# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > CBOM >  Mandocello Videos

## Bernie Daniel

There are getting to be many fine videos of mandocellos on YouTube.  So here are three I like today:










Maybe others would like to add to this thread?  I think the big boys deserve there own story line?  :Smile: 

BTW can anyone tell me the name of the duet being played in the second video?  Thanks!

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chuck3, 

Greg Stec, 

Phil Vinyard

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## Chuck Ficca

Oops.

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## Greg Stec

> BTW can anyone tell me the name of the duet being played in the second video?  Thanks!


I left that same question on the youtube page.

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## Bernie Daniel

> I left that same question on the youtube page.


Me thinks that I shall try to contact one of those two guys to find out!  :Smile:   By the way here is another great mandocello video!

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## Bernie Daniel

An Eastman this time -- so what is that vintage Gibson mandolin doing over there?  :Smile:

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## Bernie Daniel

Here's a Weber and some very file playing of Bach:

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chuck3

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## Bernie Daniel

Now the same Bach composition on a vintage Gibson:

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## Bernie Daniel

It seems like the two most popular mandocello tunes are the Bach Cello Suite and Whiskey before Breakfast?

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## Bernie Daniel

Awesome but not standard mandocello tuning?

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## chuck3

> It seems like the two most popular mandocello tunes are the Bach Cello Suite and Whiskey before Breakfast?


completely consistent.   :Mandosmiley:

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## Bernie Daniel

> completely consistent.


I guess so -- or did you mean Johoan Sebastian drank a bit!  :Smile:   Here is the Bach again:

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## Bernie Daniel

This one is pretty cool -- a vintage Gibson again playing rock......

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## Bernie Daniel

Vintage Gibson K-1 again -- neat stuff...

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bruce.b, 

Marty Jacobson

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## Bernie Daniel

Another vintage Gibson K-1.....

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## Bernie Daniel

Home made mandocello -- sounds OK!

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## Marcus CA

One weekend when my son (who plays guitar and electric bass) was housesitting for us, he started experimenting with my mandocello and came up with this:

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cayuga red

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## Bernie Daniel

> One weekend when my son (who plays guitar and electric bass) was housesitting for us, he started experimenting with my mandocello and came up with this:


Very nice playing!  I thought I had seen that video and looked on YT and indeed I had commented on it when it back came out!  :Smile: 
I see it's got nearly 30,000 views now - awesome!   Great addition to the collection!

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## Bernie Daniel

This is a really interesting one!!

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## Bernie Daniel

Another Gibson K-1

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## Bernie Daniel

Still another Gibson K-1 mandocello....

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## Bernie Daniel

There certainly are a lot of K-1's "out there" in YouTube land....

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is my 1942 Gibson K-50 mandocello -- made by conversion of an L-50 guitar (J78 strings).  I do think it has a tone very similar to the K-5 that Steve Gilchrist made by converting a Gibson L-12 --see post #1 in this string:

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cayuga red

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is another interesting mandocello -- it has nice tone by seems not to have much sustain?  Maybe it is because the the very short scale (for a mandocello).   But I do like it for fiddle tunes like in this video!  :Smile:

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## Bernie Daniel

Then of course there is this M/M (Marshall on the Monteleone) -- I think he wrote the mandocello part for the performance -- outstanding mandolin as well of course:

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Barry Wilson

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## Bernie Daniel

Another fine sounding 'teens Gibson K-1!

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## Bernie Daniel

A Monzino mandocello in action -- sounding very nice indeed and lovely playing too....

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## Bernie Daniel

A little jazz...

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## Bernie Daniel

Ovation mandocello and a beautiful bit of music -- sounds a bit like Shenandoah?  Maybe it it the tune that gave rise to it? Anyway beautiful...

