New Weber Offering, Red River Octave Cutaway.

[Svea]

https://pegheadnation.com/instrument...tave-mandolin/

This looks very tasty! See the video link. It sounds great in this video, and the specs are somewhat close to my Clark. I'd love to try one of these!


Svea

[NotMelloCello]

DANG! That is nice. I want one.

[JEStanek]

Looks like it's a shorter scale than the older Weber Octar (with a cutaway body). Red River at 20" vs Octar at 23.5". If you're after a shorter scaled Octave, this would be a good option.

Jamie

[darrylicshon]

That's beautiful and my scale length i like my only problem is the price, maybe buy the time i get anougth money I'll be able to find a used one

[terzinator]

let the drooling commence.

[Jill McAuley]

Seriously drooling here too! What a looker!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Bruce had a few "River" OM's and MC's (also mandolins and a mandola ) at NAMM. Apparently I have to start a collection... to buy a collection...

[Sweetpea44]

That's a beautiful instrument.

[Ray(T)]

https://pegheadnation.com/instrument...tave-mandolin/

This looks very tasty! See the video link. It sounds great in this video, and the specs are somewhat close to my Clark. I'd love to try one of these!


Svea

Yes, it should sound good at that price. I don't know what Austin's GBOMs cost in the US but I didn't pay that much for mine in the UK.

[Tom Liston]

Played it at Namm in Jan this year. Played so nice.

[Al Trujillo]

I think I've watched Ms. Gilchrist play that Weber probably...ohhh, about 15 times! Love the sound of it in her hands.

[Lord of the Badgers]

Nice - hopefully the neck isn't as chunky as the weber octave I know?
Seems everyone's making a GOM - just at the time I might have funds! Darn.

[Barry Wilson]

Pretty but no time soon I can afford $8000 USD

[Mandobart]

Just saying - other builders (Austin Clark and Andrew Mowry) offer some exquisite GOM's that are truly custom handmade in America for less than this Weber. I have played them and they are fine indeed.

Alternately, I haven't tried it but I could likely string my Eastman Guitar bodied mandocello as an OM with good results. These can be had in the $2k US range. In fact I'm going to do that and post back here with results.

[Barry Wilson]

I'd be interested mandobart. I can get the eastman mc through my local store on my account and make payments

[Svea]

Just saying - other builders (Austin Clark and Andrew Mowry) offer some exquisite GOM's that are truly custom handmade in America for less than this Weber. I have played them and they are fine indeed.

Alternately, I haven't tried it but I could likely string my Eastman Guitar bodied mandocello as an OM with good results. These can be had in the $2k US range. In fact I'm going to do that and post back here with results.

That may work, and at least it is reversible. The subtleties of string spacing, neck shape and scale length that create playability may not carry over by converting a mandocello or some other guitar to an octave mandolin, I would suspect. The details all make up a special experience to play a well thought out instrument. Certainly one could find a cheaper way to get there, but it wouldn't be the well designed, hand carved, hand stained and varnished work of art. All those things add up. Just saying. There are other possibilities, like re-necking a small vintage archtop guitar. That way at least you could dial in playability somewhat. But then you're back to needing serious luthier's skills and tools. Another way is to be patient and wait for something used to pop up. With a GOM I guess it would take a while. I bought the Clark off of the display table at a festival on the final day of the show. There was a deal made and I couldn't turn my back on it at the time. I'm poorer for it but happy.

Svea



Svea

[foldedpath]

Alternately, I haven't tried it but I could likely string my Eastman Guitar bodied mandocello as an OM with good results. These can be had in the $2k US range. In fact I'm going to do that and post back here with results.

What's the scale length on that Eastman 'cello, isn't it something like 25"? I guess you could string it as an OM, but it's going to be more of a finger-buster than the typical 20"-22" scale of most OMs. I know mandocello players find ways to deal with it in return for the low range, but it won't be as easy to get around on as a typically shorter scale OM.

One idea might be to figure out a lighter set of strings that would allow tuning up to FCGD at the same tension as the stock 'cello strings at CGDA. Then capo at the second fret. That gives you the GDAE tuning with a more typical OM scale, and plenty of fretboard to work with. Just a thought...

[michaelcj]

Just saying - other builders (Austin Clark and Andrew Mowry) offer some exquisite GOM's that are truly custom handmade in America for less than this Weber. I have played them and they are fine indeed.

Alternately, I haven't tried it but I could likely string my Eastman Guitar bodied mandocello as an OM with good results. These can be had in the $2k US range. In fact I'm going to do that and post back here with results.

Jeeeessssee….!!!! Thanks Bart..! I've been coveting an archtop octave for a couple of years always coming back to the Brock with it's long wait time…. Then you go and link to Austin's page… and…. check is in the mail tomorrow OM on the way back here by the weekend.

It's only money and there are some advantages to bachelorhood…..

[Mandobart]

I haven't tried it but I could likely string my Eastman Guitar bodied mandocello as an OM with good results. These can be had in the $2k US range. In fact I'm going to do that and post back here with results.

As warned previously, here it is: