Octaves: Oval or F-holes?

[Barry Canada]

Can anyone comment on the difference in sound quality between an arch top and flat top Long scale Octave Mandolin?

[Charlieshafer]

Well, I;ve played a bunch or 'cello arch tops, and only one flat-top 'cello, so this won't be a great sample, but the arches had more volume and punch, a little brighter. I'm assuming it's the same difference in archtop guitars vs. flat tops.

[Lord of the Badgers]

but the arches had more volume and punch, a little brighter. .

that and the increased cost!

[foldedpath]

Something that doesn't get discussed much, is the idea of choosing an instrument in relation to what other instruments you play, instead of choosing it in isolation for its own merits.

For example, I think the reason I like my Weber archtop/F-hole OM so much, is that I also play acoustic guitar, and this OM sounds very different from my guitar. The body shape and construction is about as far from a guitar as you can get, compared to a guitar-body OM or flat top OM.

If I didn't also play guitar, I might lean more towards an oval hole OM. Or maybe even a flattop OM; something a bit more guitar-like in timbre.