# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > CBOM >  Show your cboms!

## zoukie

Hey, there's a thread on the mandolin board where folks show off their mandolins so why not show off our bouzoukis, mandolas, octave mandolins and citterns???

Here's mine:
 
 
 

It is huge and it has a great big sound with good bass and a nicely balanced sound. It has a little injury beside the sound hole, and I unfortunately created another one yesterday when I accidentally dropped a CD case on it..  but is otherwise in great shape. I got a very good deal on it, also including a free lesson and a CD rom.. :Smile:  

So tell us about your instruments!!

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## Eddie Sheehy

Here's mine:

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## Eddie Sheehy

And....

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## Eddie Sheehy

And a little blurb about the previous two...
The Bouzouki, a Johnson MA-500, is about 5 years old. I love this instrument. It plays beautifully and is luxuriously appointed with MOP/Abalone. I believe the newer ones are now made in China so I can't vouch for them, but this Korean one - abalone fleur-de-lis on headstock - is a fine instrument. It is the most-played one in my modest collection.
The Octave Mandolin, a Trinity College, is a recent acquisition. I don't know where it was made - it has a Celtic design (not a cross) on the headstock. It plays nicely and it has no defects, other than a missing tailpiece cover.

I am currently trying to get the cash together for a used Bouzouki in the $2,000 price range.

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## catmandu2

I just got this custom Paul Doyle last week. Paul calls it a "festooned" cittern.

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## clarksavage

Fun to see these instruments. Here's my Sobell 4 course cittern (or long scale bouzouki, I suppose!) and on the right is the Darnton Octave Mandolin. 

Clark

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## Bertram Henze

You are welcome to have a look at my profile for my Fylde. It is only 21" scale, and people are bugging me to get a zouk (I had a mail in my spam box the other week headed "Impress women with the size of your instrument"), but I am going to stick with it.

Bertram

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## Michael Wolf

Here are my two Tönjes:

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## Michael Wolf

A better one of the Cittern (without pickguard):

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## Michael Wolf

back:

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## Michael Wolf

bridge:

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## Bob Wiegers

wow Michael! that's a wonderful instrument. do you mind me asking how much I'd have to save to get one like it?

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## a12

How do you post a picture?
I'm a little challenged.

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## Michael Wolf

Bob,

this one is from 2002. I'm the second owner, but I know the instrument from new. At that time it was about 1600 to 1700 Euro as far as I remember. The case was extra. Don't know what it would be today. But you may ask the builder himself: Kai Tönjes .

Bill,
if you press the button "add reply" on the right side below the message field, you come to the reply form. On the bottom of this there's a search function, so you can go to the picture on your computer and apply it to your message. Hope this makes sense.

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## a12

I don't see the search function, only file attachments.

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## Eddie Sheehy

It's the BROWSE button.....

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## Michael Wolf

ah yes, it's called "browse". On my computer this is written in German and I didn't know the right word.

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## steve V. johnson

Lots of unique stuff, here! Woo, thanks!

Also note that Clark's Sobell has a very rare feature, a guitar-style pin bridge!  Cool!

stv

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## a12

yes, the browse button, but somehow I can only attach files
rather than posting directly a picture.
That's where I'm stumped.
After I select a file, then what?

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## JEStanek

Bill,
Take look at the following linked page. It's very good. May be best to open in another tab or window so you can refer to it as you post on the Café.

Here is Germain Mesureur's tutorial on posting a picture.

Jamie

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## Michael Wolf

I've just found old pics of a Bouzouki I once owned and thought it would fit in here. It's a "Stevens", made in Munich. It's their "Andy Irvine Model". In fact they have designed it together with Andy. It was a fantastic instrument. But after playing it a few years I found out that the sound that the pin brigde construction is generating wasn't my thing anymore. I wanted the tone of the floating bridge, that reminds me more on that greek bouzouki tone.

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## Michael Wolf

side

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## Michael Wolf

other side

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## Michael Wolf

back

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## danb

> I just got this custom Paul Doyle last week. Paul calls it a "festooned" cittern.


The body shape is clearly modelled after an Epiphone Recording Tenor Guitar (Image from Banana's site)

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## zoukie

It's so much fun to see everyone's instruments!! Michael, your cittern is absolutely gorgeous!! What a beauty!! Does it sound as good as it looks?  
I forgot to say that my baby is a Joe Foley bouzouk built in 1984 in Dublin. A huge thing but has a wonderful sound and I'm very satisfied with it. I think I'm the second user.

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## catmandu2

That's wild, Dan--thanks for the photo. I've never seen one of those.

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## PseudoCelt

Paul Hathway mandola

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## PseudoCelt

Fylde long-scale archtop bouzouki

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## Steve Baker

McDonald Type 3 bouzouki/octave/GOM.

(Psst! It's right there in the corner. (:-&gt :Wink:  )

Steve

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## Michael Wolf

Very nice instruments. How do you tune the Hathway mandola PseudoCelt? 
I really like the Foley zoukie. It looks ancient to me.
And yes, the Tönjes cittern sounds superb. It has more of a mandolin Tone. It has a relative thin body compared to the bouzouki. The bouzouki is great. I play it much more than the cittern. It seems that I like four courses better than five. I like the slimmer neck, the better overview and it sounds fantastic over the whole range. Five courses are clearly the bigger compromise soundwise than the four course. You have to go to the limit with string gauges, especially on the high A.

Here is my other CBOM, that I play very much:

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## Michael Wolf

It's a Chanticleer made in Norwich.

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## PseudoCelt

> How do you tune the Hathway mandola PseudoCelt?


I've mostly been using it to play around with open tunings. At the moment, it's tuned GDGD (mandolin pitch) with a combination of mandola and mandolin strings, so I can get AEAE with a capo on the second fret. The scale length is 16.5".

Patrick

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## Rick C.

Recent action photo:



Nothing fancy, but it suits me. #Andy Irvine tells me the strings I use are too heavy (I agree), but I have yet to find someone who can set it up the way I want it. #I had a Fishman Natural 1 put in it a couple of years ago, and I like it much better than I thought I would. #


 # # # # # # # # #Rick

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## steve V. johnson

Rick C, 

Isn't that a Fylde Octavius? I had one of those and loved it! Had it for maybe four years. Very cool. I never had a pickup in mine...

I like those Fylde archtops, too! Mmboy.  Our Culchies fiddler, TJ Hull, just got a Fylde Touchstone OM. Fyldes are nice. 

Michael, that reso' is a tenor tuned GDAE? Sweeet.

Thanks,

stv

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## rclepper

Here's a "family portrait" I posted a while ago:

http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....ortrait

The MacDonald has since found a new home. I may be ready to part with the Forster and the Tobin later this year (I'm having a new custom instrument built for me by J. Thomas Davis and I'll need the funds...), so if anyone thinks they might be interested, let me know.

Randy

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## Rick C.

> Rick C, 
> 
> Isn't that a Fylde Octavius? #I had one of those and loved it! #Had it for maybe four years. #Very cool. #I never had a pickup in mine...
> 
> I like those Fylde archtops, too! #Mmboy. # Our Culchies fiddler, TJ Hull, just got a Fylde Touchstone OM. #Fyldes are nice. 
> 
> Michael, that reso' is a tenor tuned GDAE? #Sweeet.
> 
> Thanks,
> ...


Sure is, Steve. One of the first things I did when I got it was have the nut filed to have the strings in unison. It's not loud enough to be a session weapon (that's where the National mando comes in!), but it's a great performance instrument. Or small sessions...


       Rick

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## Rick C.

> Originally Posted by  (catmandu2 @ Feb. 11 2008, 01:50)
> 
> I just got this custom Paul Doyle last week. #Paul calls it a "festooned" cittern.
> 
> 
> The body shape is clearly modelled after an Epiphone Recording Tenor Guitar (Image from Banana's site)


Holy smokes, Dan! A tenor with a pompadour!

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## lucho

I have written some unedited stuff in my bad English with photos on my citterns....

Hispanic citterns in the Americas http://festivalpo.blogspot.com/2006....as.html
my CBOMs
http://festivalpo.blogspot.com/2008/...kis-et-al.html

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## Michael Wolf

> Michael, that reso' is a tenor tuned GDAE? Sweeet.


sliabhstv,

yes, it's tuned GDAE most of the time. For slide playing I use GDGD sometimes and GDAD for some bouzouki playing.

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## Michael Wolf

Thanks lucho, interesting material. There's a big diversity of stringed instruments in latin america that seems to be partly unexplored. I read about the Bandola in your articel. Isn't there also a Bandola from Venezuela that has four strings and is tuned in fifths?

Btw.: Greetings from my friend Pepe, who lives here in our house. He comes from Santiago de Chile.

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## danb

Here's my recently-acquired sobell

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## steve V. johnson

Hey Rick C,

I got mine from a kid in far northern Ontario, and it was in octaves, too, and yep, that was the first thing I did with it as well, change it over to unisons with a new nut & bridge.

Mine was pretty loud, enough so to annoy some session pals... #(I guess that was -me- playing too loudly and not -it-... # # #)

I put a clear pickguard on mine with that StewMac sheet plastic, too.

It's nice to see one again!

stv

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## Gerry Cassidy

Here is the best pic I have of my Crump Style 1G (guitar body zouk), the Sobell I just sold, and my Rozawood 2-pointer amidst all the other toys:






Between the Crump and Rozawood the Sobell never got played... So, off it went!  

The Rozawood is a dream to play and is a pretty danged good banjo killer.

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## Gerry Cassidy

A closer shot of the Rozawood...

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## steve V. johnson

Hey Gerry,

What's the guitar between the Rozawood and the Tacoma ?

Nice collection!

stv

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## Michael Wolf

Hello Gerry,

yes, this is a nice collection. I knew this photo before. It's fun to look at it and trying to figure out what is what. It's very interesting that you preferred the Rozawood to the Sobell, wouldn't have expected this. Would you like to give a more detailed comparison between the two? 
I know the Rozawood people, they are on the Frankfurt Music Fair every year. I played a Octave Mando, but it had a very short scale and I found the strings, that were needed to drive the instrument, a bit to thick. They also had a L5-bodied Mandocello, that was impressive.

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## lucho

Michael: you asked Isn't there also a Bandola from Venezuela that has four strings and is tuned in fifths?
[I]

The andean bandola (12 to 16 stringed 6 course instrument) is a true cittern relative of the spanish bandurria. It uses steel strings and it is tuned in perfect 4ths. On the other hand, the bandola llanera uses 4 or some time 8 gut or nylon strings in 4 courses, and there are several kinds of this bandola llanera (http://www.mipunto.com/venezuelavirt...1/bandola.html) from the orinocan plains. They use several alternate tunings, most of them combining 4ths and 5ths like http://www.ebermudezcursos.unal.edu.co/bandlla.htm

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## PhilGE

My Jack Spira mandola. 17" scale length. Figured Gidgee bridge, fretboard, and peghead veneer. Sitka spruce top. Australian Blackwood sides and back. Mahogany neck. Rosette: rosewood, Hoop pine, Jarrah.







More Pix Here.

Old sound clip here. Sounds much more full live.

Jack is wonderful to work with. Highly recommended!

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## steve V. johnson

Here's the Brian Dean octave mandolin that I've recently gotten from Mike Buesseler, for whom it was built. #In the bass side is a sound port cut in Irish knotwork. #I think I have a detail pic of that, too...

This is one of the original photos and since this I've made a couple of changes: #The ebony nut was chipped at the outside of the G course, so I had it replaced with a bone nut; #the handmade soft silver tailpiece has been replaced with a black chrome Allen MR-2.

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## steve V. johnson

Brian said that he designed this OM for a soloist, sort of a la Tim O'Brien, with Brian's "weebit" top carving standard, and it is really bold and loud and has a real serious bark ... #This is -not- yer Irish bouzouki, it is a Big Mandolin with a 22" scale. # 

Well, neither Mike B nor I play that way, so it's quite a challenge to find somewhere to meet it, somewhere betwixt our natures. # #It fits well in "roots" and American musics, and as designed, better with soloing than with chording. # It's a North American instrument, certainly.

It's walnut b/s with a sitka top and figured walnut plates on the headstock. #Fingerboard and bridge are ebony.
BD specified really heavy stringing, with a .052 on the G course, and while that was really, really deep and loud, both Mike and I have been going lighter with it. #I'm looking for the point at which the strings are no longer heavy enough to drive the top... #that oughtta be interesting... #Right now it's at my 'standard,' #.042, .032, .020 wound, .014.

It's quite splendid but I may not keep it... we'll see...

stv

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## steve V. johnson

Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...

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## Gerry Cassidy

> Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...



Wow! Very, very nice. It's so...so... Well, 'Brian Dean', and I mean that in the best way. I really like his work. Some of it is a bit 'Out There' for my taste, but his more sedate work is some of the nicest available, IMHO.

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## Gerry Cassidy

> Here is the best pic I have of my Crump Style 1G (guitar body zouk), the Sobell I just sold, and my Rozawood 2-pointer amidst all the other toys:





> Hey Gerry,
> 
> What's the guitar between the Rozawood and the Tacoma ?
> 
> Nice collection!
> 
> stv


Steve, First off, Thanks! for the compliment. As for the guitar, it's a Breedlove Nylon String. It stays out on a stand in the music room for easy access. It's my 'Idea' guitar.





> It's very interesting that you preferred the Rozawood to the Sobell, wouldn't have expected this. Would you like to give a more detailed comparison between the two?



Michael,

The Sobell is/was certainly a very nice, well made instrument, but the Crump is much better at accompaniment for my taste. With a 24.5" scale it has a more full, deep tone and is a bit more clear in that deep end. I'm sure many would disagree with me, but hey, that's okay.

The Rozawood has much more cut than the Sobell when playing melody, or 'Aggressive Chording Accompaniment'. It can hold it's own in straight accompaniment as well. 

Keep in mind, this particular Sobell is 20" in scale. The less pronounced low end in these shorter-scale types of instruments was apparent in this one. I'm sure a person that plays better than me could make it sing like the choir, but I'm not them, so off it went. 

I use .40, or .42's on the Rozawood and they seem to drive it pretty well. It's scale is a half inch longer than the Sobell at 21.5". It seems to add a bit of advantage.

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## steve V. johnson

Thanks, Gerry,

I noticed that it was a nylon guitar, but I sure couldn't recognize the maker.  I like the looks of it a lot.  I used to use a nylon guitar for writing arrangments, but I haven't had one in a long time. I've been thinking about another one, but have been shying away from the 'classical' style models in hopes of finding one with a bit narrower neck, more like a steel-stringed guitar. Mmmm, cool, Breedlove. Nice! Thanks!

stv

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## Michael Wolf

> Keep in mind, this particular Sobell is 20" in scale. The less pronounced low end in these shorter-scale types of instruments was apparent in this one. 
> I use .40, or .42's on the Rozawood and they seem to drive it pretty well. It's scale is a half inch longer than the Sobell at 21.5". It seems to add a bit of advantage.


