Gallatin Octar is $3005 (retail)... that's the bottom of the line, and up the prices go from there.

[Rick Banuelos]

Damn that looks nice, I can't find it one the Weber site yet. I too wonder about the list price.

The Octar is offered as a standard option for any of our carved top guitars; here are the list prices for each:

Gallatin: 3339
Bitterroot: 4169
Yellowstone: 5839
Bridger: 6669
Big Sky (pictured): 7499
Fern: 9000

I have to say that the guitar shaped OM (or GOM as it's often referred to around here) isn't a new concept... several builders have been making these for a good while and make them well. It seems like this one is a prototype...When there are a few of these out there in the world, I"d love to hear/read a report by someone with experience... and some comparison to some of the existing GOM's.

We've actually been making them for awhile, too (a couple years); the formal introduction is just to make sure everyone knows about it. This instrument is definitely not a prototype, and it is braced differently than the carved-top guitars.

[mando.player]

Beautiful instrument. Please rename it...really.

[steve V. johnson]

Yeah, I'd second the name change plea.

OK, Rick, so it's the same size(s) as your archtop guitars, but with different bracing and set up for four unison pairs. Do I have that right?

The tailpiece is really lovely. Does it accomodate both ball-end and loop-end strings?

Thanks,

stv

[groveland]

Now that we're voting, a new name would be beneficial, I think!

[mando.player]

I wasn't sure how my reply would be met. My initial thought was that if someone is going to drop $3000 on an instrument they are going to know it's an octave mandolin with a guitar body No need for a clever name. It brings to mind banjitar, banjola, etc. Visually speaking all I can see is one of those awful 6 string mandolins tuned like a guitar.

This is a fine instrument in its own right and it deserves a proper name like the rest of Weber's instruments.

[steve V. johnson]

mando.' sez, "My initial thought was that if someone is going to drop $3000 on an instrument they are going to know it's an octave mandolin with a guitar body..."

Well, yeah... it's not much weirder than explaining a two-point bouzouki to folks. #I'm sure I'd say something like "It's a Weber. #Isn't it great?!" ##

And I'm not going into Weber prices. #I've already done that elsewhere and that was quite enough of that.

But I'm quite certain that, at whatever price, the word "octar" would not pass my lips. ##

stv

[entau]

I think Bill Bussman has already been doing this for a while - at a much more reasonable price too - I believe.
I think I remember a post of him making one for Sharon Gilchrist a few years back - and the GOM blonde in a recent post is another ( beautiful) example.

I believe other builders have created this style OM/Mandocello as well.- Roger Bacorn I think has one in the eye candy section.

Looks nice - but 8K for the high end ?
and the name octar - really doesn't do much for me.

[Rick Banuelos]

and the name octar - really doesn't do much for me.

The real name of each of these instruments would be such as 'Gallatin Octave mandolin- Guitar-style body'. Thusly, the real name of each instrument corresponds to its features: Gallatin, Bitterroot, Yellowstone, Bridger, Big Sky, Fern. I guess I should have been more clear that the 'Octar' tag is a simple way to determine a feature on one of our CT guitars. I basically put it in place so that nobody would order a Gallatin Octave Mandolin, and end up with an f-style when they really wanted the Octave Guitar.

Man, I need some more coffee.

[allenhopkins]

Eastman mandocellos are on their arch-top f-hole guitar bodies, with modified bracing. Lloyd Loar's K-5's were on guitar bodies, as well.

[steve V. johnson]

Entau tells us, "I think Bill Bussman has already been doing this for a while - ..."

So has Phil Crump. #Buncha folks, I think. #GOMs are pretty well documented here in CBOM over time.

Hey Rick, now I feel lots better, thanks! #Have a nice cuppa joe on us. # #



Thanks!

stv

[otterly2k]

[/QUOTE]We've actually been making them for awhile, too (a couple years); the formal introduction is just to make sure everyone knows about it. This instrument is definitely not a prototype, and it is braced differently than the carved-top guitars. [QUOTE]

Thanks for the clarification, Rick.
I'd echo Stv's question re: the tailpiece... does it take loop end and ball end, or just one or the other??

They sure are pretty, although I do find the price tag daunting...would love to put hands and ears to one sometime.