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## tmsweeney

who knew there was this much mandocello content out there,

anyway - I have to say I think tone wise the Weber in the Bach prelude video to me has the best overall tone, but I like a lot of the Gibsons as well, 
 I am mixed about the Eastman's and guitar conversions.

thanks for fishing these out

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## Bernie Daniel

> who knew there was this much mandocello content out there,
> 
> anyway - I have to say I think tone wise the Weber in the Bach prelude video to me has the best overall tone, but I like a lot of the Gibsons as well, 
>  I am mixed about the Eastman's and guitar conversions.
> 
> thanks for fishing these out


Thanks for the thoughts!  :Smile: 

There at least a few more mandocello videos that I have seen previously and will get to adding them to this collection one of these days.  

As to tone, I think that it is so hard to make comparisons on these YouTube videos -- because of all the compression and also because some are recorded with good equipment and some are  recorded with webcams.  

I also wonder if the oval and round hole mandocellos (with the sustain that most of them have) don't tend to sound a bit better sound when in a solo or duet setting?   Perhaps the, in contrast, the f-hole instruments do better in a orchestral setting where projection is more important?   

Of course, I agree that nearly everything with "Weber" on the headstock is going to sound good. Likewise there is no denying that those old Gibson K-1's, K-2's and K-4's really did set the standard for mandocellos -- at least in this part of the planet.

As to guitar bodied mandocellos?  Well in a real sense the original K-5 was just that -- an L-5 guitar with a mandocello neck and hardware.  I would very much like a chance to play the Gibson K-50 that I made back-to-back with an original K-5 sometime.  I attended the Christmas concert of the Dayton Mandolin Orchestra a few days ago and was impressed at how well the two mandocellos projected -- both were jumbo guitar bodied instruments with f-holes.

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## tmsweeney

I guess I lean more towards oval hole, but have heard some nice f hole as well. I guess I have played some Weber mandolins that I was not crazy about, and have never played any of their mandocellos so who am I to say, but as you know I love my Weber Octave. The few Gibson K's I have played have all been nice, I think they have the best necks, and I prefer those necks over standard guitar neck for 5ths turnings. Alas I would be happy with any mandocello I could get my hands on, just the Ovation for now, but it does the trick. I have played a few Gibson tenor guitars that were sweet.

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## Bernie Daniel

Had to add this one to the collection!!!  :Smile:

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Barry Wilson, 

Marcus CA

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## Barry Wilson

I am liking that Mann. I have learned this year I use my electric stuff way more than my acoustics to gig, so... acoustics at home..

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## Marcus CA

How about the anthem of modern mandocello?

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Steve Lavelle

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## Bernie Daniel

> How about the anthem of modern mandocello?


Definitely!!   And then there is the great "when giant mandolins roamed the earth" classic Mike M video too! Need to dig that one up and get it on here.  There are a bunch of Japanese and European mandocello videos --mostly classical -- that I have seen but need to find again too.

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## Bernie Daniel

Weber Yellowstone -- first of these I have heard with the f-hole configuration -- I think it sounds and looks great!

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Marcus CA

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## tmsweeney

That Weber Yellowstone is fantastic, looks like long scale 26 " ?

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## jdsobol

Someday I will develop the technical capacity to knock out these nice homemade videos. Meanwhile, here is a photo of two rare mandocellos (mandocelli?) fresh out of restoration. On the left hand is a Leland Brilliantone mandocello, Chicago-made, either by Regal or the Larson Brothers, 24" scale, top steeply arched over the braces but not carved, great sounding. I've got it tuned a whole step below an octave mandolin (F-C-G-D) and capo at the second fret to play tunes. The one on the right is an unlabeled piece probably by an Italian immigrant maker, canted top with a good deal of radius in the top and back. The headstock was originally configured for six strings, so we've left it that way, but it's so clearly a mando-family instrument that we've gone with four courses, two single and two double. Right now it's tuned as a 'cello, CGDA.

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## Freddyfingers

Thanks everyone, this is a great collection of things I can not afford!   It shows me how many different ones are out there, and how they all sound different.  The eastman sounds tinny compared to most standard shaped models.

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## Mandomonte

Lots of great stuff. Thought I was doing well on mine but now not so sure. Loving the heck out of mine. Play several hours every day. Can't get enough of that sound,even if I still can't make those big stretches. Thanks for all the videos. I think the 'cello deserves more attention and more sharing o into.