Ah yes, that's really short for octave tuning. In my experience scale length is an extreme important factor and it seems to be worth it to do play the longest scale possible.
The Rozawood that I tried had a shorter scale than yours, so it's not really comparable.

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## zoukie

> Here's the sound port knotwork on the bass side...


Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!! How lovely. If I ever get a custom made thing I'll wish celtic knots on it.. (I'm actually thinking of ordering a Flatbush mandolin within a reasonable future..don't know if he can do knots though)

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## Tim Porter

Bought in a fit of MAS (Sobell OM cedar/cocobolo):




Gorgeous, loud and fun to play. I'm still much, much more proficient on guitar, but love this thing.

Tim

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## steve V. johnson

Zoukie sez, "Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!!"

Yeah, that's some gorgeous work. #I've experimented with covering it over to see what happens, and it doesn't change much
because the thing's so loud to begin with. #It does sound less 'in yer face,' but only in -my- face while I'm playing it. #It doesn't chang the sound out front at all (maybe that was obvious, but I had to test it anyway...)

The sound port does make it easier to play it more lightly in a big session. I've only played it once on stage, and I was glad for it then, too. We couldn't really rely on the guy mixing to get the monitors right, so the port in my face was helpful.

I see more and more instruments with side ports... I wonder if that's because the builders note that we're all experiencing loud stage volumes...? This is the first instrument with a side port that I've ever been able to spend any time with. 

And... uh ... I didn't call the knotwork "celtic"... # #  # 

stv

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## steve V. johnson

Here is my Phil Crump B-II zouk, my main instrument these days, with the BD OM.

The Crump has a 25.4" scale, cedar top, EI rosewood b/s, the fretboard, bridge and headstock overlay are ebony, and the
neck is mahogany, and Phil regularly uses Allen cast tailpieces. # It's unison strung and tuned GDAD. #It has a PUTW #27 pickup and endpin jack. #The headstock decoration is a 1928 Irish bull shilling.

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## zoukie

> Zoukie sez, "Ooooh celtic knots on the side!!!!!!!"
> 
> Yeah, that's some gorgeous work. I've experimented with covering it over to see what happens, and it doesn't change much
> because the thing's so loud to begin with. It does sound less 'in yer face,' but only in -my- face while I'm playing it. It doesn't chang the sound out front at all (maybe that was obvious, but I had to test it anyway...)
> 
> The sound port does make it easier to play it more lightly in a big session. I've only played it once on stage, and I was glad for it then, too. We couldn't really rely on the guy mixing to get the monitors right, so the port in my face was helpful.
> 
> I see more and more instruments with side ports... I wonder if that's because the builders note that we're all experiencing loud stage volumes...? This is the first instrument with a side port that I've ever been able to spend any time with. 
> 
> ...


No, but I did.  So you mean that's the sound hole? Or do you have two sound holes? Very interesting. Does it make the sound go out better?

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## steve V. johnson

I'm just down on "celtic" lately... #Recently I've been getting lumped in with "celtic rock" bands when that word gets used, those folks who play mainstream rock and a few beery Irish sing-alongs. # -I- think I play Irish traditional music, and when enough of this happens around me I get to feeling like "celtic" means a drop of whiskey in 12oz of water. #... or worse yet, 16 oz. of cola! #

"So you mean that's the sound hole? Or do you have two sound holes? Very interesting. Does it make the sound go out better?" 

Yeah there are essentially two sound holes, the main one in the top (with the sweet, smooth walnut rim on it) and the one that I call the 'port' on the bass side. # #I don't think that it makes it go out better, really. # 

As I wrote, I've covered the knotty port and then played, listened, had others listen, recorded it a bit, and it didn't really seem to make a difference out in front of the OM. #

It does make a big difference in the sound for the player. #With the port covered, it sounds more usual
(to me...) the way we hear instruments that project -out- from us. # With it open, the sound is much more
... 'present'... #... #-Right there- with you. # And, again, with an instrument that's this agressive in sound, it's
really nice to have that because it's helped me to play it more gently.

I -haven't- tried covering up the oval hole...    Never thought of it til now, but it might be an interesting experiment!

Again, there are several companies and luthiers (see MacPherson guitars, for one) who regularly use holes in the side as sound ports for the players. Some even use them as the main hole in the things.

Thx,

stv

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## Michael Wolf

sliabhstv,

the Crump is very impressive. I've heared it on CD Baby, where you can have a listen to your Culchies. This Bouzouki is carrying the tunes extremely well. You have a nice band, very fat sound for three people, nice wailing fiddle. I really like your band sound. 
I find this one of the most tasteful two point designs. Reminds me on Vega in a pleasant way. It seems to have a very thick body. How thick is it, Steve?

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## Michael Wolf

> I'm actually thinking of ordering a Flatbush mandolin within a reasonable future..don't know if he can do knots though


Zoukie,
what kind of Mando do you want to order from Flatbush. I had the opportunity to play a Flatbush A5 a few weeks ago. Very interesting instruments. Tempting. Although not necessarily a folk-instrument. Do you live in Europe?

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## steve V. johnson

Thanks for the kind words, Michael! #I'm very glad you enjoy our Culchie chaos!

I like the two-point, too, thanks. #It's one of Phil Crump's standard offerings, which he calls a "B-II".
I don't prefer GOMs, but I wanted some variation from the "onion-on-a-stick" look. #

It's 3.5" at the neck and 4" at the tail, again Phil's standard measurements. #The only custom features of 
this one are that it has no fretboard inlays, slightly oversized side marker inlays and black tuner buttons. #
Phil asked if he could put some abalone dots in the rosette, and surprised me by making the side dots 
abalone, too, which is nice because they're easy to see in dim light. # He thought my tastes a bit plain. #
The word "Amish" may have come up   in regard to my tastes...#I am sort of ... um... allergic, let's say, to splashes of inlays.

Here is the

Crump specs page

at his website.

Many thanks,

stv

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## zoukie

> Zoukie,
> what kind of Mando do you want to order from Flatbush. I had the opportunity to play a Flatbush A5 a few weeks ago. Very interesting instruments. Tempting. Although not necessarily a folk-instrument. Do you live in Europe?


I've played is V4 and it is WONDERFUL, has great bass and good volume, and it's very easy to play as well. It had a good bass sound for bluegrass playing, and still nice bright tones for Irish-style of playing. He said that all his mandolins have the same kind of sound, so I'm planning to order the A model, first of all for financial reasons, if I can live without the "scroll" I can have some other fancy details instead, and also, I'd like to be one of the few bluegrass players who play on an A model mandolin, and to be able to prove that A mandolins are as good for bluegrass as F style mandos. I'd like to play one of his A mandolins first though, if I get an opportunity to do that. 
I'm Swedish and met him at Gränna bluegrass festival last year, he plays in a bluegrass band and is a good replacement for their old mandolin player. However, I talked with him about his mandolins then, and later I met him at Kattinge Vaerk in Denmark where there's an oldtime music gathering in September, and then I tried his mandolins and fell in love.... 

Btw I live in Ireland, so yes, I live in Europe.

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## zoukie

> I'm just down on "celtic" lately... Recently I've been getting lumped in with "celtic rock" bands when that word gets used, those folks who play mainstream rock and a few beery Irish sing-alongs.  -I- think I play Irish traditional music, and when enough of this happens around me I get to feeling like "celtic" means a drop of whiskey in 12oz of water. ... or worse yet, 16 oz. of cola!


I know what you mean there! I'm quite allergic to the term "celtic" if we talk about music. To me, there isn't such a thing as "celtic" music. But there's Scottish, Irish, Welsh etc traditional music, all with their own particularities (if now there is such a word....).

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## otterly2k

my somewhat more ornate Dean OM

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## otterly2k

and the back...

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Dan Krhla

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## steve V. johnson

Ahhhhhhhh, KE...!!!

I was hoping you'd post your Otter OM this time! That is sooooo beautiful.  
My favorite bit is the otter on the pickguard.  You have a detail shot of that that you can put up easily, don't you?

Brian is such a romantic, and I think you've brought out some of his best.

Thanks,

stv

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## zoukie

That's a true beauty!!!!!!!!!! Mine is quite ugly looking but at least I'm happy about the sound....

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## Bertram Henze

A beauty it is for sure, but what really gets me started is that extremely long bridge base - does it audibly enhance the volume by smoothing out the string/wood sound hardness border? Does it take longer to break in?

Bertram

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## Bob Wiegers

wow Karen, awesome! now I've got something to aspire to...maybe someday...

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## Bertram Henze

> That's a true beauty!!!!!!!!!! Mine is quite ugly looking but at least I'm happy about the sound....


you forgot to mention the celtic knots on the headstock

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## Jim Roberts

This one will be in my hands next week to help me strum away the cold Kansas winter blues...if it's anywhere near as good as the blonde Old Wave GOM my friend Tim in Kansas City has, I'll be in mandolin heaven.

Thanks, Bill!

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## zoukie

> Originally Posted by  (zoukie @ Feb. 14 2008, 09:49)
> 
> That's a true beauty!!!!!!!!!! Mine is quite ugly looking but at least I'm happy about the sound.... 
> 
> 
> you forgot to mention the celtic knots on the headstock


  love them!!!!!

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## uncledelphi

I figured I'd come out of lurk mode to post some pictures of an octave mandolin that Bill Petersen is building for me. I should have it sometime in the next few months. 

Some particulars:

Red spruce top with herringbone binding
Insane koa back and sides
Spalted maple soundhole rosette and peghead overlay
Custom dragon inlay on the fingerboard

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## steve V. johnson

Wow! I love spalted woods, and Bill P is sooo good at doing those wood rosettes! Nice!!

Thanks!

stv

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## wayfaringstranger

Here's mine.

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## otterly2k

Here's the close-up of the inlay on that Dean, as Stv requested...

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## otterly2k

Here's the one I call Otter OM #1 b/c I made it... in a workshop with Don Kawalek... who also likes spalted maple.

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## otterly2k

and the inlay I put on the headstock of that one (which you can't see in the previous photo)...
this is made from a recycled piano key, and etched and inked like scrimshaw

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## steve V. johnson

Ahhhhhh.... Otters.....


stv

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## mandohubris

Otterly 2k:

otterly amazing. 

Nice job - how does it sound

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## danb

Here are some shots of my fairly odd hybrid 5-string tenor guitar. It's sort of a resonator cittern I suppose.. I tune it GDAEA bass to treble, and play it somewhere like a tenor banjo for lead and somewhere like my sobell for backing

This is a Chanticleer, made by Patrick Arbuthnot of Norwich, England. He also made my 4-string reso-tenor, and is currently supplying Stefan Sobell with his tailpieces too. These are really a blast to play, I'm suprised they haven't caught on more with mandolin players.

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## danb

5 pegs

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## danb

You can fry hamburgers here when you pick hard enough

----------


## danb

5-string tailpiece

----------


## danb

Oops, gotta play with the wide angle some more..

----------


## Michael Wolf

Ah, that's the five string from Patrick. I was already awaiting some pics of this. I saw this body design before, when Patrick sent me some pics of what he's fighting with at the moment. Maybe it was yours. Very nice and a bit funny too.
I see that it has a pick-grid under the "dove-holes". Good idea.
What scale length does it have? It seems to be two frets shorter than standard. Did you alter the form of the body somewhat, compared to the national model (except the horn of course)?

----------


## Greg Stec

Here's what was loaned to me to play for the Baltimore MO (and doing it quitely nicely, IMHO)

----------


## Greg Stec

And here's the 1912(?) H-1 I found on Craigslist (Phoenix, AZ).
It does have a surface crack on the face that runs parallel to the fretboard, but it does not go thru the face. The previous owner said it was given to him, and was in sad shape. He said he had it 'restored' by someone in AZ. I don't know what all he did, but fretboard plays great. IMHO, like it was new. Great intonation passed (WAY passed) the 12th fret. Coordinance is right on.
I'm going to see my favorite luthier about the crack.
Enjoy the pix.

----------


## Greg Stec

The face

----------


## danb

> Here's what was loaned to me to play for the Baltimore MO (and doing it quitely nicely, IMHO)


Now I bet that's a nice sounding cello

----------


## danb

> What scale length does it have? It seems to be two frets shorter than standard. Did you alter the form of the body somewhat, compared to the national model (except the horn of course)?


Well the design was all Patrick's. He had this body before (it was green, then white primer in a couple photos). I'd borrowed it once before from him set up as an 8-string bouzouki. He added the grille and paint color this time around.

It's a bit wider than a national at the lower bout. This is a 21" scale which was nicked from my short-scale Sobell cittern.

The cutaway is very nice, I never realized before having one how much more accessible that makes the high frets. The "horn" is also handy for hooking on your leg when you play

----------


## Danny Packer

Here are some pics of my Nyberg

----------

Denman John

----------


## Danny Packer

Front

----------


## Danny Packer

back

----------


## Danny Packer

headstock

----------


## steve V. johnson

Danny,

thanks! I haven't seen a Nyberg in a really long time!

That distinctive tailpiece... how nice....!

stv

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

My Richard Beard zouk is arriving this week-end (hopefully). It's replacing my Johnson MA-500 which has served me faithfully for the last six years. This is a big step up for me....

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

back

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Peghead

----------


## Danny Packer

stv,

This is the only Nyberg I have ever seen. I am always fascinated by the way particular builders have cache. Sometimes people are in vogue. Lawrence Nyberg never seems to be one (at least here). Curiouser and curiouser.

Danny

----------


## steve V. johnson

Hi Danny,

Yep, true. #I spoke with LN long ago, when I was first researching luthiers. #I enjoyed that he's one of the few who
carve their tops.

It's too bad that there aren't more of his instruments apparent. I know he's 
built a lot of 'em... # 

stv

----------


## acousticphd

This will qualify as age/ugliness following beauty, but here a few pics of my '60s Harmony archtop tenor that I converted to 8 string, starting with the headstock. I filled the old tuner shaft holes with dowel and redrilled for mando tuners. By hand with no jig. (Don't do this.)

----------


## acousticphd

The nut is a piece from a block of mahogany (I think), which I have only rough-slotted for now while I try to decide whether to stay with octave stringing or try unison. Full frontal:

----------


## acousticphd

A closer shot of the front: I bought the guitar with no bridge and found this bridge somewhere else. Using ball-end strings and running 2 strings through each hole in the tenor tailpiece.

