CF Martin mandola scale length

[sunburst]

I believe martin used a 15.5" scale length on their mandolas, but I don't have access to one to confirm that. Does anyone know (for certain) what the scale length of a Martin mandola is?

[pfox14]

I know that pre-war Martin mandolas were 15.25" SL.

[acousticphd]

I believe martin used a 15.5" scale length on their mandolas, but I don't have access to one to confirm that. Does anyone know (for certain) what the scale length of a Martin mandola is?

I feel pretty certain you are right. I am actually picking tonight with a buddy who has one, and I'll try to remember to measure it. Any other specs you might want to check on?

[sunburst]

Any other specs you might want to check on?

Not really, thanks. I just need to match the scale length of a customer's Martin 'dola, and I don't have one to measure. He measured from the nut to the 12th fret and came up with 7 3/4". It's not that I don't trust him, I just want to find corroborating evidence since I don't have one available to measure. The customer is a couple of states away, so it may be a while before we can get together and I can personally measure his frets.

[acousticphd]

Not really, thanks. I just need to match the scale length of a customer's Martin 'dola, and I don't have one to measure. He measured from the nut to the 12th fret and came up with 7 3/4". It's not that I don't trust him, I just want to find corroborating evidence since I don't have one available to measure. The customer is a couple of states away, so it may be a while before we can get together and I can personally measure his frets.

I measured last night and come up with between 7-21/32" to 7-22/32" from the bearing edge of the nut to the center of the 12th. (A bit of uncertainty in the last 1/32 or so as I was using a tape measure, placing the tip up against the nut then pulling taut.) The bridge on this instrument measured ~15.4" from the nut, which is a little more than double, but was giving pretty accurate intonation at the 12th fret.

[sunburst]

Hmmm... well then, 7 22/32" would be a 15 3/8" scale, exactly halfway between the 15.5" my customer measured and the 15.25" Paul mentioned. Looks like I'd better physically measure the thing before I cut a fingerboard.
Thanks!