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Thread: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

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    Default Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    There is a little chatter about these instruments on the forum but I thought it would be helpful to have a place to share our experiences with these instruments.

    Mine is a Deluxe F, and in my "searching" thread I posted the neck measurements: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1893294

    Mine came from a cafe member and so already has strap buttons installed. I'm a huge fan of D'Addario elliptical strap buttons so will probably pick up another set of those.

    I've got some questions for anyone else who owns one!

    - I asked Kilin Reece about string gauges, thinking I would like something a little heavier than the stock 12-46 set. He told me the JP 2265 (14-48) "seems like it would be a little excessive for how this instrument is built a .014” tuned up to E would be very very tight". I was surprised to hear this. Has anyone tried it? 14s on 22" Webers are normal, but those are totally different structures.

    - Anyone install a pickup? JJB prestige 220 seems like the simplest. I have a Schatten HFN in a guitar and absolutely love it, so I may try that here...though the F holes will pose a challenge.

    Thoughts/experiences/photos welcomed!

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    One thing perhaps worth noting - the KR Strings branded string sets say the G course is 46 but it's actually 44, at least the set that was in the case from the seller. Makes me feel better about ordering Elixir 47s to try.

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    I finally got around to putting the heavier strings on - these are 13, 22, 32, 47. I ordered singles of PB nanoweb from juststrings (NFI) for the wound and GHS LJ13s for the plain strings, since I think the gold is pretty.

    I used Frank Ford's old tip for removing ball ends from strings.
    http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musi...ops/loops.html

    The tailpiece hooks are almost too large for this to work, but so far so good. I was able to coerce the loops on there, by starting sideways (string pointed perpendicular to the neck), sliding it on the tip of the hook, then gently pulling it into the right orientation. All are holding so far, and the heavier G and E fit into the bridge and nut slots without difficulty. Even with 0.047 vs 0.044, there's still some string rattle on the G course, which I think I'll just have to live with.

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Got a capo today - I ordered the Shubb C5-r ("banjo capo", radiused). The radius was much too tight, so I took the sleeve off and gave it a few taps with a hammer to straighten it. Fits well now!

    I contacted Kilin about a bracing diagram as I consider installing a Schatten HFN "Short" - this one should fit between the X braces. Based on the attached picture he sent me, there should be about 2.2 inches between the X braces, right beneath the saddle where this pickup should go. More on this over the next couple weeks...

    As much as I like phosphor bronze strings on my guitar, I'm thinking they're too bright for this one. I'll give it a while longer but may look into getting a set of monel strings. I've never cared for flats on guitar or mandolin but might give that a shot too.

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  5. #5
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Thanks for sharing your info…I am intrigued by the fun octave offering. Can you post sound or video of your preferred string selection?
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Perhaps eventually! I don't really have a recording setup sadly.

    Soliciting opinions on this pickguard...right now it doesn't fit in the case, so it must be cut down. Thoughts between these two choices? The first is based on a Benedetto archtop and the second on a gibson L-48.

    What would you do?

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Well, it's done! I'm not 100% sure I love it, because of the acute angle between the bracket and the edge of the guard. Either way, time to stop second guessing it and start getting used to it! Cutting was a bit nerve-wracking, since the wood is both very hard and easily chipped. Patience paid off.
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    I have been (probably) foiled in my grand plan to install a Schatten HFN "Short" in this OM. The top actually has a center seam reinforcement! So, the three feet of the HFN won't be able to evenly touch the top.

    I asked Schatten about shortening the center foot - we'll see what they say. I'm considering just sucking it up and installing a JJB, which means buying a new appropriate preamp...which probably will still end up about the same price as the HFN.

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Still messing with strings over here. I decided the phosphor bronze are too bright and clangy, so put together a set of monel singles (Pyramid, labeled for electric guitar). These are OK, certainly darker, but one of the G is dead on arrival - it just sounds like a thump. The rest of the strings are OK but I'm not totally sold. I've got some nickel bronze and pure nickels on the way.

    Once I eventually decide what to use, I'll gladly share these gently used and cut-for-octolindo string sets. It's kind of a pain to assemble sets from singles and string choices are fairly limited, so if I can help the next guy/gal I'm happy to do it. Feel free to PM me.

    No movement on the pickup. Les Schatten told me I could file down the center foot on the HFN and just not use any putty there. I may try it...but it's a pretty expensive experiment.

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    I made a choice re: amplification - and it's a mic. I bought the oft-recommended ATM350 and a mic preamp, so I can plug into my usual acoustic guitar pedal setup.

