New mandocello day
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Had never heard of these before until I saw this at DreamGuitars.com
https://www.dreamguitars.com/shop/20...pruce-046.html Obviously, the one I got was a more tradition "mando-style" than a guitar style. Ralph and Ray also make these in an OM-sized guitar body (not just the jumbo body shown here). And actually it's not just a mandocello, but a combination of mandocello and octave mandolin. It has 5 courses. The middle 3 courses combined with the highest pitched course makes the octave mandolin and the middle 3 courses combined with the lowest pitched course makes the mandocello. Sounds like DreamGuitars is going to start selling some of their instruments (perhaps just the guitar-shaped ones?). I've bought several guitars from them and they are a first-rate company. And now that I've talked with Ray for over a week before deciding to get the one I ordered, I'll have to say that they're a first-rate company, as well. |
Congratulations! That Walnut is gorgeous. Very arresting, especially without a soundboard soundhole. I like it.
With those 5 courses, it's like an octave cittern, no? I've never seen an "A" style mando-cello before. What's the scale length? |
Right. Most of the time I’ve been around ten string/five course long-necked mandolin family instruments they’ve been called “citterns,” but there are a wide array of approaches to them.
How loud is this all-walnut ‘cello when compared to the same size instrument with a spruce or cedar top? Does it have a pickup in it? Wade Hampton Miller |
Way cool! I love walnut, to look at and for woodworking projects.
I have pondered an octave mandolin on several occasions. Regular mandolin has a tiny neck, too small for my bear paws (size XXL gloves). I've even considered a custom made wide-neck mandolin. I'm not completely averse to smaller necks, having just spent the last two hours playing tenor ukulele at a senior center. But regular mandolin is just too small for this guitar player that has "bass player" finger pads. |
The scale length is 24.56"
Here's a video that compares this mandocello to one of his other ones (the other one is cherry back/sides, with a cedar/cedar double-top, and a more traditional floating bridge. Both have no sound hole, but have a sound port on the top side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmzCn6INOU8 Yes, these both have a pickup. They make them in their own shop, but based on what they told me, they are similar to the K&K pickups (three piezo elements attached to the bridge plate). The one playing at the beginning (before you SEE Jason Ring playing) is also the walnut one that I bought. |
The walnut/cedar double-top is supposedly a bit louder (to the player) than the other one in the video (which is a cedar/cedar double-top).
Based on the video, I can't really tell which is louder. The cedar/cedar double-top, though, definitely has more "bite" to it. I preferred the tone of the walnut /cedar double-top, though. A bit warmer, IMO. Also preferred the looks of it. |
PS: They put this comparison together for me, so I could decide which I wanted to buy. They're in Virginia and I'm in Texas, so it's a bit tough for me to go there and play them myself.
A big thanks to Ralph Dammann and Jason Ring (the guy playing in the video) for making this happen. And thanks to Ray Varona for building this instrument. |
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I don't remember how long this one's been available (a year or so?), but it's amazing that two people decided they wanted it within only a couple of days of each other. Quote:
But I have to ask (since I always ask the salesman when I buy a guitar) . . . will THIS one make me play like Jerry Reed? :D |
That's a beauty. Builder selected very nice grain on that walnut. :)
I'm fond of black walnut - my wire harps are walnut. Some of the figure reminds me of a coral rosewood Pimentel guitar I had. |
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whm |
Congrats on a very cool looking, cool sounding instrument! I enjoyed watching the video!
- Glenn |
Wow! Looks amazing.
Congratulations. I have been wanting a mandocello for some time now... I played (for 10 seconds) one of these my local shop last week and am smitten.. http://andymanson.com/instruments/mandocello/ <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Foli ver.waitze%2Fposts%2F2168396036504469&width=500" width="500" height="567" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> |
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