Overall, a project I could handle (about all I could handle). It has some shortcomings, but definitely usable.

----------


## harper

My Freshwater 5 course mandolin (tuned CC GG DD AA EE) and Thomas Jessen OM. Both have a woody, Celtic sound with resonance in the deep registers.

----------


## harper

The fronts:

----------


## cayuga red

I have a Nyberg on order. Lawrence has a long waiting list and I've waited about 18 months. He wrote recently that it's less than a month away. I'll try and post photos when it arrives.

Red

----------


## Danny Packer

Congrats Red!, 

Whad'ya get? It think you'll be happy. I found Lawrence great to work with, and I've been real happy with my OM.

Danny

----------


## cayuga red

Danny: I ordered the maple version Nyberg which I believe is the one you have. Lawrence has changed his tailpiece but other than that, I think (and hope) mine looks like your model. Thanks and regards,

Red

----------


## Kyle Baker

Here's my collection so far... Left to right, Hora Romanian short scale bouzouki, J.W. Pepper bowl back mandolin, Trinity college Irish bouzouki.
My favorite is the trinity college zouk.

----------


## Uncle Choppy

My somewhat plain (but much loved) Oakwood Zouk:

(Apologies for the poor picture quality.)

----------


## Bertram Henze

> My somewhat plain (but much loved) Oakwood Zouk...(Apologies for the poor picture quality.)


Is has got everything it takes to be beautiful and be loved, more would be too much (my Fylde is even more plain...). The picture quality is good enough to show that, no need to detect any forensic fingerprints  :Smile: 

The one thing missing is a sound sample.  :Mandosmiley: 

Bertram

----------


## steve V. johnson

I'm with Bertram on 'plain'.  I find your Oakwood handsome.

stv

----------


## steve V. johnson

Hey Jeff,

How's the Harmony project coming?  Have you settled on octave or unison stringing?

I'd expect that, once you decide on the configuration, that a nice bone nut and perhaps a Red Henry bridge/saddle (or equivalent) and a cast tailpiece (my preference) would make that archtop really sing.  ('bark', 'growl', 'snarl', 'soar', 'exclaim', 'persuade', 'cajole', 'seduce', ... rock..., etc.)

stv

----------


## LordJumper

Just got a Trinity College myself.  Ran in to one at the bluegrass shop a few weeks ago and fell in love.

----------


## clarksavage

Sweet, Lordjumper.  Nice blacktop.

I have a Darnton OM and a Sobell Irish Bouzouki (one of the 3 flat tops Stephan has built!)  Here is a front shot of them, picture of my father (foreground) and his family in the 30's above the instruments.

Clark

----------


## Jim Yates

Here's my old TC OM.  The original tailpiece couldn't take the tension of the strings and the hooks bent and eventually one of them broke so I replaced it.  When scratches started appearing on the front of the mando, I put a pick guard on it.

----------


## Uncle Choppy

> Is has got everything it takes to be beautiful and be loved, more would be too much (my Fylde is even more plain...). The picture quality is good enough to show that, no need to detect any forensic fingerprints 
> 
> The one thing missing is a sound sample. 
> 
> Bertram


Thanks for the kind words Bertram and Steve. I don't mind the "plain" look myself, it's just that there are so many instruments in this thread with stunning timbers, celtic carvings, inlays and whatnot, that the Oakwood looks a bit dull by comparison!

To be fair, this model (now called the "Meridian") was designed to sell at a  reasonable price. The Oakwood website says:



> _Several years ago, Niall O'Callanain (www.nialloc.com), the well-known Irish bouzouki player, asked us to build a large-bodied instrument with plenty of volume and good projection. Our design solution for Niall combined the larger body of the Classic with the floating bridge and bracing pattern of the Teardrop. He was very satisfied with the end result, and we went on to develop the idea with the aim of providing a reasonably-priced large-bodied instrument. This Meridian range comprises simply-designed, plainly decorated instruments that are built to our usual high standards_.


As for sound samples - I can't really do the instrument justice. I don't play it very much these days and I never got good enough to sit in at sessions/jams etc. I did record a brief clip when trying to work out a Zouk part from a video posted by someone on the Cafe. Apologies for the rough playing and recording quality:

Oakwood Bouzouki Sound Clip

Cheers
Brendan

----------


## steve V. johnson

I like the blacktop look on the TCs, I'm glad they offer them that way.

Clark, it's lovely to see your wonderful instruments again, and the bonus of the
pic of your -Dad- and his playing pals is wonderful!

Brendan, thanks for the history on your Oakwood!

stv

----------


## JimRichter

Here is my Will Kimble octave.  It's a rare bird as there are only a handful of them about.  This was previously in the care of Mike Compton.  Red spruce (I believe) top, maple back and sides.  James tailpiece.  Waverly tuners.  Strung w/ octave pairs on the bottom two courses.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> ...
> As for sound samples - I can't really do the instrument justice. I don't play it very much these days and I never got good enough to sit in at sessions/jams etc. I did record a brief clip when trying to work out a Zouk part from a video posted by someone on the Cafe. Apologies for the rough playing and recording quality:
> 
> Oakwood Bouzouki Sound Clip
> 
> Cheers
> Brendan


Your zouk burned my ears  :Laughing: 
Good bright response - obviously Oakwood were successful at serving Niall O' Callanain as well as their other customers.

I see (or rather: hear) no need for any apologies. The playing lies in the quality range of most zouk players I have met in sessions. Sitting in at a session is the best way to improve. Even if you have to practice tune accompaniment for single tunes at first, after a while you can accompany unknown tunes by ear (because they are like one of those you already know).

Bertram

----------


## LordJumper

> I like the blacktop look on the TCs, I'm glad they offer them that way.
> 
> stv


Me too, though it makes me want to clean it more often. Erk, fingerprints!  :Smile:

----------


## steve V. johnson

re: Oakwood Bouzouki Sound Clip

Nice!  Nice low-end body to the sound, even on my little laptop spkrs!

I've not seen nor heard one of those before, so thanks a lot!

stv

stv

----------


## Uncle Choppy

> Nice!  Nice low-end body to the sound, even on my little laptop spkrs!
> 
> I've not seen nor heard one of those before, so thanks a lot!


Thanks. 
That clip was simply to try and suss out what the tuning was on a video - I reckoned that it could be done in GDAD with a capo. It wasn't particularly to highlight the tone, hence the rough & ready nature of the recording.

Oakwood are reasonably well known in the UK but don't seem to have the profile internationally that, for example, Fylde and Sobell have. I bought mine in late 1999 and I was drawn to it because I was looking for something with a slightly brighter, more "ringing" sound than the Fylde-esque instruments that seemed to dominate the market at the time. It seemed that everyone was into cedar tops, pin bridges and generally trying to make their bouzoukis sound as much like guitars as they could!

I'd love to have one of their slightly smaller bodied zouks as I reckon that would get me closer to the classic "Lunny" tone that I love (I suppose I could just buy a Foley or an Abnett) but i don't really play often (or well) enough to justify one!

There's more info about Oakwood here: www.oakwoodinstruments.co.uk

----------


## steve V. johnson

Culchies Fiddler TJ Hull, and his fiance Amanda Caretta, are visiting this weekend to play a Samhain gig with us in Nashville, Indiana. 

TJ brought along Fylde Touchstone OM, so I took a pic of the mando family to post here.

Left to right:  Fylde Touchstone OM, Rigel A+ Deluxe mandolin, 1936 Kalamazoo KM-11 mandolin, Phil Crump B-II bouzouki.

The Fylde is wonderfully bassy yet still sparkles nicely on top.  It's sapele with a spruce top and a 20+" scale with a zero fret.  I think you mandophiles probably know all about the mandolins.  The Crump is cedar over rosewood with a mahogany neck and a 24.5" scale.

Amanda plays great whistle and bodhran, so we'll have some great tune fun this afternoon and evening.

stv

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Culchies Fiddler TJ Hull, and his fiance Amanda Caretta, are visiting this weekend to play a Samhain gig with us in Nashville, Indiana...
> ...The Fylde is wonderfully bassy yet still sparkles nicely on top.  It's sapele with a spruce top and a 20+" scale with a zero fret.  I think you mandophiles probably know all about the mandolins.  The Crump is cedar over rosewood with a mahogany neck and a 24.5" scale.


This photo shows very impressively the enormous body width of the Fylde, in comparison. You tend to forget that when you play it yourself.

Hope your gig was not visited by Mike Myers  :Grin: 
Nashville is in Indiana??  :Disbelief: 

Bertram

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Steve, did you ever get those tunes uploaded somewhere?

----------


## steve V. johnson

Bertram, yeah the Fylde body is really wide.  The Crump is a bit deeper, but the Fylde is boomier.
The Crump scared me with 'boom' when it was new, but it's evened out over time and the Fylde is only a couple of years old, so it might change as well, tho I have no idea how.  TJ doesn't have a 
strap button on the heel, so it's a handful for me to keep on my lap, I'm so used to having instruments hanging on.  The neck is much wider, too, and I'm really accustomed to the narrower Crump neck which only gets a tiny bit wider toward the neck.

If Mike Myers came in, he didn't say hello.  Rude, eh?   ;-)

Eddie, I've started a SoundClick page (after asking here and a bunch of other places for players' favorite ways to put music up for free), but I haven't gotten anything up there yet.  

I'll let everyone know when I've got some stuff up there.  I'll trumpet it from the rooftops.  

Thanks,

stv

----------


## John Flynn

Here is my Mendel OM:

Well, I don't know what happened. I uploaded the pix, but they aren't here!

Anyhow, here is a link to a thread where the photos did post:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=mendel

----------


## JEStanek

John (an everyone), the new forum software tries to save space by having you upload your images only one time.  If you try and upload an image that you've already uploaded once before the upload dialog box will give you an upload error in the top of the pop up window.  This also includes a blue link to your posted image.  Just click to get to your previous image, then copy it's image location with a right click (in Firefox) or get it from a right click and properties with IE.  Then back in your new post, where you tried to re-upload the image, use the Insert Image button instead and paste in the images location.

Jamie

Edit: I would post a photo of my TC OM but it looks like every other one posted.  Maybe a picture of me holding it one day... nah.

----------


## steve V. johnson

So John, you posted your Mendel pix back in April, how's life with it since then?

Thanks,

stv

----------


## John Flynn

> So John, you posted your Mendel pix back in April, how's life with it since then?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> stv


Thanks for asking! It's great! I'm very happy with it. I play it constantly, including at church every weekend, where I've gotten multiple compliments on the sound. I'm also learning Irish bouzouki accompaniment with it, using both the Zan McLeod and the Gerry McKee discs, which is fun. 

The instrument sounds so good, it inspires me to play it and try new things. The sustain is just incredible and I'm fuguring out what I can do with that. The whole tonal range on this instrument is very good, but the bass is soooo strong that I'm thinking of experimenting with octave courses in the bass.

Joe asked me record it back when I had only had it a few weeks and I was still getting used to the long scale, and he was nice enough to post a clip on his website, linked below. The recording just runs the background, there is no button:

http://www.jmendelfrets.com/Sub_OctaveMandolin.aspx

----------


## JEStanek

That's some nice playing, John.

Jamie

----------


## Avi Ziv

> To be fair, this model (now called the "Meridian") was designed to sell at a  reasonable price. 
> Cheers
> Brendan


Brendan - what's the scale on this bouzouki?
Nice sounds!
Avi

----------


## steve V. johnson

Hey John,

Wow, that's you on the site!  Cool!  Well done!

Bass is an interesting thing with these instruments.  I'm surprised at how the bass of my Crump was so pronounced and that it became less so, in both frequency extension downward and in volume over time.  All things tend to balance, I guess.  I thought it lacked 'sparkle' on the top when it was new, now it seems very happily balanced all around.  Who knows where these things will end up?  (And maybe I just got used to it, too...  tho I think the mics/recordings reflect the change over time...)

With guitars in a session or band, I often capo the Crump just to get timbrally away from the lows of the guitar, but without a guitar or a bass, or a box player who's good with the bass buttons, there's so much room for harmonic movement in the low end, that I like having some of that to work with.

Also:  sustain.   I always thought that it was wonderful to have more sustain than one needed, sorta like having a nice reverb box (perfectly matched to the instrument, too!! lol!), and that it's easier to damp down sustain/reverberations than to try to -find- them if the instrument doesn't make that sound, if it's "dry."

But I found, in some conversations with more experienced Irish music guitarists/bouzouki players, that there's also a desire out there to have instruments with a strong fundamental and not so much sustain, and even a shorter decay on the harmonic series.   One player told me he hated hammer dulcimers because there wasn't an anti-sustain pedal or any way to stop the open courses from ringing, so that as a quick melody went by, the notes from the previous chords were still ringing over the next part.   A veteran picker told me that he'd worked with luthiers to build him instruments with strong and rich fundamental notes and very limited, short sustain and harmonics/overtones, so that he didn't have to worry about any of his open strings ringing out and suggesting different chords as it rang over other changes.

I had never thought that way at all, and it's still a challenging notion to me, so I mull it around in my mind fairly often.   I've played that picker's guitar and I can understand a bit of what its design is about, but it was so very responsive and the harmonic series was so rich around the attack and the fundamental tones that I forgot to be 'clinical' about listening for the sustain.
The builder who made that guitar has made some others, and they have a very similar design intention (tonally), and I know some folks with those, so I may have another chance to play one or more of them and pay attention to what all that means and how it sounds.  

It's pretty arcane, really....  It may be entirely over my head.  But like -double topped- instruments or ones with only side ports and not holes in the top, and so on, it's a distinct and 
innovative notion, so it's pretty intriguing to me.

It's fantastic that your Mendel inspires you and that you play it all the time!!  I know what that's like (I'm sure a lot of folks here do, too), and so I'm delighted to hear that from you. Further congratulations!  Play on!!!

Thanks and all the best,

stv

----------


## Uncle Choppy

> Brendan - what's the scale on this bouzouki?
> Nice sounds!
> Avi


Cheers Avi - The Oakwood scale length is 64cm (just over 25").

----------


## Andy Miller

Here's one I just finished building.

----------


## Paul Doyle

not at all danb, it was moddled after the f 5 mandolin stretched out, but now i see the tenor maybe it was a subliminal message that got me to design it but from where? Paul

----------


## BriTrudeau

Hi Michael. I think you made a very interesting remark there about the different tones between a floating as opposed to a fixed bridge. Could you clarify that for someone like me very new to this field? Thanks. Bri

----------


## Rick Cadger

Here's my new Troubadour OM. As I said in the review thread, it's not a high-end instrument but I am getting to really like it. I'll be happier when I've swapped out the tuners, nut and bridge, but with the factory strings changed for a set of D'Addario PB OM strings it sounds really very nice. Not over loud, and not perfectly balanced for heavy rhythm stuff, but for tunes it's just great. Now the new strings have had a few days to lose that initial bright, metallic, rattley twang it has a very pleasing tone for jigs, reels, polkas etc etc.