    Why a mic, after all that? I wanted to have a permanent and invisible interior pickup install. I considered:
    - K&K or JJB, even though I have never loved the sound. I didn't do this because..I don't like the sound (though a tailored preamp may have helped), and install would be very difficult through the narrow F-holes and and errors would be very difficult to fix (again, through the narrow holes). No "standard" install position on an instrument like this, so one guess to get it right.
    - Dazzo, sounds way better and has a somewhat more reliable install process, using a temporary exterior mount w/ beeswax to decide on a spot then epoxy inside for the install. I asked Teddy Randazzo and he was hesitant...not a good sign. Add in the epoxy install part and the cost (>$200), and it's not a slam dunk.
    - Schatten HFN "Short" with a putty install. The short version would fit between the braces right below the bridge, but because of the center seam reinforcement I'd have to file down the center foot. I didn't want to experiment on that expensive a pickup (~.
    - Baggs Radius, but apparently it is terrible on octaves (something to do with the frequency tunings).
    - Pick Up The World ribbon transducers that fit between the bridge and top. No reviews, expensive, and still would leave a wire showing on the top.

    So I basically ran through all my options and nothing stood out. The final push was that I also have a mandolin that needs amplification, so two birds with one stone. Got a used ATM350 (200) and a new Rolls MP13 mic preamp (70), and should be good for both instruments.

    In other news, I got a replacement for the dead monel G string. Sounds much better, and haven't gotten around to putting on the Nickel Bronze or pure nickels yet.

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  12. #11
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Mic has arrived. The pickguard makes for a nice mounting point, otherwise I would have needed to get a DPA-branded guitar mount and clip to that. Testing to come...
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    More string experiments - Pyramid pure nickels were indistinguishable from 2-month-old monels. I have not had good experience at all with the Pyramid singles: the first set of monels had a dead G, and one of the Ds on the nickels is bad (won't intonate - fretted notes are flat relative to harmonics) an one of the Gs has a weird warbling thing going on when playing harmonics. I think I'm done with those.

    After trying firsthand some flatwounds on my Breedlove and surprisingly liking them, I bought a set for the octolindo. They are going on soon. These are D'addario chromes marketed for electric guitar - they are the same strings as the FW74 set just different gauges.

    In the meantime, trying it out like this...I might get a scrap of ebony and make a new nut and saddle to play it as a tenor guitar. I kind of like it.

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  14. #13

    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Thanks for all the info! Quite the journey you've had.

    How is the ATM 350 working for you? We tend to play as a trio with a DI for the bass and a ETL condenser for everything else. I haven't found any pickups that don't sound like pickups. But the AT and the DPA are intriguing. Do you get good feedback resistance?

    With any instrument larger than a mando, I'm pretty set on a tailpiece that accepts ball end strings. There's just more readily available string choices to fine tune the sound. All the mandos get James Tailpieces but anything larger gets a Allen(or clone) or a Foley inspired. Too bad Lawrence Nyberg won't sell his tailpieces. Beautiful and functional. I guess that could be solved by purchasing one of his beautiful CBOMS

    Are you satisfied overall with the Octolindo?
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Hi Chuck,
    I have not yet put it through its paces on a real, loud, stage - only at church w/ wedge monitors and low overall volume. I'm still working out the kinks of how to manage the short, thin mic cable and the big XLR adapter. I haven't struggled with feedback but given your use case I doubt you would either, if you're used to standing around a condenser.

    For what it's worth I've had no trouble whatsoever cutting string balls out of their loops and using them on this tailpiece. I've never done so many before and thought I would ruin a bunch of strings, but in reality it's a trivial inconvenience. It takes only a couple minutes to do 8 strings, and I haven't nicked or broken any loops.

    I am satisfied overall. I honestly wish I could get inside it to install a more "normal" guitar pickup (Schatten HFN) so I wouldn't have to use a mic - that alone makes me almost want to move this on and get one with a guitar-style soundhole...but then those just sound like guitars, which defeats the whole point!

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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    Figured I'd update this. I put the D'addario chromes on and loved the feel, liked the tone on the D and A pairs, but hated how the G sounded. Dull and fluffy. I had them on for a while and recently pulled them off.

    I also tried D'addario flat tops. The smallest gauge they sell as singles is 0.023 (need a 0.022) so I tried a plain steel 0.020 as the A pair. They were terrible, somehow sounding warbly and out of tune with themselves. It wasn't just a bad string; it happened the same way on both.

    In the meantime of all this I got on the cafe "pick sampler" list and began to dig in to what pick I might want to use on this. I've come to believe that makes at least as much (probably more) difference than the changes in sound from different string alloys. I've got a few really warm picks and that's helped the most.

    Thus I put the elixir PBs back on, ordering a couple of 0.052s for the G pair. That is working well right now. I have a set of Elixir 80/20 next in line - those are generally thought to have more a scooped-mids sound, which if true would help in balancing this instrument out.

    I've had no visible effects on the top from using slightly heavier strings than recommended by KR. I've been keeping tensions pretty balanced across the sets and I think it's working fine.

  18. #16
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    Default Re: Octolindo owners - experiences thread

    I’d be all over these if they offered a cutaway option. I have flats on my Pono but can’t remember the gauges.
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