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## Bernie Daniel

Now Chris T. gets into the act!!  On a Gilchrist mandocello no less!

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Barry Wilson, 

GKWilson, 

robert.najlis, 

Steve Lavelle

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is another video with Tim O'Brien playing a mandocello made by Mike Kemnitzer (so is it a nugget mandocello then?) apparently some of the bass strings are tuned in octaves (like a 12-string guitar).  Pat on the back for Mandomonte who found this one!

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## zoukboy

> Here is another video with Tim O'Brien playing a mandocello made by Mike Kemnitzer (so is it a nugget mandocello then?) apparently some of the bass strings are tuned in octaves (like a 12-string guitar).  Pat on the back for Mandomonte who found this one!


It's not a mandocello. Kemnitzer and Tim call it a bouzouki, but most of us would recognize it as a guitar-bodied octave mandolin.

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Dobe, 

Mike Black

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## Bernie Daniel

> It's not a mandocello. Kemnitzer and Tim call it a bouzouki, but most of us would recognize it as a guitar-bodied octave mandolin.


Interesting.  The scale mentioned was 24" though so it might be pretty interesting to know what strings he is using to get GDAE on that scale and have the base strings tuned in octaves yet.  Probably guitar strings?

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## Greg Stec

> I left that same question on the youtube page.



I had to dig to answer my own question.  *St. Anne's Reel.*  There are TONS of versions in print and in youtube.

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## kidgloves2

> Interesting.  The scale mentioned was 24" though so it might be pretty interesting to know what strings he is using to get GDAE on that scale and have the base strings tuned in octaves yet.  Probably guitar strings?


Might be the D'Addario J97 Bouzouki set.

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## zoukboy

> Might be the D'Addario J97 Bouzouki set.


No, that set is for Greek bouzouki (CFAD tuning). I bet he uses the D'Addario octave mandolin set.

http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDe...e-0bbe06c1b18d

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## zoukboy

> Interesting.  The scale mentioned was 24" though so it might be pretty interesting to know what strings he is using to get GDAE on that scale and have the base strings tuned in octaves yet.  Probably guitar strings?


It's been a while since I have seen Tim's Kemnitzer but IIRC it was only the G course that was an octave pair.

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## clobflute

> Awesome but not standard mandocello tuning?


This is a Paul Hathway English mandocello in Irish bouzouki GDAE tuning.

The string courses are far lighter than the mandocello. It can be strung as a mandocello with nut and bridge changeover. Otherwise, its an option which Paul Hathway offers for musicians (like Jethro Tull) who own his superb mandocellos and bouzoukis.

Love his mandocellos. This must be the only English luthier made one linked in these pages  :Wink:

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## Eddie Sheehy

We're blurring the lines here.  Long-scale, small and shallow-bodied bouzoukis won't cut it as Mandocellos, no matter what you do to the bridge and the nut.  Guitar-bodied zouks and OM's are better candidates - specially the Arch-tops.  Eastman started blurring the lines when they made their guitar-bodied Mandocellos and shipped them with lighter strings than the Gibson K family use.  I personally think that using Octave string pairs on a Mandocello takes away from the rumbling low sounds that one expects from these monsters.  Not that I'm a purist, but if it's tuned GDAE or GDAD let's stick with OM or Bouzouki nomenclature.

I have a Rozawood OM-5 (guitar-bodied OM with a 25" scale length - so more zouk than OM even - and I tune it GDAD and play it like a zouk).  The maker - Roman Zajicec - has designed it as 'swappable' between an OM and a MC (recut the nut and saddle).  It certainly has the size and robustness (yes, it will take .074 C strings) for the job.  I have a Russel MC with an induced arch on top, it is a big body and DEEP and really puts out the MC growl -  it's a 26" Scale so the stretches are tough, but I wouldn't dream of stringing it as an OM or Zouk - I don't think light strings would drive the top.

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## clobflute

Hathway offers the lighter unison course strung GDAE irish bouzouki tuned mandocello is the same scale, same body dimensions as his thicker guage CGDA mandocellos.  

