I had a longer scale octave that I sold because it was too hard to play. Then someone gave me a Trinity ~20-inch scale to play and it was much easier, so I eventually bought a used one, which I have had for many years, but it comprises substantially less than 5% of my playing time. The price of that shorter scale is primarily in the G string, which despite trying various strings is always somewhat muddy and never totally satisfactory (I currently have a Newtone octave set which is somewhat of an improvement over prior efforts). I think most octave players are like me: we are basically tourists on an infrequently used secondary instrument, modifying mandolin technique as little as possible to get by. So first-position stretches from frets 1 to 6, or reaching the 7th fret, are a challenge. “Real” octave players develop techniques and fingerings suitable for the instrument, so the longer scales are not as bothersome. My experience is that the longer scale instruments are definitely better sounding, but then again they only sound better if you can play them adequately. If I were going all-in as an octave player, I would get a longer-scale instrument and not try to play it more or less as a mandolin. Knowing that I will not, I am satisfied with the compromise that is a short-scale octave.
I encourage you to try the capo experiment that others have described; it will help you decide whether a shorter scale would make much difference to you.
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