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Thread: Octave Recommendations?

  1. #26
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by jmp View Post
    Since you are coming from a violin I would recommend a 20" scale OM with Thomastik-Infeld 174M strings. That is how I have my F20 Bitterroot setup and it is very warm sounding and rings like a bell so that you can hear all the overtones like pizzicato on a violin. Otherwise I have found most OM have a twangy treble sound.
    I'm trying these!

    Thanks for the tip!

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  2. #27
    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by fatt-dad View Post
    I'm trying these!

    Thanks for the tip!

    f-d
    I love them, but note these:

    * they are very expensive (as with any strings it is kind of a crap shoot so I put off trying them for years but glad i finally did, but YMMV)

    * they are thicker gauge than D'Addario EJ80, which I think improves tone but your mandolin needs to be able to take the xtra tension...I haven't found fingering to be harder but my octave has adjustable saddle so I can set the action lower to compensate

    * they barely fit on my 20" scale, so don't get them if your octave is longer scale

    * they are flat wound and definitely have more of a violin feel, which is why I though the OP should consider them

  3. #28
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    If you're still shopping, I'd grab the Fylde in Canada (Not the one with the pin bridge in Montana). I passed on one a while back that one of my students bought from another and I've regretted it. I wound up with a Peterson level 1, which sounds nice and is very well built. I have an issue with the fretboard, which is narrow and flat, but that's a personal preference.
    Steve

  4. #29
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Happy with my Fylde Touchstone, never looked elsewhere again.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  5. #30
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve L View Post
    If you're still shopping, I'd grab the Fylde in Canada (Not the one with the pin bridge in Montana). I passed on one a while back that one of my students bought from another and I've regretted it. I wound up with a Peterson level 1, which sounds nice and is very well built. I have an issue with the fretboard, which is narrow and flat, but that's a personal preference.
    I'm a big fan using T-I's on my mandolin. I'll see if they fit. They just arrived, but it's too nice outside and I was playing instead!

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  6. #31
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    I bought a 20" scale Weber octave from a forum member earlier in the year and it has TI flatwounds on... its not something I'd ever considered doing buts its a pretty magical combination - it brings out my inner cellist and I start mangling bits of Bach!

  7. #32
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Well, the D string made it to the string post of my mdo-305, but the G strings were too short to make the distance!

    I'd love to have T-I's on my octave; but. . .

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  8. #33
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by fatt-dad View Post
    Well, the D string made it to the string post of my mdo-305, but the G strings were too short to make the distance!

    I'd love to have T-I's on my octave; but. . .

    f-d
    Have you tried cutting back the fabric string windings?

  9. #34
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    This is the same octave mandolin that I play (check Song a Week Social group in the FORUMS) except that this is the deluxe model, AND it’s on sale…


    https://hobgoblin.com/gr32017-ashbur...octave-mandola

  10. #35
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Boyett View Post
    Have you tried cutting back the fabric string windings?
    I thought about that, but wasn't sure how that'd go? I'da had the length if it wasn't for the silk.

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  11. #36
    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by fatt-dad View Post
    I thought about that, but wasn't sure how that'd go? I'da had the length if it wasn't for the silk.

    f-d
    I do have to trim the silk on some of the strings so that it does not go over the nut. It works fine for me, but there is a limit where the flat wound of the strings ends so that would determine the max scale length. I can take some pictures of the trimmed silk and measure the exact distance of useable string length if you want, but I am guessing that trimming the silk gives you about an extra centimeter of string length.

  12. #37
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave Recommendations?

    Quote Originally Posted by jmp View Post
    I do have to trim the silk on some of the strings so that it does not go over the nut. It works fine for me, but there is a limit where the flat wound of the strings ends so that would determine the max scale length. I can take some pictures of the trimmed silk and measure the exact distance of useable string length if you want, but I am guessing that trimming the silk gives you about an extra centimeter of string length.
    yeah, I needed about half of the first fret to make it!

    Thanks for that followup!

    I actually have an email into Thomatik and hope to learn more?

    f-d
    ˇpapá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

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