For some reason, some folk artists in the UK prefer the bouzouki tuning on his mandocellos (guess that blurs the line!) Side by side, there is no difference between the two variants, and his bouzouki tuned mandocello body is designed to take the thicker guage mandocello strings with the nut and bridge adjustments which he offers. For that reason, I guess it is not a true irish  bouzouki, but then again, the irish don't seem to know what a true bouzouki is. Its all greek to them  :Smile: 

I found the vibrancy and clarity of the mandocello CGDA mandolin far more penetrating and rounded compared to the GDAE bouzouki like lower (deeper) tuning which sounded more lithe and energetic (like the Hathway video).  That model is a MC3 - you can tell by the headstock design. The strings of the CGDA courses are however very very thick! Its like playing on bass guitar strings :/  

This makes the bouzouki strung GDAE on a mandocello quite attractive actually...




> We're blurring the lines here.  Long-scale, small and shallow-bodied bouzoukis won't cut it as Mandocellos, no matter what you do to the bridge and the nut.  Guitar-bodied zouks and OM's are better candidates - specially the Arch-tops.  Eastman started blurring the lines when they made their guitar-bodied Mandocellos and shipped them with lighter strings than the Gibson K family use.  I personally think that using Octave string pairs on a Mandocello takes away from the rumbling low sounds that one expects from these monsters.  Not that I'm a purist, but if it's tuned GDAE or GDAD let's stick with OM or Bouzouki nomenclature.
> 
> I have a Rozawood OM-5 (guitar-bodied OM with a 25" scale length - so more zouk than OM even - and I tune it GDAD and play it like a zouk).  The maker - Roman Zajicec - has designed it as 'swappable' between an OM and a MC (recut the nut and saddle).  It certainly has the size and robustness (yes, it will take .074 C strings) for the job.  I have a Russel MC with an induced arch on top, it is a big body and DEEP and really puts out the MC growl -  it's a 26" Scale so the stretches are tough, but I wouldn't dream of stringing it as an OM or Zouk - I don't think light strings would drive the top.

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## Eddie Sheehy

Save yourself a lot of confusion.  The sound you like, and therefore want, is an Irish Bouzouki.  Getting a Mandocello and adjusting it to sound like an Irish Bouzouki is redundant when you can just get an Irish Bouzouki (you can actually call it anything you want then since names are meaningless).  If it's the headstock cap-hanger you like then a Foley, Manson, or Abnett has the same appendage - all Irish Zouks even though two of the builders are English. 
Fylde also has a full range of Zouks, OM's, Citterns (10-string), I'm not sure if they make an MC but you could always change out the nut and saddle, put on MC strings, and see if the top holds out...   The main difference in the Irish Zouk/OM and the Mandocello are Top Thickness, Body size (width and depth) and string gauges.  Heavier gauge Mandocello strings required to "drive" the thicker more robust top.

The terminology has developed over the years and about now this is what I understand - though I have seen contradictions:
Mandolin:  Scale Length about 14" or less, GDAE
Mandola:   Scale Length 15" - 19",  CGDA (a fifth below a mandolin)
Octave Mandolin:  Scale Length 20" - 23", GDAE (an octave below a mandolin, a fifth below a Mandola)
Irish Bouzouki: Scale Length 24" - 26", GDAD (bass strings can be in octaves), same tuning as OM with a dropped D.  
Mandocello: Scale Length 23" - 26", CGDA (hawser-like bass strings), a fifth below an OM, an Octave below a Mandola.
Cittern: - any 10-string variation of the above.  Can run from a Mandocello to OM, or an OM to Baritone Mandola (GDAEB) or dropped tuning variations thereof.

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## Mike Anderson

> If it's the headstock cap-hanger you like then a Foley, Manson, or Abnett has the same appendage - all Irish Zouks even though two of the builders are English.


Eddie, can you tell me something about Manson? Don't know the builder. And yeah, I do like those cap-hangers myself.  :Smile:

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## clobflute

> Save yourself a lot of confusion.  The sound you like, and therefore want, is an Irish Bouzouki.  Getting a Mandocello and adjusting it to sound like an Irish Bouzouki is redundant when you can just get an Irish Bouzouki


Yes i think so - Jethro Tull have the bouzouki version of the Hathway, not the GDAE strung mandocello (i think he uses GDGD tuning sometimes).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpco...e_gdata_player.

Here's Rivière playing on a true Irish bouzouki.  I can't tell the sound difference between this and a GDAE strung mandocello. But it seems that the GDAE strung version lends itself to chord playing whereas the thicker guage mandocello CGDA might be more apt for classical non-chord playing?




I notice in some of the mandocello videos, the player can struggle holding down the bass C string without buzzing. I like challenging instruments...

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## Eddie Sheehy

> Eddie, can you tell me something about Manson? Don't know the builder. And yeah, I do like those cap-hangers myself.


Andy Manson, although probably better known for his multi-neck creations for Led Zepplin...

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Mike Anderson

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## Eddie Sheehy

Irish Zouks tend to be flat-top, no break angle (neck to body), low bridges - this combination gives little downward pressure on the top.  Octave pairs on the lower course - give that classic jangly sound.  Lends itself to chordal backup and counterpoint with the dropped D high pair.
OM's and Mandocellos have higher bridges and a break angle, more downward pressure on the top - specially in a mandocello's case, unison strings - and for an MC steel hawsers for the C course to drive the thicker top.

MC's more suited to Bass-Clef note playing.  OM's are a nice mid-range instrument used for melody, harmony, and vocal backup.

Of course, as you have seen, these can all be mixed and matched and hybridized...

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## clobflute

'thanks  Eddie.

I notice Hathway offers spruce or redwood cedar mandocello tops.  The cedar seemed warmer to my ears. When I asked, he mentioned the lower frequency response of the mandocello string with cedar just sounded better sometimes, so both options are available. 

I think the purist CGDA mandocello is calling  :Smile:

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## Eddie Sheehy

Joe Foley uses Cedar tops on a lot of his zouks.  His personal zouk has a Cedar top.

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## nkforster

Sorry folks for posting my own video, but I was feeling a bit left out....!


http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YN16lL5lDE4

Does anyone know how to embed the video? I couldn't.

Nigel
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/inst...itar-bouzouki/

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## zoukboy

> ...Irish bouzouki GDAE tuning.


No such thing. Irish bouzoukis are tuned GDAD or ADAD (sometimes). If you have one you _could_ put it in Octave Mandolin tuning GDAE, but why would you? ;-)

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## clobflute

> No such thing. Irish bouzoukis are tuned GDAD or ADAD (sometimes). If you have one you _could_ put it in Octave Mandolin tuning GDAE, but why would you? ;-)



Hi,

You might not be aware of it - here it is:

www.paulhathway.com/mandocello

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## zoukboy

> Hi,
> 
> You might not be aware of it - here it is:
> 
> www.paulhathway.com/mandocello


I am well aware of it, but with all due respect to Mr. Hathaway, listing it as such does not make it an Irish bouzouki tuning.

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## clobflute

Errr..okk..here's what he says on his website:

"Additions to the range of instruments I make that are listed in this website are mandolins with a larger body size than my standard mandolin, and a tenor mandola with a longer string length of 460mm, instead of the more usual 410mm. I am also making a cittern with a shorter string length and a smaller body than the conventional cittern. Another addition are tenor guitars with spruce or mahogany tops. I also make an 8 string version of the tenor guitar that can be tuned like a bouzouki. I have also introduced an appalachian dulcimer with two fingerboards, and a baglama, sometimes called an octave saz"

I've played with his GDAE strung mandocello which he describes as like bouzouki tuning in person, and he's explained it as being strung like a bouzouki.

But its okay...I want a mandocello :D

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## Dobe

O.K I got one, this was one of the better conversions I've done; from a Mardeira, (Guilds Sigma if you will) Ply w/ solid top jumbo. Nice thing about this one is I narrowed the neck width as well. Plays much nicer.