Good value.

----------


## Keith Erickson

> I'll be happier when I've swapped out the tuners, nut and bridge, but with the factory strings changed for a set of D'Addario PB OM strings it sounds really very nice.


Rick,

It's amazing how the little things like the nut, bridge & strings can make a not so good sounding instrument into a true beauty of a sound.

Looks nice....  keep us posted on how its sounds after the bridge/ nut swap  :Mandosmiley:

----------


## Boombloom

I asked Walt for a plain-Jane no frills no binding no inlay instrument. I said I wanted it to be extra deep so I could do basslines on it. It has a huge sound.

----------


## Rick Cadger

> Rick,
> 
> It's amazing how the little things like the nut, bridge & strings can make a not so good sounding instrument into a true beauty of a sound.
> 
> Looks nice....  keep us posted on how its sounds after the bridge/ nut swap


Thanks Keith. 

I have a big chunk of maple and a friend is bringing me some Brazilian rosewood he's had for ages and done nothing with. Plenty of DIY bridge material! 

I think the only differences the new nut will make are maybe a tiny difference to the break angle and the psychological thing of me preferring bone nuts to plastic. The zero fret eliminates most of its impact on the sound.

I think it's going to have to be a compensated bridge. Despite checking intonation carefully, this OM goes pretty flat on the A course when I capo. By the time I hit 5th fret it's very audible in chords. Still, nothing an afternoon won't fix.

The high action is probably partly to blame. I've decided to get the zero fret height adjusted by a pro, whereas the bridge and nut I'm happy to do myself.

----------


## John McGann

Sobell OM photos- the first two are mine; the other three were sent to me by Stefan. Those who own my OM book will recognize the last photo as the cover shot.

----------


## Rick Cadger

Oh, thanks a bunch, John. Now I have to wipe drool off my keyboard...

----------


## John McGann

1977 Zeidler, his first electric solid body. I asked for the mandolin scroll (years before i started playing mando) for the coolness factor. Walnut body. Tuning CGDAEG, so extended OM/ extended mandocello/ Robert Fripp's "New Standard Tuning". Great fun exploring this and trying to forget guitar tuning!

----------


## GaliBouz

Here's my Lawrence Nyberg. Gorgeous!

----------


## Markkunkel

with some better pics, I hope: 





illustrating Mark's labor of love on this wonderful OM (that plays and sounds as nice as it looks...)







THANKS, MARK!

MK

----------


## Markkunkel

I continue to have SO much fun exploring this new group of instruments, and when this cittern was advertised on Craigslist "only" five hours away from me it seemed like the thing to do.  It's a custom 2006 build, cedar over lovely three-piece Indian rosewood:





23" scale, a zero fret, Gotoh tuners, and a very fast and sweet neck:



with a gorgeous arched top with multi-colored perfling lines and a custom tailpiece: 



all living in a snug (and very English) case: 



playability just right, with the action very low with great volume and no buzzing.  Tone is spectacular...that extra lower course (I have it tuned DGADE, for now, typically) adds a bunch of body and resonance even when it's not fretted directly.  The owner had it set up with octave strings on the first four courses and I haven't quite decided if I'm going to leave it that way.  It sounds spectacular and full and "zingy" but loses a bit of resolution on tunes... so we'll see.

In the mean time, LOTS of fun!  Any other Fylde (rhymes with "wild") custodians out there? 

Mark

----------


## JEStanek

Mark, both of those are just lovely.

Jamie

----------


## Bertram Henze

> ... Any other Fylde (rhymes with "wild") custodians out there? 
> 
> Mark


Yes, I am one. My wild Fylde is a Touchstone OM, and I'll probably post some pics when I have access to a better camera after holidays.

But concerning that cittern, my ears are more curious than my eyes - any soundclips?

Bertram

----------


## steve V. johnson

Yes, sound!!  Please?

I seem to have been a transit station for Fyldes.  Some have stuck here a good while (years) while most have come and gone.  I've enjoyed them all and (I'm sure this is evident) I enjoy talking them up.

I've only known two of the archtop ones, both long-scale.  They are a breed apart.

stv

----------


## Markkunkel

Thanks for the kind words, gents.  I'll try to get a soundclip recorded and posted later today...it's a wonderful sounding instrument. 

Mark

----------


## Markkunkel

Here's that promised sound sample (such as it is, showing all five months of the time I've been playing mando/OM!)...

The clip seems to catch and convey the sound nicely, first in dDgGdDaaee tuning with some strumming and chords and minimal tune work, and then at the end with a bit of "Johnny O'Braidislee" with the lower course at eE.  I figured since Johnny, both of his dogs, the king's deer, and all but one of the foresters take it on the chin in that old ballad that I may as well murder it too.  I had to lower the gain on the sample a bit but this cittern has all kinds of very nice headroom.

Anyway, enjoy (I guess!). 

Mark

----------


## JEStanek

Man, that thing is full and even sounding.  Really nice.  Thanks!

Jamie

----------


## Danny Packer

GaliBouz,  where are the nyberg pics? (Did my computer eat them before I could a get a look?)

danny

----------


## itinerate one

Nice instrument Mark!  Beware the hercules stand tho, the rubber holding the headstock left some finish marks on my Petersen zouk, maybe some kind of chemical reaction, don't know.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Here's that promised sound sample...


Well Mark, I guess that's what you get after putting strings on a wooden sailing ship.  :Smile: 

It has all the depth and dominance we can expect from a Fylde, plus that cedar top warmth that leaves a church organ standing - you can save on heating costs by just playing it.

Bertram

----------


## Markkunkel

> Nice instrument Mark!  Beware the hercules stand tho, the rubber holding the headstock left some finish marks on my Petersen zouk, maybe some kind of chemical reaction, don't know.


Hi, Itenerate, and thanks for the advice.  My instruments stay in their cases except when they're out for pictures or playing out, but I'll watch that Hercules stand.  The Petersens are very cool, aren't they...

Mark

----------


## Markkunkel

> Well Mark, I guess that's what you get after putting strings on a wooden sailing ship. 
> 
> It has all the depth and dominance we can expect from a Fylde, plus that cedar top warmth that leaves a church organ standing - you can save on heating costs by just playing it.
> 
> Bertram



Hello, Bertram...wow, you have a way with words and images.  The Fylde does have the overall "vibe" of a grand old Clipper ship and I'll smile from now on whenever I think of that image, sailing on various musical seas.

Happy you enjoyed it...and I'd love to hear yours some time.

Mark

----------


## Markkunkel

> GaliBouz,  where are the nyberg pics? (Did my computer eat them before I could a get a look?)
> 
> danny


Another vote here for those pics...Nybergs are such neat instruments.

----------


## Bertram Henze

Ok, trying to upload pictures of my Fylde OM...

The bridge shot shows my simple trick to enhance volume and projection: there are two small aluminum feet under the bridge, giving "floating bridge" a new meaning.

The strap button is on the treble side not to let the strap slip (I am right-handed, normally the strap goes to the other side)

----------


## Bertram Henze

And for sound samples, I may respectfully direct your attention to this one for the single instrument:

http://www.hologence.de/mp3/CoilsfieldHouse.mp3

...and to this one for multiple tracks of the same instrument in melody and accompaniment, plus my old Aria two-point mandolin every now and then to plingpling along.

http://www.hologence.de/mp3/Nullpoin...el%20Walks.mp3

Bertram

----------


## PhilGE

Sounds and looks like a wonderful instrument, Bertram. I like the second track a lot. Do you have any notation for it? 

-Phil

----------


## steve V. johnson

Phil, 

I don't know that I've ever heard that wonderful "Nullpoint Exception" (Wow!), but here is thesession.org's listing for The Gravel Walks:

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/42

You can use the tabs at the top for ABC notation, sheet music, and comments.

This is a really fun tune.  Played fast it rocks, played slowly it can be really dramatic.  We (Culchies) used to play it a lot in performance and recorded a version in a set after The Old Bush.

Those are some fantastic arrangements, Bertram!  Great playing!  Thanks!!!  

stv

----------


## Markkunkel

> And for sound samples...


Bravo, Bertram!  Both sound marvelous.  Thanks for sharing them with us.

MK

----------


## Bertram Henze

Thanks all.

Here is the sheet music for Nullpointer Exception. Gravel Walks can be found on thesession.org, like Steve said.

Bertram

----------


## Steve Stewart

Here's my new Old Wave mandola...just received it Thursday!!!

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

My latest acquisition.  A Weber Gallatin Mandola.  Plain Jane but such a sweet robust sound.  I haven't been able to put it down.

----------


## Steve-o

> My latest acquisition.  A Weber Gallatin Mandola.  Plain Jane but such a sweet robust sound.  I haven't been able to put it down.


Nice Eddie.  How many mandolin family instruments do you own?

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

My Album

   has all the pics - and I'm expecting delivery of a Gypsy OM next week.  I have:
Zouks - Richard Beard and a Flatiron
OM's - Gypsy and a Garrison
Mandolas - Weber Gallatin, Eastman 615, Dannel - moved on the 2 Gypsys.
Mandolins - including a few antiques and bowlbacks- Eastman, Gibson, Martin, Bluett, Vega, Fender, Ovation, Mandobird, SS Stewart
a 10-string mandolin/mandola - Vega 205
and a Tenor Guitar - Soares Y'
a banjolin
also several 6 and 12-string guitars - Gibson, Martin, Ovation, Yamaha. Pavane.
And a plethora of tinwhistles (high and low) and a few harmonicas.

Jack of all instruments, master of none...

----------


## steve V. johnson

I'm a Gallatin fan, esp the appearance.  I like the mahogany backed ones.

Congrats on your new dola!  

Let us know when you can play three of those at once, eh?   ;-)

stv

----------


## Steve-o

> my album  ...


omg!

----------


## John L

This is my Alan Perlman OM. The builder is fairly well known for his flat top guitars, but I do not believe he has built many octave mandolins. Note bridge pins. This is a great sounding and very beautiful instrument, but has a fairly long scale for this mandolin player.

----------


## John L

AND... this one is my Levin mandola, or as the Swedes would say, a tenor mandola. There is a similar one in the 1952 Hagstrom catalogue posted on the Hagstrom UK website - www.hagstrom.org.uk - a really neat site to visit if you are interested in Hagstroms (and you should be). Seems Hagstrom acted as a distributor for Levin at the time.

Levin is an interesting company, which was bought out by Martin around 1970 and then closed in the late 1970s. I have never seen another Levin mandola, although perhaps they are more common in Europe? I have seen a few Levin flat top guitars and one Levin mandolin which looked a lot like my mandola including the sunburst finish, flat top, and oval soundhole.

----------


## Pulgar

Hi there - first time poster and thought I'd show you all my lovely Jack Spira 'Zook, made here in Aus. It's a gorgeous, balanced tone - subtle or bold - depending on what you need .... & the workmanship is superb.
Jack built it for me back in '98 - and I asked for a guitar scale-length which works beautifully. Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top & Ebony board.
The A.G.A pick-up had a custom saddle-transducer made and it works a treat.  I quite like using it plugged in, with my little trio (two fiddles). 
Great seeing all the other fantastic instruments, too!
(Apologies - the Spruce comes up a little over exposed!!)





Cheers..

P.S - Great, friendly Forum !!

----------


## Michael Wolf

Hello Pulgar,

a warm welcome to the forum. This is a beautiful Bouzouki. How is it tuned? 
I´m always a little bit jealous about the wonderful domestic woods that you have in AUS. 
Do you have recordings from your trio? I´d be interested to hear this combination.

----------


## Gerry Cassidy

> Hi there - first time poster and thought I'd show you all my lovely Jack Spira 'Zook, made here in Aus. It's a gorgeous, balanced tone - subtle or bold - depending on what you need .... & the workmanship is superb.
> Jack built it for me back in '98 - and I asked for a guitar scale-length which works beautifully. Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top & Ebony board.
> The A.G.A pick-up had a custom saddle-transducer made and it works a treat.  I quite like using it plugged in, with my little trio (two fiddles). 
> Great seeing all the other fantastic instruments, too!
> (Apologies - the Spruce comes up a little over exposed!!)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Beautiful! I've admired Jack's work for many a year. Yours looks exceptional!

----------


## steve V. johnson

Hi Pulgar, 

Welcome and thanks for the pix.  Jack sure does build nice stuff, congratulations on that one.
The indigenous woods are great, too.

stv

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

"Onion-on-a-stick look"... too true....LOL

You crack me up Steve...

----------


## Marcus CA

> My latest acquisition.  A Weber Gallatin Mandola.  Plain Jane but such a sweet robust sound.  I haven't been able to put it down.


I agree completely!  I played one a few months ago, and it sounded absolutely gorgeous.  Instead of the new dola, though, I was lucky enough to find a used Gallatin F mandocello, which also sounds absolutely gorgeous.

----------


## oldwave maker

Crossposted in  'post a video of yousef'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jFxMfQST9k
Walnut/Engelmann spruce GOM

----------


## steve V. johnson

In the notes for BB's video it says...

"A tune performed at the 1792 Belfast harp festival..."

Wow, that's a great looking video for the 18th century!!!

stv

----------


## Patrick Gunning

(fail for now, pics later)

----------


## Patrick Gunning

2nd time's the charm...

Ok, I got this a couple months ago, but I never shared it down here in this thread.  Also, I have a new mic, and thus new soundclips of my octave mando having opened up a bit.  

This is an Arrow octave mandolin built by Paul Lestock.  22 1/4" scale length.  Red spruce top.  Month-old strings (ugh)...

For your viewing/listening pleasure...  Oh, and the soundclip is a solo arrangement (in GDGD tuning) of a song by Swedish band Vasen called Bjorkbergspolskan off their album "Live in Japan," which I highly recommend.

----------


## steve V. johnson

Wow, splendid instrument and a beautiful arrangement of that tune!

Those old, old strings, tho... yeah, pretty ratty...

LOL!

stv

----------


## Bertram Henze

Technology's not advanced far enough, or else I would download the whole instrument. Now there's a beauty. Good, clean sound, too - can't hear the string age at all.

If that is opening-up just beginning, you have something to look forward in the future...

Simply outstanding, bursting my eyes and ears.  :Disbelief: 

Bertram

----------


## Avi Ziv

Excellent tone and playing! I like the bass on this instrument. Deep but not muddy. Great for solo work.

