#16
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Thanks to everyone for the valuable and very interesting input. Thank you, and. Hampton for your insight and your recommendations. Single strings on the bottom two strings makes good sense to me and I really like the non-invasive process of the conversion. I am just a couch player so the stories of your music background were a joy to read as well.
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#17
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You might check this out. Almost pulled the trigger on one of these last week. Definitely on my short list.
http://www.krstrings.com/x-pono-ukelele
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My Therapy: Martin 000-18GE 1937 Sunburst MFG Martin 000-15 Kevin Enoch Tradesman Open Back Banjo Collings MT2-O Honey Amber Royce Burt #560 5-String Fiddle |
#18
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+1 on the Frank Ford article.
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#19
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Eastman just released an MDO-305, which is a 20-in scale, carved top octave mandolin. It's an a-model with f-holes, so a bit different from the guitar-shaped OM.
I got mine on advance order through Elderly. They will arrive in May and price out at $699 with hard case. Can't wait! f-d
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'30 L-1, '73 FG-180, '98 914-C, '06 000-15S, '08 000-28NB, '11 GA3-12, '14 OM28A |
#20
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If you want to jump right into the Mandocello and get one that's a bit different but could be great value for the money maybe try this rare Ovation Mandocello which may still be available for $1500:
http://www.ovationfanclub.com/megabb...osts=8&start=1 |
#21
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Eastman also just released a mandocello version of their new AR400 L-4 style archtop - seen a photo of a blacktop version but yet to see one for sale in the US (may not be available here)...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#22
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Eastman, Gold Tone, and Moran Monroe are making (mostly) affordable Mandocellos. OMs are much easier to come by and there are a plethora of choices in most price ranges.
If you want a mandocello you may also be interested in checking out the banjo cello from gold tone. Same tuning, but with single strings instead of pairs. It helps tame the clutter on the low strings that can happen with a mandocello. |
#23
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Then again, you could also get an inexpensive baritone guitar (Alvarez has one under $500) and not have to worry about either string clash or learning new fingerings - sounds like a better deal to me if you're just an average guitar player as you say...
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#24
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+1 to this if you are looking for the lower sound without the learning curve.
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#25
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I have seen Baby Taylors converted to octave mandos.
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#26
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Guitar to Mandocello
I actually have had several guitars converted to mandocellos, a Gibson L7C, a Gibson Harp Guitar, a Gibson Studio Les Paul and a Martin D28. The LP and D28 are now both four string mandocellos which makes them very playable. Typically you can keep the same neck since the scale length is similar to a mandocello. You might have to narrow the neck if you go with four strings instead of eight. String gauges vary, the L7C uses Thomastik mandocello strings, the Gibson harp uses regular D'Addario mandocello strings. The Martin and LP are custom sets .061, .045, .032, .019W on the D28 and .065, .042, .030, .018 plain steel on the LP.
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