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Bernie Daniel, 

Marcus CA, 

sgrexa

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## Bernie Daniel

Very nice Dobe that is a awesome box and thanks for bringing the topic back to mandocello VIDEOS!!   :Smile:

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## Eddie Sheehy

> No such thing. Irish bouzoukis are tuned GDAD or ADAD (sometimes). If you have one you _could_ put it in Octave Mandolin tuning GDAE, but why would you? ;-)


Joe Foley - Irish Bouzouki Luthier - tunes his personal zouk ADAE...

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## Eddie Sheehy

Dobe, what gauge strings do you use on that monster?

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## zoukboy

> Joe Foley - Irish Bouzouki Luthier - tunes his personal zouk ADAE...


Yeah, and Gerry McKee from Nomos tunes GDAE. But Eddie, you and I both know that the vast majority use GDAD. An exception like Joe or Gerry doesn't change that, neither does what one luthier writes on his website. :-)

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## Marcus CA

Here is a little bit of bluegrass mandocello that I did a couple of years ago:

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Bernie Daniel, 

Eddie Sheehy, 

GKWilson

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## Dobe

> Dobe, what gauge strings do you use on that monster?


I think I mentioned it in the vid but the D'Adarrios basically, like a 74 on the bottom ?
Really is a monster isn't she ?!

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## Eddie Sheehy

I skipped the talkin' part and got straight to the music...

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## Bernie Daniel

> Here is a little bit of bluegrass mandocello that I did a couple of years ago:


That was great!  Bill Monroe would have loved the bluesy feeling!

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Marcus CA

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## NotMelloCello

> Here is a little bit of bluegrass mandocello that I did a couple of years ago:


I hope you've changed the strings since that video was made.

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## Eddie Sheehy

> Here is a little bit of bluegrass mandocello that I did a couple of years ago:


Cool pickin', Marcus...

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Marcus CA

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## clobflute

Wow - you make it look so easy to play.    

The action of the mandocello has to be much higher than a mandolin I guess - and then the heavier guage strings to drive the bass ...to stop the wolf notes, it must take a good year to learn just to fret like this? 

Way cool  :Smile: 

I found this one of Mike on his gorgeous mandocello accompanied by Chris: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BULzFcyp1a0

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## Bernie Daniel

Monster mandocello --converted from a bass guitar -- so 26" or 27" scale?  Get me a capo!

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## NotMelloCello

Every mandocello video you'd ever want to watch (plus a bunch you don't).

http://www.yourepeat.com/g/Mandocello

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## Mandomonte

Bernie , you are way ahead of me on finding these videos, but I am always amazed at what can be found on YouTube. I found a couple today Dominique Riviere on what is termed an Irish  Mandocello Bouzouki. One has some 're lily nice views of the neck and fingering. I keep going back to  the one of Tim May and another guy on two vintage Gibson's doing " Whiskey Before Breakfast" Still too limited to post from YouTube to here.

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## Bernie Daniel

> Bernie , you are way ahead of me on finding these videos, but I am always amazed at what can be found on YouTube. I found a couple today Dominique Riviere on what is termed an Irish  Mandocello Bouzouki. One has some 're lily nice views of the neck and fingering. I keep going back to  the one of Tim May and another guy on two vintage Gibson's doing " Whiskey Before Breakfast" Still too limited to post from YouTube to here.


Hey yeah that's a good one I forgot all about that one.  I'm like you I've probably watched it a dozen times.   The other guy with Tim is David Harvey, the current head man for Gibson mandolin production -- its an awesome video -- it's medieval man!  Tim sold that whole collection of instruments to a museum I heard.  Here it is...

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## Bernie Daniel

Not sure I have ever heard of Irish bouzouki mandocello before but sounds good. Good find!

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## Bernie Daniel

Then of course....

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Marcus CA

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## Mandomonte

What is the song Dom'is playing ? Sounds kinda like The Foggy Foggy Dew .

