Re: Mandocello shopping
Originally Posted by
Jim Garber
I know it is hard to tell from photos, but even the oval hole one linked above looks like it needs a new nut. The two lower courses look too widely separated. I wonder if TMS would correct that for a buyer.
I think the f-vs-oval hole issue is way less important than the fact Eastman has put the cello nut on a guitar-width neck, which makes for poor ergonomics -- especially with the guitar-like rounded (instead of triangular) neck shape. I'm glad some folks are respacing the nut, but that sounds like a partial solution.
If Eastman doesn't want to go to the expense of a narrower neck joint, I wish they would make a narrower, triangular neck that's guitar-width only at the neck joint. Or even add a fifth course (C-G-D-A-E), reinforcing the top for the extra tension? We can dream!
Meanwhile, I'd buy elsewhere. I see Musikalia has bowlback mandocellos starting at $605 USD. (NFI of course)
Exploring Classical Mandolin (Berklee Press, 2015)
Progressive Melodies for Mandocello (KDP, 2019) (2nd ed. 2022)
New Solos for Classical Mandolin (Hal Leonard Press, 2020)
2021 guest artist, mandocello: Classical Mandolin Society of America
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