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Thread: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

  1. #1
    Registered User j4music's Avatar
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    Default Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    I'm thinking of picking up an OM but don't know much about them. There's a nice looking Austin Clark listed in the classified. The seller advises it has a 1 1/8" nut. That strikes me as narrow for an OM; others seem to be in the 1 11/32" range or thereabouts, and videos of other OMs seem to show wider necks, too. How easy, hard, or different would a size like this be to play. I've never played an OM, but like the sound. I also have large hands. And by the way, the scale length is 20 1/4". Thanks in advance for any input.

  2. #2
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    The nut on my old Octofone is 1 3/8" wide. I wouldn't want it significantly narrower, and I don't have large hands. There may be other folks who would be comfortable with a narrow nut, though.

    The scale on the Octofone is 20 7/8", and I wouldn't want it to be any longer. I wouldn't mind if it was a little bit shorter. I think 20 1/4" is within reason.

  3. #3
    Registered User darylcrisp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    i would ask them to remeasure, or to lay a ruler under strings and against the nut, flush with the side that the ruler starts and send you a picture(zoomed up and in focus). you'd be surprised at the amount of people who mismeasure, or simply just do not seem to know how. and also do not know how, or do not care, to adequately send a good in focus picture.

    1 3/8" is the only nut width i've played/owned on an octave. it felt very nice, i have large hands, and this gave plenty of room.

    d

  4. #4

    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    Squeezing an octave nut down to 1 1/8 would be very unusual. A string to string measurtment of 1 1/8 on a 1 3/8 nut is what I think of as being standard.

  5. #5
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    I have largish hands and just played a mandolin after a long time of playing my 1 11/32 inch nut, 20 1/2 scale octave mandolin.

    -picked up the little mandolin and WOW! Sooooooooo zippy and easy!

    Hand size has very little to do with it, it’s how you move your hands and fingers.

    If you play a octave mandolin then you’re going to have to work a lot harder to do the same things you would do on a mandolin or alternatively you can use different techniques, style and then take advantage of the octave’s qualities.

  6. #6
    Registered User Mandolin Deep Cuts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    What a lucky post! I am looking at getting an octave mandolin stand, and they need to know my instrument’s but size. Are there any general guidelines used to measure it?

  7. #7

    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    The moderators often refer folks to the Webber home page. I use a cloth tape measure for quick general measurements.

    https://webermandolins.com/mandolin-...specifications

    Click image for larger version. 

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  8. #8
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by MrMoe View Post
    The moderators often refer folks to the Webber home page. I use a cloth tape measure for quick general measurements.

    https://webermandolins.com/mandolin-...specifications

    Click image for larger version. 

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    unfortunately no mention of nut width on that page
    Jim

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  9. #9
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    Find an octave on the Weber site. The spec page shows the number. 1 3/8 for a Yellowstone octave.
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  11. #10
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Nut Size on an Octave Mandolin

    My Northfield flat top octave is 1-13/32"

    Mike Marshall had an Austin Clark built:
    "The octave is an Austin Clark that I had built for Caterina with a slightly shorter scale length" but no mention of the nut.
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