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## chuck3

> Monster mandocello --converted from a bass guitar -- so 26" or 27" scale?  Get me a capo!


bass player here - if it was converted from a bass guitar, no way the scale is that short.  Normal scale on a bass guitar is 34".  Short scale is 32" and you find an occasional 30".  Five strings are often 35" (I've got one).

I have a converted bass guitar into baritone guitar that sounds similar to this without the double courses.  I'm guessing 32" on the one in the video.

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## chuck3

> Then of course....


wow ... just wow ... on that one!

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## Bernie Daniel

> bass player here - if it was converted from a bass guitar, no way the scale is that short.  Normal scale on a bass guitar is 34".  Short scale is 32" and you find an occasional 30".  Five strings are often 35" (I've got one).
> 
> I have a converted bass guitar into baritone guitar that sounds similar to this without the double courses.  I'm guessing 32" on the one in the video.


Wow I can imagine how that would be to play. I would think the person would be pretty limited on actual chords you could play. Mostly just stick with double stops?

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is a Nava mandocello with the luthier, Gary Nava describing it!

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## tmsweeney

Here's cafe member Jazz Mandolin on his sweet Gibson

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## NotMelloCello

Very sweet tone.
Does he know any songs where he uses the C strings?

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## tmsweeney

Yes-There is this other one

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## NotMelloCello

Yeah - better!

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## Gerry Cassidy

I am surprised this one hasn't shown up, or has it and I didn't see it? I have been known to do stuff like that! Regardless, it's worth watching once, twice, a hundred times!  :Smile:

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## Bernie Daniel

> Yes-There is this other one


Very nice stuff -- sweet is a good description.

Those old Gibsons were sweet when played like that and they were also useful for Celtic music.  I have come to like the sound of the K-5 style cello better overall.  But big part of the difference between say a K-4 and a K-5 is the type of sound hole I think.

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## Bernie Daniel

> I am surprised this one hasn't shown up, or has it and I didn't see it? I have been known to do stuff like that! Regardless, it's worth watching once, twice, a hundred times!


Hard to watch that one too many times!!  It is good to remember that once giant mandolin roamed the earth and that mandocellos are "twice as cool as cellos".

Listening to it again just now I am thinking that Monteleone sounds sweet and mellow and reminds me of a Gibson K-1 or K-4 and not much like a K-5 which rumbles more IMO.  One other difference is of course that the sound cavity on a K-5 is much larger than a K-4.

Which also reminds me ....each time I have seen that mandocello of Marshall's I get the impression it is significantly larger than a Gibson K-4?  Certainly the sound box is deeper.  Wonder if that is really the case or just my imagination?

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is another cool Irish mandocello bouzouki -- great sound.   Whatever tuning it is in really works well for Celtic.  Don't know too much about this but it appears to be a standard bouzouki on a longer scale and lower register?  Almost seems like a open tuning of some kind?




Edit:  turns out this is another video by Dominique Rivière who was shown in post #80  :Smile:

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## Gerry Cassidy

> Hard to watch that one too many times!!  It is good to remember that once giant mandolin roamed the earth and that mandocellos are "twice as cool as cellos".


*LOL!!!* So typical of his personality. It rounds off my impression of him and his playing. Definitely one of my favorites from the list of those in the Mutual Appreciation Society. They all are monster players, but not all of them have such a laid-back and whimsical approach to life. Which I find very appealing. 





> Which also reminds me ....each time I have seen that mandocello of Marshall's I get the impression it is significantly larger than a Gibson K-4?  Certainly the sound box is deeper.  Wonder if that is really the case or just my imagination?


I would have to agree that it appears larger than most. I had the pleasure of hearing it live and it really does have an amazing presence. Full-chested mids and bottom end.

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## Marc Woodward

Do OM's count?!

Couple of vids from my Youtube page if anyone's interested!







Cheers all!

Marc

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Barry Wilson, 

clobflute, 

Mandomonte, 

Marcus CA

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## Eddie Sheehy

Marc, I'd listen to you playing baling wire on a 2x4...

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## Marc Woodward

Lol! What - you mean a b***j*??  :Wink: 

Thanks though!