Thanks for sharing
Avi

----------


## Ken_P

> For your viewing/listening pleasure...  Oh, and the soundclip is a solo arrangement (in GDGD tuning) of a song by Swedish band Vasen called Bjorkbergspolskan off their album "Live in Japan," which I highly recommend.


Wow. That's an amazing instrument you've got there. It looks amazing, sounds fantastic (helps that I'm a big Vasen fan), and you can't even tell how old the strings are! I've had a bad case of the 'cello version of MAS for a long time, but that just made it worse.  :Smile:

----------


## otterly2k

wonderfully done, Patrick
a fine axe, well played.
thanks for sharing this.

----------


## Marcus CA

Very nice arrangement!  It shows the richness of the instrument and its player.

----------


## David Newton

New Navy Mandola in Walnut and Carpathian spruce going to Jon in Vermont.
I'd like to do one of these as a 'cello. Any advice about scale length?

----------


## Ken Olmstead

Patrick, that was astounding! The recorded sound is as good as anything going! I had to plug it into my home stereo for the full image and HOLY SMOKES!!! That sounds fabulous! Beautiful instrument but most importantly that was some tasty playing!!! Encore, encore!!!

----------


## Charles Johnson

Pics of my early (1981) Grit Laskin OM. 20 inch scale length. It was built for the owner of Unicorn Tonewoods in Toronto, hence the inlay. Its Macasser ebony back/sides.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> Pics of my early (1981) Grit Laskin OM. 20 inch scale length. It was built for the owner of Unicorn Tonewoods in Toronto, hence the inlay. Its Macasser ebony back/sides.


That's peculiar. A 10-stringer I'd normally call a cittern, not an OM, though the scale length seems very short for a cittern. On the other hand, one string seems to be missing - should we call it a Waldzither, then? The fretboard looks very wide compared to the body - what is the width at the nut? How is the instrument tuned? Soundclip? What is the bridge made of?

So many questions, so much curiosity...  :Grin: 

Bertram

----------


## magnetite

Left to right.
Gypsy Spirit - spruce & maple.
Petersen Level 2 bouzouki - spruce & rosewood with redwood rosette and maple binding. 25.4" strung in octaves and tuned GDAD.
Flatiron 3MC - spruce & flamed maple. 23.5" strung in unison and tuned GDAE.
All keepers.
One day I'll add a nice woody sounding walnut OM.

----------


## danb

> That's peculiar. A 10-stringer I'd normally call a cittern, not an OM, though the scale length seems very short for a cittern.


Well indeed, they make a nice GDAEA or GDADA instrument. My Sobell is 20 3/4" scale with that tuning. Stefan calls mine both a "large bodied mandola" and a "Cittern"

----------


## Markkunkel

> Well indeed, they make a nice GDAEA or GDADA instrument.


or even GDAEB, and then things get even more interesting.  Or perhaps interesting in a different way...

MK

----------


## JeffD

> I have a Darnton OM and a Sobell Irish Bouzouki (one of the 3 flat tops Stephan has built!)  Here is a front shot of them, picture of my father (foreground) and his family in the 30's above the instruments.
> 
> Clark


Here is another picture of that Sobell, before Clark bought it. Also a Flatiron pre-Gibson, mandola.

----------


## red7flag

Here is a picture of my Lebeda Dola and Weber Octar. I love them both.

----------


## Michael Wolf

> I have a Darnton OM and a Sobell Irish Bouzouki (one of the 3 flat tops Stephan has built!)


Interesting that he has built only three of them. I know were another one is: Michael Lempelius here in Germany has it. He´s a fine player and he´s indeed a fulltime Bouzouki player.

----------


## clarksavage

Thanks for that note, Michael.  I spoke to Stefan last year, when I had some repairs done by Paul Hostetter, and he told me he'd made 3 as far as he could recall.  He said he only knew where one of them was, he was happy to hear that this one was out in California.  

Clark

----------


## deadsteam

:Laughing: My siminoff mandola

----------


## violmando

Ok, it's not a CBOM, but it PLAYS just like a 4 string mandocello....in fact, I'm practicing my mandocello orchestra parts on it to get used to holding it. It does have a removable leg (more on that in a minute) but even with that and that rubber shelf liner that lap dulcimer players use, it's like trying to strum a LARGE round watermelon on your lap!

This is my bass domra that I had shipped from the Ukraine via eBay; QUITE a project!  It needed the leg--the local violin doctor rigged up a cello endpin so that it can be put in and put out; a wine cork plugs the hole when not in use.  The saddle and nut were worn down to the quick, so my husband carved new ones out of a piece of ebony; he's a woodcarver, but had never done anything for an instrument before!  And then one of the tuners--in sets of two each side--were shot, so we had a HECK of a time getting new ones.  Nothing we could find was the right size--grovers, etc.  A local guitar shop let him go through their boxes of tuners and he found 4 new ones that he was able to shorten enough to work.  All we have left now is refinshing the scroll. It has a set of Thomastik mandocello strings (another bass domra player says he prefers them to regular domra strings) and it sounds GREAT!  The stretch is just a little more than my Larson/Stahl mandocello, but it's a small one.   Balkan camp is about 7 weeks away and I can't wait to play this in an ensemble! Yvonne

----------


## martinedwards

OK then, here y'go.

I made two of these to a client request.  he wanted a copy of a Sobell Bouzar.  he got one (with a Takamine cool tube preamp in it) and I kept the second.

Back & sides E I Rosewood, top Engleman Spruce, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard & bridge.  Scale is 25 1/2" nut, 40mm

there's a really cheap piezo under the saddle and an equally cheap 4 band eq preamp on the top edge that went in after these pics were taken.

after taking the tip off my middle finger 7 weeks ago I've been playing this a LOT rather than trying to unlearn 30 years of muscle memory of where chords are on a guitar!!

I'm hoping to be playing in church again in a couple of weeks.

----------


## first string

Congrats, that's a nice looking instrument. I've always loved the idea of the bouzar myself. Seems like the best of both worlds in a lot of ways. Of course a guitar will probably always remain the ideal instrument for fingerpicking, but when you get out the flatpick it's nice to have the fifths tuning, and the power that comes from double courses. I best with the pin bridge and large body (for a CBOM) that that thing rings like a bell.

----------


## newf playing a mando

> Just got a Trinity College myself.  Ran in to one at the bluegrass shop a few weeks ago and fell in love.


i just got the same octave. I love the sound

----------


## Mandobar

martin, i love that.  could you made me one?

----------


## martinedwards

> martin, i love that.  could you made me one?


I COULD...........

pm sent  :Wink:

----------


## Mandobar

right back at you. :Mandosmiley:

----------


## dwhitty

Enjoying my Glen Reid Mandola, Spruce top with Cherry Back/sides and a Walnut "wedge" up the back. Fantastic tone. Had it built with a 4 inch depth (for great bottom end), and a sound port on top, for loud sessions, to help me hear myself better

 Dale

----------


## dwhitty

This is absolutely the best sounding (and playing) Bouzouki I have ever played (and I have played quite a few). Peter Abnetts' attention to detail and Craftsmanship is impecciable. This is his ("dished back") Spruce and rosewood model.     Dale

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Hey Bertram, mine's bigger than your's... Fylde long-scale Archtop Bouzouki.  Big booming sound - bit of a stretch though for my small fingers...

----------


## Bertram Henze

Well, Eddie, if you think size matters ...  :Laughing: 
Normally I answer to that: My OM ends where zouks have their capo.
Takes no long tool to make a loud boom - watch this scene.

But seriously, should I ever get too old to play melody, I'd get me one of those. And I am confident you will post something audible in a thread near us soon?

Bertram

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Here you go Bertram.  And I'll  never be too old to play melody... I just need the variation... I'm no Roger Landes or Alec Finn but here's a little of both melody and cadence... On the FYLDE LongScale Archtop Bouzouki - pardon my inadequate finger-span...

----------


## Bertram Henze

Oooh yes, that's about what I expected, that GRRONNNG from Penrith, Cumbria at its finest. Your melody shortcuts are quite beyond what I do, but it makes me confident that even I could play most tunes with that machine - once I got used to the scale, that is (27", wasn't it?).
Standard question: tuning and string gauges?

Bertram

----------


## danb

> or even GDAEB, and then things get even more interesting.  Or perhaps interesting in a different way...
> 
> MK


You know what, after having tried several of these beasts.. uh.. I guess 5 differnt 10-stringers.. They all seem to sound best if you keep them to 4 5ths and 1 4th. Low D then GDAE or low G then DAEA. I've not found one that was completely happy with 5 courses in 5ths. Maybe some of these fan fretted dealies we keep seeing sustain all those courses correctly.. but so far I've not heard one not lacking in either the bass or treble if you try to stretch it too far

----------


## Fliss

> Here you go Bertram.  And I'll  never be too old to play melody... I just need the variation... I'm no Roger Landes or Alec Finn but here's a little of both melody and cadence... On the FYLDE LongScale Archtop Bouzouki - pardon my inadequate finger-span...


Really nice video, Eddie, thanks for sharing.  Do you mind if I ask what tuning you use on that?  I have a long-scale bouzouki/cittern that I'm trying to get to grips with, and I too have an inadequate finger-span so will welcome any hints and tips  :Smile: 

Fliss

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Bertram and Fliss, the tuning is GDAD.  I'm not sure of the string guages - but they are a tad lighter than GHS PF285 - the A course is unwound.  The Scale length is a tad over 26".

----------


## Fliss

Cheers Eddie.

Having mentioned my cittern/bouzouki (or blarge as it is also known) I'd better post some pics - I've posted these in other threads, but not this one yet.  It's a Manson blarge, made in 1979, with a new top put on it by Andy Manson around 2 or 3 years ago. I've had it a couple of months now so I've still got my "L" plates on  :Smile:   I've currently got it tuned CGCGC but I'm beginning to think that DGDAD might be more useful.

Fliss

----------


## BriTrudeau

This is my new Zouk I had made to my specs by Cas Davey over here in the UK. It`s a Cedar top with rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge. It`s got an L R Baggs Element pickup inside. It sounds great, such a full,loud sound with plenty of everything. It`s about 3 times as loud as my old TC. Sorry bout the `jaggy` pics. Wouldn`t let me load the nice ones. This is the one I`m having problems finding a good case for.Bri

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

My Fylde is similarily shaped and has a custom-made case by Mike Mullen of Dublin.  My Richard Beard bouzouki has a Cedar Creek custom case.  Alternately, a banjo case might do.  Most of the zook players I know use gig-bags.

----------


## Fliss

> This is my new Zouk I had made to my specs by Cas Davey over here in the UK. It`s a Cedar top with rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge. It`s got an L R Baggs Element pickup inside. It sounds great, such a full,loud sound with plenty of everything. It`s about 3 times as loud as my old TC. Sorry bout the `jaggy` pics. Wouldn`t let me load the nice ones. This is the one I`m having problems finding a good case for.Bri


Kingham make very nice custom cases for all kinds of instruments - I have one for one of my parlour guitars:

http://kingham.merion.co.uk/

Nice zouk btw  :Smile:  

Fliss

----------


## BriTrudeau

Thanks guys. It`ll have to be cheapish. I`ve used up all my money getting the Zouk!

----------


## Dave Weiss

Guess I'll show it off here too. This is my Koa backed Big Muddy mandola, there's also a picture of my walnut Big Muddy mandolin. I put them together for size comparison. I couldn't find any pics like that before I ordered mine and thought someone else might be interested...

----------


## Oliver R

What kind of straps are on those Dave?

----------


## Dave Weiss

Oliver, I make the straps myself. It's a very simple design and quite easy to make. I'd be happy to post pictures and instructions if you're interested.

----------


## Oliver R

Yes, that would be great Dave, they look really good.

----------


## Explorer

6-course unison-tuned shallow-body Ovation mandophone or gittern:




It is tuned, bottom to top, C2-G2-D3-A3-E4-B4, and has a 25.25" scale length. 

More details can be found here.

----------


## D.W.

Okay here it is... what's it officially called???

----------


## El Greco

Newbie Octave player here  :Redface: 

Just received my new Mendel (yes, Joe Mendel) this a.m.  I'm obviously thrilled with the sound and equally nervous to hold and play this great-sounding OM, as evidenced by my .mp3 sample. The instrument just blows my mind..

Booming G, clear highs (excuse my sloppy playing) and very resonant.  This is a great instrument Joe.  Thank you very much for devoting your time to building these awesome OMs.  They look and sound superb -- I now have Joe's 09-004 model. (http://jmendelfrets.com/Sub_ForSale.aspx

Now I have to practice, practice, practice to match the capabilities of this instrument. I'm sure I'll be reporting more about my new Mendel OM shortly.

Thanks again Joe!

----------


## Carolie

This is mine that's still on layaway. I own 1/3 of it, but I'm not sure which 1/3. :Laughing: 

Let's see if I can link the video of it being played from You Tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QQW4...layer_embedded

Carolyn

----------


## Gerry Cassidy

Very nice, Carolie! You are gonna have some serious fun playing that one. 

Sure do wish my first OM had been as nice as that one.  :Smile: 

Congrats!

----------


## Steve-o

Carolie,
That's an interesting concept OM.  Does it have 3 sound holes?  (If so, you already own one of them!)  I hope your wait is not too long.

----------


## Johncittern

My new cittern made by Marc Boluda http://pagesperso-orange.fr/boluda/en-cadreaccueil.htm
Still looking for the right tuning : DGDAD or CGDAE  :Grin: 

(click twice on the pictures to have the big one)

----------


## chinatogalway

Here is my old Abnett, about 8 years old now and sounding better than ever.

Kieron

----------


## Fliss

What a beauty!  That's a very elegant looking instrument you have there, Kieron  :Smile:  

Fliss

----------


## chinatogalway

the abnet followed alot of the dimensions from Donal Lunny's , although Donal was a flat back. It is very small bodied and a very thin neck, only 40 at the 12th fret.....love it

Kieron

----------


## James Sanford

Here is my H5 copy which I am really enjoying.  This is my 7th build and it is the best I have done to this point.  Still needs some refinement as to fit and finish but it plays very well and has good sound.  My first attempt at playing mandola and I still need to get used to the different chord positions.

----------


## Keith Erickson

> 6-course unison-tuned shallow-body Ovation mandophone or gittern:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is tuned, bottom to top, C2-G2-D3-A3-E4-B4, and has a 25.25" scale length. 
> 
> More details can be found here.


