Gypsy's Teardrop Mandola

[Walt Kuhlman]

This one is on it's way out the door tomorrow morning, here are a few photos and a video...

[custer]

Beautiful!

[tmsweeney]

very deep tone, nice volume as well,

well done

[Eddie Sheehy]

What's the scale-length, Walt? Very-nice build.

[Walt Kuhlman]

Thanks Eddie! The scale is 17"

[Sweetpea44]

Beautiful tone - lovely instrument! I don't know much about mandolas, but see that the scale lengths vary .... is 17" ideal for the CGDA tuning?

[Bernie Daniel]

Looks and sounds just great! The tear drop shape would look just right in a Celtic session. Weber believes in the 17" scale for mandolas, Gibson has always stayed just below 16" and most (it seems to me) go with a full 16"? Of course the shorter the scale the more "mandolin-like" the instrument is to play and some like that aspect.

[Walt Kuhlman]

I have built both 16" and 17". Factory's create standards to fit their instrument line. Individual builders are not tied to these confines, and are, in many cases building for the player, fitting the instrument to their needs/desires. I have found the 17" preferable for my body designs.