Cheers
Marc

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## Mandomonte

Marc, great stuff. Playing & vocals. You have given me a lift. Keep 'Em coming. YES, OM s do count. Next on my wish list.

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## Michael Wolf

Simon Mayor, "Aye La Le Lo" on a Mandocello by Mike Vanden.

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Bernie Daniel, 

tmsweeney

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## Holger

Hi jdsobol, 

the left one of your MC´s is a "Stahl"-Mandocello, made by Larson. I also have one. Great sounding, you are right.

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## tmsweeney

One of the coolest things I've heard in a while.

Hats off!

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## Bernie Daniel

Cool mandocello video for sure.  Two questions is that a Monteleone and do you think Mayor is in standard tuning?

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## NotMelloCello

> Two questions is that a Monteleone?


Yes.

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## Michael Wolf

> Cool mandocello video for sure.  Two questions is that a Monteleone and do you think Mayor is in standard tuning?


The mandocello is made by Mike Vanden of Scotland. Simon Mayor surely plays it in fifth tuning.

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## Eddie Sheehy

> Yes.


@Nutello, No.

@Bernie, Yes, standard tuning (CGDA)...

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## Bernie Daniel

> The mandocello is made by Mike Vanden of Scotland. Simon Mayor surely plays it in fifth tuning.



Thanks!  Well it is certainly a monster mcello -- sure be interesting to get the specs on that giant mandolin that is roaming the earth as we speak.

Thanks for the replies on standard tuning -- he is doing some very clever things with drones I guess.

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## JeffD

Another Bach Cello Suite. This on a Kerman, played by Avi Avital. Oh my is this beautiful.

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## Jim Garber

I believe that that Kerman instrument is a mandola (prob tuned GDAE), not a mandocello.

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## JeffD

Is it? You know I wasn't sure. I was prejudiced by his playing a cello suite.  :Smile:  You may be right.


Well hmmm, its seems kind of big for a mandola.

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## Jim Garber

More info on *this page* where it says he is playing a mandola.

I was wrong. He says in this video (the followup to the one you posted, Jeff) that it is the same range as the viola. Kerman might just make them with a longer scale than, say, the std Gibson mandola scale.

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## Bernie Daniel

Its been a while since I have looked on YT for mandocello videos -- there are a few so might as well bring this thread back.  Here is a totally awesome new mandocello.

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## Bernie Daniel

Another pretty cool option:

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Rob Zamites

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## Bernie Daniel

What the heck is going in on with Firefox or YouTube?   I posted the same video twice -- but I copied the URL from a different mandocello video -- shouldn't happen.

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## Bernie Daniel

Here is the other video.....

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## Rob Zamites

> Here is the other video.....


I've actually bought the 'Renaissance Guitar' kit from them, but having them give me 8 strings, an 8 pin bridge and 8 holes drilled in the headstock. My first build! Soon!

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## Bernie Daniel

Need to look into those a bit. I'm building an IV kit now just for the experience --especially carving a top and back.  But that little mandolin kit they sell might make a nice grand daughter gift.

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## Bernie Daniel

This is some great playing!

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Rob Zamites

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## Bernie Daniel

Another one so I thought I would bump this string.  This is another use for the mandocello.  But is this one tuned CGDA?  Can't tell for sure...

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## NotMelloCello

> What the heck is going in on with Firefox or YouTube?   I posted the same video twice -- but I copied the URL from a different mandocello video -- shouldn't happen.



The same videos have been reposted by different users....

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## Bernie Daniel

> The same videos have been reposted by different users....



Makes sense that could happen but I'm not sure that happened in this case -- but since it was 6 months ago it is out of my memory now! LOL!

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## Martin Jonas

Can't remember seeing this video before: a Metallica cover on bowlback mandocello played by Kzo Ishibashi.



Martin

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## KevinThomas

> This is a really interesting one!!


WOW! Big sound! Can't imagine that it's easy to do chording on that but I'd be happy to just play one/two note lines with that huge tone and octave strings.

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