Very Super Cool!!!!!    :Cool:

----------


## Markkunkel

Now that my stable has stabilized (!) a bit, I thought I'd pass along an updated set of pics.  Man, what fun.  From longest to shortest scale, it's:

1. A 25.5" guitar-bodied pinned bridge OM made by Ben Vierra of North Carolina, cedar over maple and very very nice:





2.  A 23" scale Foley cittern, walnut back and sides and cedar top and all kinds of very cool features:








to be continued....

----------


## Markkunkel

3. This 21.5" scale Old Wave guitar-bodied OM...what a sweet and lively instrument this one is!







4. this cool 21" cittern from Herb Taylor, bearclaw spruce over Indian Rosewood:





and stay tuned...

----------


## Markkunkel

5. a 20" Michael Berg (there is an interesting artist story...) cittern, cedar top and mahogany back and sides:







(alas, this one is for sale in the classifieds)...

6. an 18" or so scale restored Waldzither, which I presently have tuned GDAEB (as are the other five-course instruments as well):






I'm a player, not a collector, but surely am having fun giving lots of different instruments a try.  I'll try to pass along some sound sample comparisons later as well...

Happy picking,

Mark

----------


## Steve-o

Mark,
Wow, the drool factor is very high on your stable.  :Disbelief:  Thanks for letting them out of the barn for show and tell.  I don't suppose you would rank them in order of preference (kind of like asking a parent to rank their children - they're all different, unique, and special in their own way).

----------


## sgarrity

That Old Wave is beautiful.  I have serious OMAS for one of those!

----------


## acruzn

> Here is my old Abnett, about 8 years old now and sounding better than ever.
> 
> Kieron


that is a nice looking CBOM!

Here is a photo showing a contrasting look at  my Gypsy OM and my Traveler mandolin. The Gypsy is a 20" scale length and the Traveler is a 13 7/8'. That is a standard leather guitar strap on the Gypsy.

----------


## Markkunkel

> Mark,
>  I don't suppose you would rank them in order of preference (kind of like asking a parent to rank their children - they're all different, unique, and special in their own way).


Hi, Steve...you got it.  For rhythmic voicings and vocal accompaniment, and even some leads, the Vierra does great.  The Old Wave is just something very very special, both aesthetically and sonically, and can be brash (to use a word from another thread) or quite dignified and sweet.  It has some lessons to teach me, I think.  The five-course instruments are all different and wonderful, and I enjoy being able to capo at the fifth fret and move up a course to get some mandolin-like voicings (and in fact I am selling my remaining nice mandolin for that reason).  The Foley is terrifically traditional, with that sharp and jangly Irish voice, but again can be warm and sweet.  The carved-top Taylor is much more dimensional and "round" sounding, less loud but plentry present.  The Berg is surprisingly full, for a 20" instrument, and of course the shorter length makes it very easy to get around on tunes (even the odd reel or two).  And the Waldzither is just plain cool.  We do a version of "Little Musgrave" in our group and to hear that old-timey sound is to do justice to this old old story, maybe.

So, lots of fun...and thanks for your interest, 

Mark

----------


## Markkunkel

> That Old Wave is beautiful.  I have serious OMAS for one of those!


You know, Shaun, I was hunting an archtop guitar body OM for a while and even contemplated doing a tenor guitar conversion, but when Bill Bussman responded to my "want to buy" ad with this one, I was hooked.  It is jaw-dropping gorgeous and has sound and playability to match.  I think Old Waves are just in that upper rarified atmosphere of world-class instruments (not that others aren't, of course)....

Hope you find one if that's where your OMAS lands you! 

Mark

----------


## Markkunkel

> that is a nice looking CBOM!
> 
> Here is a photo showing a contrasting look at  my Gypsy OM and my Traveler mandolin. The Gypsy is a 20" scale length and the Traveler is a 13 7/8'. That is a standard leather guitar strap on the Gypsy.


Very cool, Angel!  I remember your diligent seeking for the right instruments and am happy that you landed with these...

Enjoy!

Mark

----------


## acruzn

> Very cool, Angel!  I remember your diligent seeking for the right instruments and am happy that you landed with these...
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Mark


thanks Mark, i think so too!  :Smile: 

the Gypsy is about the same scale length as my cuatro and i feel comfortable doing some chords. also the lower tones as well as the resonance are very attractive to me.  i still think about getting a cittern but i need to work on these two, especially the OM, before letting my mind go floating again.

BTW, you do have some nice CBOMS. seems like you are in CBOM heaven w/ all of those guys.  :Mandosmiley:

----------


## acruzn

> Very nice, Carolie! You are gonna have some serious fun playing that one. 
> 
> Sure do wish my first OM had been as nice as that one. 
> 
> Congrats!


Gerry,

obviously, you have made up for starting low.  :Grin: 

thanks for your help. i told Walt that you made me get the OM from him.  :Whistling:   :Whistling:

----------


## sgarrity

> You know, Shaun, I was hunting an archtop guitar body OM for a while and even contemplated doing a tenor guitar conversion, but when Bill Bussman responded to my "want to buy" ad with this one, I was hooked.


Is that the one he had available recently?  Bill told me someone had backed out of an order and he had one on hand.  Unfortunately I was not in the position to buy one immediately.  Good snag on your part!  I owned one of his oval A-style mandos a few years back and it is one I wish I had back.

----------


## JCLondonUK

:Disbelief: 

Mark, _beautiful_ instruments! Thanks for posting the pictures!  :Smile: 

The Old Wave, in particular, looks like something extra special.  I've played Old Wave mandolins, but don't have one.  They are spectacular instruments, but your entire stable is something else.

Great post!  :Smile:

----------


## Markkunkel

Yep, Shaun, that's the one.  And Bill (whose last name I regret misspelling earlier...it's BUSSMANN) was so wonderful to work with.

Thanks, all, for your appreciation of the instruments.  One hesitates, given the anonymity of internet forums in which motives may be impugned other than those intended, but I have surely appreciated others' sharing of their joy in their instruments.

I confess that my approach has been to bargain-hunt and to trade up whenever possible, working from a limited pool of instrument funds generated by sales of all save one of my guitars (I'm a college teacher with the resulting vow of poverty, after all).  I felt somewhat less excessive when we hosted a cello player recently at our home to work our way through some O'Carolan's, and she told me what her BOW cost: more than my instruments combined, it turns out.  

So it's all fun.

Looking forward to seeing some others' instruments come out of the, er, woodwork.

Mark

----------


## Ben Vierra

"For rhythmic voicings and vocal accompaniment, and even some leads, the Vierra does great."

Thanks for the kind words, Mark.  It's a lot of fun to see the other members of your little flock after hearing your descriptions of them.  And I agree with others, that Old Wave is a real attention-grabber!  Thanks for sharing!

Cheers,
Ben

----------


## Mandoviol

I unfortunately don't play a CBOM, but I can tell you, this thread is making me jealous!

----------


## danb

Here're some more pictures of my 10-string orange 21" scale sobell

----------

Denman John

----------


## danb

Here's a youtube clip I did on it a while back too

----------


## Goodin

Wow Dan..that's beautiful!  How do you have it tuned?

----------


## danb

> Wow Dan..that's beautiful!  How do you have it tuned?


gdaea

----------


## Markkunkel

Beautiful instrument, beautiful playing (triplets!), Dan...

MK

----------


## Markkunkel

> "For rhythmic voicings and vocal accompaniment, and even some leads, the Vierra does great."
> 
> Thanks for the kind words, Mark.  It's a lot of fun to see the other members of your little flock after hearing your descriptions of them.  And I agree with others, that Old Wave is a real attention-grabber!  Thanks for sharing!
> 
> Cheers,
> Ben


Hi, Ben!  How nice to see you 'round these parts.  I played the guitOM some more last night, and what a sweet instrument it is.  I look forward to doing and passing along some recording.  

Thanks again, to YOU, for the talent and passion and integrity you put into your work.  It is a gift, indeed.

Mark

----------


## Tim Griffin

I am the current owner of the Vierra a couple of pages back and love it.

Cheers

----------


## Steve Baker

Hi All
I just had to show off the short-scale bouzouki that I got from the magical workshop of Roger Bucknall. It was a bit of an experiment, combining a custom neck with the body of the Fylde arch-top cittern, and the results are impressive. With a little longer scale w/lighter strings than the Octave Mandola, it really sings. Some day I hope to learn to play up to the potential of this one. 
Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate, to all.

Steve
Fylde bouzouki and tenor mandola
Graham McDonald GOM

----------


## dunwell

Irish Bouzouki Double Top in WRCedar/Adirondack over Am. Black Walnut, over teak deck chair.

----------


## Silly Moustache

Hi 

Last Thursday I received my Guitar-bouzouki ! 

It is a conversion of a small German archtop guitar. It works really well

I've (trid to)attach an image using the papaerclip thingy. Hope it shows here ! 

Silly Moustache

----------


## Steve-o

Nice to see some new additions to this thread.  Steve - what is the scale on your Fylde?  Alan - nice wood combination.  Silly Moustache, nice GOM.  I like the simple elegance.  How does it sound?

----------


## Charlieshafer

> Here're some more pictures of my 10-string orange 21" scale sobell


I don't know about the laws in England, but in Connecticut, anything that pretty is outlawed. Too many people have slipped in the drool puddles, causing injuries and the inevitable lawsuits.

----------


## Steve Baker

[QUOTE=Steve-o;869942]Nice to see some new additions to this thread.  Steve - what is the scale on your Fylde? (QUOTE]

It's 22". A little longer than the Fylde's Octave Mandola, the longer scale really opens up the sound; lots of ringing and sustain that I like. The scale length lets me reach even the high As and Bs while still allowing room for my clumsy fingers on the fretboard. Still getting to know it, but I already like it a lot.

Steve

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Sobell Cittern - c.1978:

----------


## Steve-o

> Sobell Cittern - c.1978:


Nice!

----------


## Pete Braccio

I coulda swore I posted these before, but I guess not.

Here are some photos of my Trillium Octave. Redwood top, walnut back and sides.

Pete

----------


## Marcus CA

Looks gorgeous!  Aside from saluting CA, why did you go for a redwood top?

----------


## Pete Braccio

Well, since I bought it used, that was what was available.  :Wink: 

I had been looking at Trillium's for awhile when this came on the used market two years ago.

Pete

----------


## Steve-o

Very nice Trillium Pete, and my favorite wood combination.  I bet it sounds fabulous.

----------


## Seattle Tim

I wanted to share some photos of a beautiful Octave made for me by Joe Mendel, which I just got a few weeks ago.  It has an Adirondack Spruce top, with Padauk back and sides.  Just gorgeous workmanship, and the sound is beautiful too.  Fun as all get out to play.  I've posted some more photos here, if you're interested:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/2958093...th/5310846678/

Tim

----------


## GKWilson

A Christmas present to my self.
A Mike Black O.M.

----------


## Steve-o

GKW,
Wow, congratulations!  That is one gorgeous GOM.  Is that the one with the incredible quilted maple back and side sound port?  Keep us posted on how it sounds and plays.

----------


## Dobe

Keep doing conversions & keep selling em' ! Here's the last one I wish I could've kept:

----------


## Jill McAuley

Sounds great Dobe!

Cheers,
Jill

----------


## GKWilson

Steve-O
She sounds amazing and plays like butta.
Gary

----------


## Steve-o

Dave - Very full, resonant sounding "Jumbello,"  nice picking, and interesting work you do on conversions.

Gary - Incredible back on that Black.  Enjoy the honeymoon.

----------


## Martin Jonas

Here is a different kind of cittern conversion: this is an anonymous 1920s waldzither, but rather unusual in that it has a shorter scale than most (400mm/15.75" rather than the more common 460mm/18") and in that it is a full 10-stringer rather than the typical nine strings.  Original string configuration was 2-2-2-2-1-1, i.e. two separate bass strings tuned to different drone notes. One of the basses was fretted, the other unfretted like on a harp guitar (the nut had an extension sticking out beyond the edge of the fretboard). I replaced the nut and set it up as a five-course instrument tuned in fifths, CGDAE, i.e. a mandola/mandolin hybrid. A bit shrill on the E course (it's a .008 gauge), but it works pretty well over the whole range.

I converted this one severla years ago, but it's been sitting unplayed in a cupboard because I couldn't think of good applications for it.  Yesterday, I think I found one -- it's great for medieval dance tunes.  The tone is just right -- bright, slightly brittle and ancient-sounding -- and the extra range from the low C course makes it possible to transpose tunes down and up with ease.  Here are two clips I made yesterday, each of them starting on the top of the cittern range and then being transposed down a fifth after each repetition, right down to the bottom of the range of the instrument.





Martin

----------


## mattdooman

anyone know why I posted a pic of my bouzouki yesterday and its gone today?

----------


## mattdooman

My new Johnson bouzouki.

----------


## rhodesyman

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here so thought I'd add some pics of my Nigel Forster (www.nkforsterguitars.com) Archtop Zouk for you all.  Most of these pics have been taken on my iPhone, so aren't the best quality sorry!  However there's one here which was taken at a recent photo shoot by Simon Lees (www.justsimon.com) with a real camera!



I had this beautiful instrument made for me a good 3-4 years ago now, and I've loved every single minute of playing it.  It's got an LR Baggs Element pickup built in to the bridge which has performed ok over the years, but recently I've been looking for something a bit better.

After speaking with Nigel recently,  and with some kind advice from Ian Stephenson, I've decided to get a 'hexaphonic' style RMC pickup installed.  This not only will be a much nicer natural sounding pickup compared to the Baggs, it will also give me some flexibility to play with some fancy new toys such as maybe some guitar-to-MIDI type effects.  I'm actually considering using the multi-string output of the pickup to route the lower string on it's own through an Octave pedal for fattening up the sound on occasion.  I've heard it done with guitars but not with a zouk before.  We shall see...

Here's a YouTube of Ian showing this RMC pickup off on his Forster Model S Guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2VVY_jcrzQ

I'm afraid I don't have any decent videos of the zouk itself, as most videos I have are taken at gigs involving big sound systems which don't do the instrument justice through a video camera.  However here's one that was taken of me and a few pals jamming during a lunchtime gig in Wales a few years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5ifnYa9Y7c

Anyway, I hope you like the pics!

Adam.
www.kciom.com
www.jamiesmithsmabon.com

----------


## Kyle Baker

wow... that forster bouzouki looks amazing! There's just something about it that looks really awesome.

----------


## Kyle Baker

I thought I'd added mine but I guess not.
This is a Jack Spira Irish bouzouki made for me in 2010. The body has nicely figured blackwood back and sides. Sitka spruce top, and rosewood bindings.  The rampant lion inlay was a personal touch that matches a tattoo on my left forearm.
So far I've been very happy with this one!











