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Thread: Suzuki Mandocello

  1. #1

    Default Suzuki Mandocello

    Can anybody tell me about the Suzuki mandocello? I have never tried one and I have two students in the market for a mandocello. This appears to be the most affordable decently made mandocello on the market today. Apparently you can buy one for about $800.

    I'd like to learn about playability, action, whether or not it needs to be set up, tone, Etc..

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Suzuki Mandocello

    No information, but if you're on Facebook, there's a group called "the mandocello enthusiast." Someone posted a picture of herself playing one just a couple of days ago. I'd imagine if you joined that group and asked there you might get some information.

  3. #3
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Suzuki Mandocello

    Martin Jonas bought one in 2014 as noted in this thread. Contact him for further info, though knowing Martin, he will find this thread and comment soon.
    Jim

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    Registered User Rodney Riley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Suzuki Mandocello

    https://reverb.com/item/4361134-gold...ickup-and-case
    Says 4 in stock with free shipping. These guitar bodied Mandocellos are pretty heavy and have quite a stretch to fret. Not sure the age of your students, but might be a little much for young teens.

  5. #5
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Suzuki Mandocello

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Martin Jonas bought one in 2014 as noted in this thread. Contact him for further info, though knowing Martin, he will find this thread and comment soon.
    Yes, indeed. I have a Suzuki MC-815, which was the precursor of the current MC-836. I'm not sure when mine was made - 1980s or 1990s, I think. There is only one mandocello in Suzuki's current range (the MC-836), but I'm not sure whether at the time mine was made they had multiple models. I bought mine in 2014 on Ebay. I think it was previously used in a Belgian mandolin orchestra.

    My MC-815 looks very simular to the current 836. Same body shape, same size, same scale, same scratchplate design. The most obvious difference is that the back and sides on mine are birdseye maple, not rosewood. That would make life much easier for US players wanting to buy the Suzuki 'cello -- Thomann have a warning on their site that the instrument may be delayed in shipping and may incur extra fees because of the CITES restrictions on rosewood.

    As I didn't buy it new, I can't say what the factory setup is like. Mine came perfectly setup and with fairly new Thomastik mandocello strings on it -- those strings cost a significant percentage of the value of the instrument, so that's not to be sneered at. I tried d'Addario strings, but switched back to Thomastik: the d'Addario were brighter, but they buzzed like mad. No buzzing whatsoever with Thomastik. Through trial and error I have settled on a thick triangular pick with acute corner (no rounding) which can extract some brightness from the strings.

    It's a very nice instrument, low action, great playability, immaculate workmanship. It's not, however, particularly loud and the low C string is a bit weak. That's because of the very short scale (for a mandocello) of 57.5cm (22.6"). It's a trade-off between big beefy sound and easy playability. I have fairly long fingers and can just about get away with mandolin fingering on the 'cello.

    Here are a couple of my recent recordings using the Suzuki 'cello: the first is a movement from a Vivaldi cello concerto, and the second a waltz written by John Kelly where the mandocello plays the bass line in the first half and takes the lead melody in the second half. These should give you an idea of the tone.





    Martin
    Last edited by Martin Jonas; Jan-28-2018 at 7:46pm.

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