-Kyle Baker

----------

Denman John

----------


## sgarrity

That Spira is gorgeous.  I especially love the inlay.  I've wanted a lion tattoo for a long time but I'm too much of a chicken!    :Chicken:    LOL

Your playing sounds wonderful as well!

----------


## Jason Stein

1918 Gibson K4 Mandocello

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> 1918 Gibson K4 Mandocello


Lovely!  How long  have you had it?  I would have to imagine it sounds awesome.   The one thing about those pre-1921 mandocellos though was the hefty neck.  How do you find that?

I had a chance to buy one that had be converted to a guitar about 10 -12 years ago.  It was hanging in a local music store.  If the price had not been way too high (considering it was no longer an original vintage Gibson) I'd have purchased it and converted it back.  That is a close as I've come to having one.  Do you have matching F-4 and H-4?

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> I thought I'd added mine but I guess not.
> This is a Jack Spira Irish bouzouki made for me in 2010. The body has nicely figured blackwood back and sides. Sitka spruce top, and rosewood bindings.  The rampant lion inlay was a personal touch that matches a tattoo on my left forearm.
> So far I've been very happy with this one!  
> -Kyle Baker


I can well imagine that you are pleased!  The woods and the finish are awesome but the Lion Rampant inlay is over the top!!  You are of the Scottish lineage I suppose?

----------


## Steve-o

Jason,
Beautiful K4 and fantastic vintage look in that photo.  Nice!

----------


## Bernie Daniel

> Here is my H5 copy which I am really enjoying.  This is my 7th build and it is the best I have done to this point.  Still needs some refinement as to fit and finish but it plays very well and has good sound.  My first attempt at playing mandola and I still need to get used to the different chord positions.



James, I was going through this tread catching up and saw your H-5 copy.  That is a awesome build.  How is it doing now?

----------


## Jason Stein

> Lovely!  How long  have you had it?  I would have to imagine it sounds awesome.   The one thing about those pre-1921 mandocellos though was the hefty neck.  How do you find that?
> 
> I had a chance to buy one that had be converted to a guitar about 10 -12 years ago.  It was hanging in a local music store.  If the price had not been way too high (considering it was no longer an original vintage Gibson) I'd have purchased it and converted it back.  That is a close as I've come to having one.  Do you have matching F-4 and H-4?


Hi Bernie,

I've had it since December 2010 and it does sound great.  The neck is hefty but it doesn't bother me -- I've been playing some Indian instruments (sursringar, sitar) that have thicker necks so I am used to the heft.  The biggest challenge is using the pinky on the C and G strings.  The strings are thick and require a lot of pinky strength to get a clean note.  I don't have a matching F-4 and H-4 -- this is my first vintage Gibson!

Steve -- thank you for your comments!

-- Jason

----------


## Clement Barrera-Ng

> Jason,
> Beautiful K4 and fantastic vintage look in that photo.  Nice!


I was thinking that same thing well. Even though I was immediately taken by the K4, everything in the picture just intrigues me to no end. All the lovely pieces - the ornate music stand, vintage design chair, and the beautiful fireplace - just go so very well together. Must be an amazing place to place an amazing instrument.

----------


## Jason Stein

> I was thinking that same thing well. Even though I was immediately taken by the K4, everything in the picture just intrigues me to no end. All the lovely pieces - the ornate music stand, vintage design chair, and the beautiful fireplace - just go so very well together. Must be an amazing place to place an amazing instrument.


Thanks Barrangatan!

----------


## jtsc

This Sutherland OM has only been in my hands a few months but it is truly a joy to play.  Just a wonderful rich tone and great looks too.  I'm a huge fan of Stephen Owsley Smith inlays and jumped on this when I saw it.  it is the Zoukfest '03 raffle mando.  Yes the photo was taken in my daughter's room (fan of Selena Gomez as you can tell).  Hopefully she can play it one day in the future.

----------


## Brent Hutto

I've had this for a week and a half now. It's one of the Trinity College octave mandolins, the model I'm sure everyone has seen before. Picked up a second-hand Allen tailpiece to replace the stock one with the little cover that I hate. At the moment I'm using J80 strings and mostly playing in ADAE, sometime AEAE tunings.

The strap is pretty cool, it's one I recently acquired to try on my mandolin as it's a bit longer than the one I normally use. Did not like the longer length so it was sitting unused and just happens to be a perfect match for the OM. One of Sully's "Vintage" creations.

----------


## Scanbran

This is my Moon octave, bought in July last year, and sadly a bit underused, although I hope to remedy that this year.
Spruce over maple, rosewood fingerboard and mahogany neck.
Scale is a shade over 21.25".

----------


## garryireland

Apc om and my guitar zouk conversion

----------

Mike Barber

----------


## NotMelloCello

> 


MAN! That thing looks so cool!

----------


## lucho

I may have too many...... http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=70

----------


## Theo W.

> I may have too many...... http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=70


That's a spectacular gallery you have there. The amount of history in those instruments is stunning!

----------


## GKWilson

Very impressive collection lucho.
Makes me feel better about my meager few.
Love the Hurdy Gurdy. I've been thinking of
building one.
Gary

----------


## Bertram Henze

> I may have too many...... http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/album.php?albumid=70


And you play them all?  :Whistling:

----------


## lucho

of course I do play them.... but not often enough....... Saturdays I do play them to keep tuning  for one hr. selecting which one I will play with my Choir on sunday morning

----------


## lucho

History and how different these instruments sounded were the reasons how I started collecting old axes of pre  II WW.... In those days just tenor banjos and mandolins.... and through trading and exchanges I have built this collection....  10 years ago my string collection looked somewhat different... http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/en...uments-amp-MAS

----------


## Jim Nollman

This is a four string mandola by Bill Bussman, tuned as an octave using Thomastik starks. The kent armstrong pickup has an ebony cover. The sound is wonderful, the build quality superb.

----------

Charlieshafer, 

Rob Zamites, 

robert.najlis

----------


## SGraham

My new Mann carved-top flatback mandola arrived. Red spruce top, maple back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, Cumberland Acoustics bridge, 16" scale. I have it strung up right now with D'Addario EFT76 flat top strings. It has a really nice tubby darkish voice. It's hanging on the stand with my '99 Flatiron Festival. Sorry about my poor photography skills. I'll post a sound file when I figure out how to. This is my first mandola, and I'm having a great time playing it.

----------


## robert.najlis

> This is a four string mandola by Bill Bussman, tuned as an octave using Thomastik starks. The kent armstrong pickup has an ebony cover. The sound is wonderful, the build quality superb.


I would be very interested in hearing how that sounds...

----------


## Rob Zamites

Still work to be done (lots of it!):

23.5" scale, uke in there for perspective  :Whistling:

----------


## Dan Krhla



----------


## Lord of the Badgers

> Very impressive collection lucho.
> Makes me feel better about my meager few.
> Love the Hurdy Gurdy. I've been thinking of
> building one.
> Gary


*pedant alert* 
it's a Symphonie... to be exact...
I currently have a hurdy made from a large african gourd. Great fun, and a doddle to play once you get a handle on the pressure needed on the tangents. 
It's the mastering it... that's the problem!

----------


## Ronny

The waldzither on the left is now fully stringed and playable. (Pictures of the restoration are on my profile).
And I'm restoring this one :

This one is smaller than the previous ones.

----------


## DavidKOS

Here's my Sakis Greek Bouzouki, tuned CFAD, with Saavas pickup:

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

A Sobell 10-stringer - 20" scale:

----------


## Markkunkel

Nice snag, Eddie. You certainly have an eye out for instruments, and it's a joy to hear your impressions of them.  Look forward to your sense of this one.  GDAEA, maybe?

Mark

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

Thanks Mark.  It was GDADA when I got but I dropped it to FCGDA for now.  I may consider going to GDAEB - I haven't much use for dropped tunings these days and prefer to play in fifths vertically...

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

A Steven Owsley Smith 24" Scale 10-string:

----------


## Steve-o

Thanks for buying that SOS Eddie so I am no longer tempted.  I'd love to hear sound clips.

----------


## Ronny

Finished, at last !! (Thuringer Waldzither/walddoline)

----------


## Holger

Beautiful instrument! 
Sorry to correct you. A Walddoline is not a Waldzither. Walddoline is the mandolin of the former Böhm factory. Like this: 

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=h...IVywgsCh3wHANo

----------


## Denman John

Looking through this thread and realized I haven't put a picture of mine in yet.  22" scale OM made by Lawrence Nyberg.

----------

Mike Anderson

----------


## Lord of the Badgers

I'll show you my new one very soon, by the sounds of it...  :Smile:

----------

Denman John

----------


## dulcillini



----------


## Scot63

Here's my recently restored Götz mandola—from the heyday of Markneukirchen instruments.

----------


## fplucker

Here's the OM I just completed from one of Don Kawalek's kits. I love the way it plays and sounds but am still getting used to those long stretches.

----------


## derbex

Nice job, I bet it sounds as good as it looks. Time to get your little finger going!

----------


## fplucker

> Time to get your little finger going!


No kidding! I thought I used it a lot playing flute but it has really been getting a workout the last couple days.

----------


## Michael Thompson

A few pics of my Weber Yellowstone HT 'cello.

----------

Charlieshafer, 

Galileo, 

Marcus CA

----------


## jdsobol

Curious about the Sobell--did Stefan make that for you custom? As far as I know he's only made one other pin-bridge bouzouki. How does it sound compared to his usual floating bridge design?




> Fun to see these instruments. Here's my Sobell 4 course cittern (or long scale bouzouki, I suppose!) and on the right is the Darnton Octave Mandolin. 
> 
> Clark

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

> Curious about the Sobell--did Stefan make that for you custom? As far as I know he's only made one other pin-bridge bouzouki. How does it sound compared to his usual floating bridge design?


That's a 2008 post you referenced...

----------


## ollaimh

my funky 10 string octave, with round back,  an american made(i think) luito cantibele




my late rennaisance cittern--a work house for the ren faires or busking

  my laskin 10 string

i haven't got a picture of my nathan curry which is a carved top sobel copy --sort of

----------


## ollaimh

a cute waldzither i restored

haven't got pictures of a couple of others,  but that will do

----------


## ollaimh

and nathan curry cittern pictures!!!


now common guys show off a few--these are my 10 or 9 strings.  i'll do 8 strings if anyone else posts.

----------


## ollaimh

and ready for the renaisance?  a john rose replica pandore and opharion--tuned like lutes(yes i occasionally play lute, so lute music is easily transfered.  as is guitar music/

----------


## ollaimh

i've got the cousin of that

the ultimate canuck folkie instrument--with the logger riding the river drive on the head stock.  great sound as well.  i like the driving response of flattops

----------


## fox

I built this one a few months ago......

----------


## ollaimh

a 22 inch scale irish bouzouki by terry warby from salt spring island.  heavy body, cedar top, pau fero back and sides(sometimes called bolivian rosewood--but it's not a rosewood)  terry doesn't make many instruments any more as he makes more money making jewelry. he is a multitalented craftsman.  i missed the chance to get one thirty years ago then this came up in a victoria store a few years ago!!  a really great sounding bouzouki.  slightly slack tension so you get the wang of a greek bouzouki, crossed with the twang of an octave mandolin.  a lucky find.

----------


## ollaimh

i hope better pictures of the nathan curry cittern.   21.5 inch scale. high tension with carved top, carved from a piece of west coast cedar he found on vancouver island's west coast trail.. much like the density of port orford cedar.  thick top.  so it is punchy and tight tension like a mandolin with the over tones of the carved top.

and i hope better pics of the laskin--strung in octaves with slightly lower tension and a 20 inch scale so it has a slightly bouzouki tone, while having the responsiveness of a red spruce top.  i love playing them all.

----------

Lord of the Badgers

----------


## Denman John

These are some pictures that Lawrence Nyberg took when he finished it almost 2 years ago ...

     

If anyone wants to try it out, I'll be at Wintergrass next month with it  :Mandosmiley:

----------

Lord of the Badgers

----------


## Lord of the Badgers

Adding this here even though it has already had its own thread, but in the spirit of CBOM showy-offy here's a one of the shots (again) of my beautiful, beautiful Forster.... it has slowly become the other love of my life

----------

Denman John

----------


## Lord of the Badgers

> i hope better pictures of the nathan curry cittern.   21.5 inch scale. high tension with carved top, carved from a piece of west coast cedar he found on vancouver island's west coast trail.. much like the density of port orford cedar.  thick top.  so it is punchy and tight tension like a mandolin with the over tones of the carved top.
> 
> and i hope better pics of the laskin--strung in octaves with slightly lower tension and a 20 inch scale so it has a slightly bouzouki tone, while having the responsiveness of a red spruce top.  i love playing them all.


very interesting (re spec) - and beautiful  :Smile:

----------


## garryireland



----------


## ollaimh

i didn't know brian dean made zouks.  he makes really high end classical bowl back mandolins.  i met him a few years ago in cape breton.  nice guy, and very knowledgeable  about what makes an instrument work .   what makes different things sound better or worse..

----------


## ollaimh

thanks. they are great players, and distinctive sounding.   i bought them partially because i am canadian and these are great canadian makers, but the currie holds it's own against all the carved tops i have played--which isn't many, maybe a dozen.  the laskin is a very responsive flat top.   it's a smaller body than many newer models, but that gives it drive , i think.  and the laskin has a logger on the head stock, riding the the river drive--can't get more canuck folkie than that.

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

I picked up this beauty today... Lyon & Healy Mandocello, Ser# 325

----------

Anglocelt, 

Charlieshafer, 

colorado_al, 

Denman John, 

derbex, 

Holger, 

Kevin Stueve, 

Mandobart

----------


## billhay4

Now that's a real nice find, Eddie.
Bill

----------


## ollaimh

> I picked up this beauty today... Lyon & Healy Mandocello, Ser# 325


wow, you have the best stuff!

----------


## ollaimh

> I picked up this beauty today... Lyon & Healy Mandocello, Ser# 325


what kind of scale and string dimensions does that take?  can it be an octave mandolin? or would that kill the tone?

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

It takes D'Addario J78's.  The nut is 1 5/8" wide, Scale Length is just under 26".  I wouldn't dream of using it for anything else than a booming mandocello - CCGGDDAA.

----------

Holger

----------


## ollaimh

> It takes D'Addario J78's.  The nut is 1 5/8" wide, Scale Length is just under 26".  I wouldn't dream of using it for anything else than a booming mandocello - CCGGDDAA.


i would love to hear it.   you really do find the best stuff.  i'm jealous. the pickins are slim in eastern canada.

----------


## KevinThomas

> It takes D'Addario J78's.  The nut is 1 5/8" wide, Scale Length is just under 26".  I wouldn't dream of using it for anything else than a booming mandocello - CCGGDDAA.



That is just gorgeous. It's like the mandocello of my dreams just popped up onto the screen. It must have a huge voice.

----------


## Ronny

I finished the refurbishing of this waldzither last week... I'm just waiting for the string to start playing it !

----------

bbcee

----------


## chuck3

there is a CBOM in there somewhere ...

----------


## Freddyfingers

This is a Big Muddy M16.  It is truly loved.  Mike was one of the easiest people to work with, and that alone would make this a great Mandola.  But the sound is exactly what I was looking for, the rosewood gives it a mellow tone which I like for the blues.  But I play it in many different places with many different styles.   With a k an k inside, I can Ho anywhere      This instrument makes melodies come out of no where when I play it.  It's my muse.

----------


## colorado_al

I converted this Blueridge BR-40TCE tenor to an Octave Mandolin. Fun project and super fun to play!


Check out my conversion thread here:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-OM-conversion

----------


## bbcee

Another member of the waldzither mafia ... a 30's Pluckthun with a wide body & almost-20" scale, modified by Jake Wildwood. It's a gas to play and it records really well.

----------

Ronny

----------


## Ronny

I love the little picture right under the soundhole of these waldzithers !

----------


## Justin Burrows

Daniel Brauchli Cittern. 21.3" scale, Englemann spruce top, Tassie Oak back, neck, and sides. Tuned GDGDG.

----------


## Kieron

here's a few 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]148027

----------

Steve-o

----------


## Kieron

part 2


enjoy

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## NotMelloCello

Dang, dude! Looks like you're a hoarder.

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## Tom Liston

This finally came last week. It may be one of the last Gallatin Cellos made from Weber. Maple back and sides. Plays great, looks great and it's just a kick. Not a super clear pic but you get the idea. Will post some vids at some point.

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Eddie Sheehy

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## Classicalcomp

That's a beauty.  I have a blonde gallatin and love it.  You might consider replacing the tailpiece with a more trapeze style.  It makes mine so much easier to switch out the strings and I get great tone and sustain with it.

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## jdsobol

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

From a cbom orgy at Randy Clepper's house in Columbus OH.

That's Randy's Sobell 10-string rubbing shoulders with my Sobell 12-string. Behind us stands my Sobell 10-string, then to the right are three of Randy's that he would need to explain. I believe the middle one is his main axe, a Thomas Davis 10-string.

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## loess

Here's my Foley 10-stringer made in April 1997. 22.8"/58cm scale length. Been playing in GDADA, but I'm ready to order some new strings for a tuning change. Hoping I can I get a low D on there for DGDAD/DGDGD without it sounding too floppy. Thinking of going with .059w 047w .032w .020w .014 from low to high.

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billhay4

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## Seter

I'm a newcomer here, seems a good thread to introduce myself. I've been playing guitar/bass for 15 years and recently decided to get a Hora Irish bouzouki, came here for the bouzouki resources. All the mandolin talk has me tempted to get a mandolin as well though. The Hora seems about what you'd expect, I had to cut notches myself for the C strings (I tune/play it in Greek manner) but has a nice action, decent sound etc, worth the money I paid for it. I'd like to get a nicer bouzouki at some point and tune one in the Irish manner. Looking forward to learning a lot about various assorted stringed instruments here. :Mandosmiley:

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## foldedpath

Seter, welcome to the forum, and that's a cool-looking 'zouk!

And yes, of course you need a mandolin too!  :Wink:

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Seter

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## michaelcj

Top center by Mr. Austin Clark. love it.

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## Themis Paraskevas

The whole family.

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Denman John

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## derbex

Great looking family, talk us through them please.

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## Themis Paraskevas

Well lets see, theres a Knorr mandolin on the left and a Suzuki MD4 mandola on the right side, both owned by the orchestra i play in. In the middle you can see my alhambra guitar and my suziki mandocello mc375

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## Eddie Sheehy

@Loess:  You might need a .065 for that bass course...

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## Tim Lee

Last week I was able to take home my personal custom ResoOctave built by ResoDude. We collaborated on the art and design of the mandolin. Rob pulled out all the stops on the build. The concept was to make it look like it's been around a long, long time (similar to much of my artwork) it's a warm and loud beast that I hope to eventually tame  :Smile: 
 I hope we can work together again on another project. Rob can give you the exact scale length but I remember it being about 21.75" it has some crazy wood!

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Denman John

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## foldedpath

> Last week I was able to take home my personal custom ResoOctave built by ResoDude.


That's wild!

Also, take it from another reso guitar fanatic (at least in the guitar world)... there is no taming the beast. You just have to run with it.

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## Tim Lee

I'm getting that feeling too the more I play it. So dang fun to rattle the windows.

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## bbcee

There are so many great details, big & small, in the build. Please post a recording!

I see your Harmony? Airline? tenor lurking in the back. Just remember, she needs loving as well  :Smile:

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## Wesley Turner

Forster 2015, 22" scale. GBOM

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## Reinhardt

Nice one Wesley. I have one of Nigel's "normal" bouzoukis from 2006. Fantastic instruments.Howya gettin on with the Octave Mandolin. They're supposed to be incredibly loud!!!!!

John

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## Wesley Turner

It's grand. Love the tone, great volume. Really getting tough to pick up anything else at this point. I currently have an order in with Nigel for a carved top Mandola....

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## Turlagh



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40bpm

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## 40bpm

One Dawg 'dola deserves another. This one from Mr. Grisman's personal collection. I like.

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Turlagh

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## Pete Braccio

I've been meaning to post these for awhile. I sold my Beard Bouzouki (among other things) last year and picked up these beauties:





A Crump Octave (came in after a bit more than 2 year wait), a Nyberg bouzouki (ordered and delivered in 2016), and a 1923 Bacon and Day Tenor Banjo to scare the cats. :^)

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Chuck Leyda, 

Pete Brown

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## mandoglobal



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## Mike Anderson

Well Michael, thanks for this, because it solves a longstanding mystery for me about who designed this instrument he used with Patrick Street!






> I've just found old pics of a Bouzouki I once owned and thought it would fit in here. It's a "Stevens", made in Munich. It's their "Andy Irvine Model". In fact they have designed it together with Andy. It was a fantastic instrument. But after playing it a few years I found out that the sound that the pin brigde construction is generating wasn't my thing anymore. I wanted the tone of the floating bridge, that reminds me more on that greek bouzouki tone.

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## Mike Anderson

Posting pics for our friend ollaimh today - a 2009 Abnett he just acquired in trade. I expect he'll chime in about it, meanwhile enjoy.  :Smile:

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## ollaimh

> Posting pics for our friend ollaimh today - a 2009 Abnett he just acquired in trade. I expect he'll chime in about it, meanwhile enjoy.


great, my newish refurbished computer wouldn't post pictures. i'll figure it out.

i traded two nice instruments for this abnett. one a quite rare preston english guitar but i couldn't sell it locally and it would take forever to sell internationally. but i decided i am not a collector, i am a player and i play bouzoukis a lot. so this was a deal of a lifetime for me.  it's a powerful rich sounding zouk.  love it. and came with a calton case. i tried to get abnett to make me a cittern before he retired but he didn't want to, so this is next best. long scale. 25 3/4 inches, but i have played greek bouzoikis for decades so i am used to the longer scale.

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## Lord of the Badgers

My Davidson dola in the white...

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## derbex

Looks like it will be a winner.

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Lord of the Badgers

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## Holger

Herwiga Mandola-Cello (ca. 1920) with extended bass string
C GG dd aa ee. 
Scale length: 
Bass-string (C) - 55 cm (21.65 inches)
GG dd aa ee - 49 cm (19.29 inches)

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Claudia Amslinger, 

derbex, 

fox

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## Reinhardt

> My Davidson dola in the white...


Nice one Badger. What tuning will you use CGDA? when do you expect to get it?

John

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## Mike Black

Just finished up this one.

----------

bigbendhiker, 

Bob Clark, 

fox, 

Jim Roberts, 

Lord of the Badgers, 

pheffernan, 

Steve-o

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## Lord of the Badgers

> Nice one Badger. What tuning will you use CGDA? when do you expect to get it?
> 
> John


CGDA or CGDG John, but gonna try and steer myself away from dropping the high note as I do that a lot on my tenor guitar/zouk

Here it is following staining - the back is pear as it was a really nice grain, and I wanted something different - so this colour seemed spot on

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## Lord of the Badgers

> Just finished up this one.


Mike your stuff is so beautiful - and this is no exception! I wish... and I wish I could try one here in the UK; but committed to the dola  :Smile:

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## Marcus CA

> I've been meaning to post these for awhile. I sold my Beard Bouzouki (among other things) last year and picked up these beauties:
> 
> A Crump Octave (came in after a bit more than 2 year wait), a Nyberg bouzouki (ordered and delivered in 2016), and a 1923 Bacon and Day Tenor Banjo to scare the cats. :^)


How do the Crump and the Nyberg  compare in tone?  They both look gorgeous, and I'm sure they both play quite smoothly.

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## tonydxn

I suppose this counts as a CBOM . . . a German Waldzither I recently resurrected (descendant of the cittern). Model no. 978 from Meinel & Herold, about 1930



The smaller one is a descant Waldzither, maker not known. It originally had 9 strings but has now been reconfigured as a mandolin.

----------

40bpm, 

kmmando

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## Pete Braccio

> How do the Crump and the Nyberg  compare in tone?  They both look gorgeous, and I'm sure they both play quite smoothly.


Tone being subjective, but I think that the Crump has a bell like tone. Lots of sustain and beatutiful harmonics like you get from a great flattop guitar. The Nyberg has a lot of punch and clarity. More fundimentals but still a lot of warmth.

The Crump is a flat top with rosewood back and sides and the Nyberg is a carved top with koa back and sides. I was hoping that these woods and construction types would yield these different tones. Happily it worked out right.

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Marcus CA

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## Matt Harris

Another one of Mike Black's recently completed octave mandolins, #42:

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pheffernan

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## billhay4

Nice.
Bill

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## OneChordTrick

Here's my mandola. "Starter" from Thomman, but has to my ears at least a nice tone.

Attachment 156420

----------

Dan Krhla, 

derbex, 

fox

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## mandoglobal

> Another one of Mike Black's recently completed octave mandolins, #42:


This thread has me looking into Mike Black's GBOMs. Saw some video on his website, but wondering if there is any footage of pro or semi pro players out there really working the instrument. So far I like what I see, just need more to hear.

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## Matt Harris

Mike is a pretty good picker. Here's him playing my octave right after its completion:

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## pheffernan

> This thread has me looking into Mike Black's GBOMs. Saw some video on his website, but wondering if there is any footage of pro or semi pro players out there really working the instrument. So far I like what I see, just need more to hear.


The challenge is that Mike has only completed a handful of GBOM's, six by my count although there might be others. I tried to fold a number of sound samples into this thread over at the Social Group: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...126&do=discuss

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## ronin

It may be plain but it's tasty.

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## David Freeman

a Timeless built this Ancient Kauri back  Sitka top Irish Bouzouki.
I Play a similar model in Padauk.

----------


## David Freeman

Attachment 158114Attachment 158115 Here is the head stock and top of the padauk model. I out a 9th string on with a Scruggs tuner. I can go from D to F# with that drone string.  the bridge is  a moustache bridge braced with a Fan. Great sustain.

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## Larry321

Today, UPS delivered my new Pono Octave Mandolin.
I got it from Fiddler's Green Music Shop. (I ordered it by phone and they shipped it to me here in Florida)
http://www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.co...ctave-mandolin

It has such a wonderful deep sound. I have a Blueridge tenor guitar BR-40TCE http://www.sagamusic.com/products/pr...?item=BR-40TCE

My tenor guitar has a nice sound but the Pono OM has this deep sound and lound sustain.
The Pono sounds so wonderful that I know it will encourage me to practice more. I got the rosewood with natural top like in the photo in the link. Ben at Fiddler's Green was really helpful.

I bought the Blueridge through Amazon and the Amazon price was much less than the list price on the Saga/Blueridge website.

I wll post again in a couple of months, after I have had more time playing and experiencing my Pono.

I do think this Octave Mandolin purchase has disappated my desire to buy a mandocello. I already have too many Tuned-Fifths instruments in my closet!  It is a dangerous compulsion.

----------


## Marcus CA

> I already have too many Tuned-Fifths instruments in my closet!  It is a dangerous compulsion.


In this group, I bet that the bar for "too many ..." is pretty high.   :Mandosmiley:   As long as you don't convert your guitar(s) to New Standard Tuning, you're safe.

----------


## garryireland

Davy Stuart custom guitar body bouzouki

----------

Chuck Leyda

----------


## fox

That looks beautiful Gary!

----------


## garryireland

Yep should have it this week!

----------


## Colin Lindsay

I've just insulated and soundproofed an old attic room above my garage to move everything noisy into; more for my peace and quiet than anyone else's. The illuminated banana came from an old antique shop and makes a nice wall feature. I can sit here and play to my heart's content but the intention is to get recording equipment up here and start to record a few things again. 'SHE' says I've too many instruments, but that's not right... some of them aren't even in the photo, and the guitars are all behind the camera...

----------

fox, 

John Kelly

----------


## Bertram Henze

> 'SHE' says I've too many instruments...


I would be happy just with the Sobell and the banana  :Cool:

----------


## OneChordTrick

> Here's my mandola. "Starter" from Thomman, but has to my ears at least a nice tone.
> 
> Attachment 156420


Of course MAS set in and I now play this:

----------


## Lord of the Badgers

Well, this is my new Paul Shippey OM a few weeks ago. It's now got a fretboard and awaiting neck shaping. Furthest left...

----------

fox

----------


## Gary Leonard

P.W. Crump OM III I was lucky enough to purchase the other week. I can't stop playing it. Well, that's not true, I do stop as I work the left hand into shape. As I plan on keeping this for life, I don't want to end up with hand issues. The sustain on this thing!

----------


## ollaimh

> This is my Moon octave, bought in July last year, and sadly a bit underused, although I hope to remedy that this year.
> Spruce over maple, rosewood fingerboard and mahogany neck.
> Scale is a shade over 21.25".


every moon instrument i have played was a great tone.  i loved them.  not very fancy presentation but great players

----------


## ollaimh

ok my new (to me) cittern, a jack spira 21.5 inch scale,  strung in unisons. rich tone, fun to play, very light.

a totally differnt playing experience from my 26 inch scale four course zouk!!!  but what's life for is not variety

----------

Bob Clark, 

Seter, 

Steve-o

----------


## MdJ

Joel Eckhaus (Earnest Instruments) electric cittern conversion -Gibson es125t 3/4

----------

ollaimh

----------

