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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I call this an "Elite-oello". Originally an Elite 1868, the factory replaced the neck and bridge to create the only mandocello I know of with a burst finish and the white-red binding. (Basically a Custom Mandocello. :cool: ) They of course lived entirely up to their stellar reputation!
Now I need to figure out how to play the dumb thing, but GeeZ, what a beauty!
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Location: Sydney, Australia | You just wanna be different, don't you Patch? What's the tuning on one of those, is it similar to a mandolin? Very purdy, I like the little curly bit at the end of the fretboard. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | Can't see your pic (my local IT policy) - can you post it in the gallery?
Sounds like it'd fit right in to an Irish trad session. This family of instruments was pioneered by Johnny Moynihan. See also Donal Lunny, Alec Finn and Andy Irvine (mainly bouzouki, not sure of the difference but v similar to a Mandocello. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | My first reaction was "Your 12-er is missing some strings?"
I've wanted one of them things, but I can't play all my guitars, let alone learn to play a really large mandolin/mandocello...
[I bought a Uke on a whim and now my neighbor has it, cuz she CAN play it!] |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Cool Patch :cool:
AJ |
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Location: south east Michigan | Hey... I know that doorway.
I've stood in that doorway.
Just couldn't wait to get home before taking a picture, eh?
Very nice, Patch. |
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Location: NJ | VERYnice!!
cngrts! |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by sycamore:
Sounds like it'd fit right in to an Irish trad session. This family of instruments was pioneered by Johnny Moynihan. See also Donal Lunny, Alec Finn and Andy Irvine (mainly bouzouki, not sure of the difference but v similar to a Mandocello. The Mandocello goes back to the Mandolin boom of early 20th century, whereas the "Irish" Bouzouki happpened in the late 1960's and were originally re-strung and re-tuned trad Greek Bouzoukis. Then certain British and Irish luthiers, notably Stefan Sobel created a distinct type of long-necked Mandolin-style instrument which depending on scale length and tuning are called Irish Bouzoukis or Octave Mandolins. There's also the 5-course cousin the (Irish) Cittern, which is different to some European instruments with the same name.
Mandocello is tuned in 5ths with a low C (GCDA) an octave below tenor mandola. Because of the comparatively huge scale length and massive strings compared to it's smaller cousins it's damn-near impossible to play mandolin parts on a mandocelo and it should really be considered a whole new instrument.
There are several Irish Bouzouki tunings but the most common are GDAD and ADAD. These allow easy playing of rhythm parts in the keys of G, D and A. The other popular tuning, especially with melody players is GDAE, an octave below Mandolin. Converting a Mandocello to a Bouzouki just needs a new nut and change of string gauge.
I've been looking for an Ovation Mandocello for a while. I need to send an email reminder to someone. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Thanks for that Paul, very informative. I think I'll stick to guitar, my brain has enough trouble trying to find my way around one fingerboard, let alone learning a second. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Mandocello is tuned in 5ths with a low C (GCDA) an octave below tenor mandola. Correction, that should read CGDA not GCDA |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Patch, that is awesome and unique! That finish is flawless. Congrats! |
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Location: Upper Left USA | I hereby declare this day "Drink like an Irishman" day in honor of your new adoptee and our history lesson.
For some of us that may just mean you only drink water because its free!
Great pics and journey. |
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Location: nyc area | Temp...eme |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by MWoody:
...water...its free! Then it should be "Drink like a Scotsman" day! :p
Sorry Paul... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Very nice. I've been saying that next time I restring mine I'm going to put octives on the bottom two strings. Make it a bit easier to play.
Paul, are the bouzouki strings pairs or octives? |
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Location: Scotland | Bill, Irish bouzouki strings are usually unison pairs, but a lot lighter than the mandocello. Something like 12 17 28 40. I've seen octaved stringing too, but not very often. In Greek 4-course tuning the lower 2 pairs are in octaves. The common greek tuning is CFAD, which is the same as the top 4 guitar strings but 1 tone lower.
Matt, will do. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Thanks Paul. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | The Scots are showing up the Irish again - it's like a rugby match!!!
There's often debate here about which instruments are 'truly traditional'. Many would consider the bouzouki to be so, even though it only became part of the mix less than 50 years ago. Of course the Ovation mandocello, with it's round back, is way more traditional than those new-fangled flat-backed Irish Bouzoukis. Everyone know that Lyrachord was grown in Ireland since earliest antiquity.
By the way, did you know that the highland bagpipe originated in Ireland? |
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| Ratch, if you can create something on that with some accompanyment from a guitar and a mandolin; no one would be able to come up with what you did. It will be impossible to find the same sound to try and reproduce it. I love the burst on that, it certainly is a "one of" |
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Location: NJ | ". . By the way, did you know that the highland bagpipe originated in Ireland? . ."
Shortly AFTER that, they made Ireland an island. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by sycamore:
The Scots are showing up the Irish again - it's like a rugby match!!!
By the way, did you know that the highland bagpipe originated in Ireland? I'm not Scottish, I just choose to live there. And thanks for the info on the origin of the bagpipes. Now we know who to blame. |
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Location: Cork, Ireland | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Originally posted by sycamore:
The Scots are showing up the Irish again - it's like a rugby match!!!
By the way, did you know that the highland bagpipe originated in Ireland? I'm not Scottish, I just choose to live there. And thanks for the info on the origin of the bagpipes. Now we know who to blame.
And sorry going way off topic. Patch, which of the many tunings mentioned above will you use on that thing? |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by sycamore:
Can't see your pic (my local IT policy) - can you post it in the gallery? I've put them in an album here:
Custom Mandocello |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | you are going to have a big time with this instrument, it's lovely! |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Originally posted by sycamore:
Patch, which of the many tunings mentioned above will you use on that thing? I'm gonna try the CGDA. If this self-taught plunker understands correctly, this thing is basically a fifth down from my mandolin, correct? So logically, the finger positions for the chords remain constant, but the chord is different. It strikes me as a similar concept to using a capo. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | WOW! and WOW again!
Beautiful! |
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Location: Scotland | I'm gonna try the CGDA. If this self-taught plunker understands correctly, this thing is basically a fifth down from my mandolin, correct? So logically, the finger positions for the chords remain constant, but the chord is different. It strikes me as a similar concept to using a capo. [/QB] CGDA Mandocello tuning is way lower than that. It's a full octave below tenor mandola, which itself is lower than mandolin. The big problem is the scale length. All but a few open-string mandolin chord shapes are far too much of a stretch on a mandocello, especially when combined with 4 pairs of heavy all-wound strings. You need to stop thinking of it as a big mandolin, it just doesn't work.
The idea of the mandocello came about during the mandolin orchestra craze of the early 1900's. They even made bass mandolins. The mandocello's role was the equivalent of a cello in a string quartet or string section of an orchestra. It might be an idea to listen to some music which includes cello to get a handle on where the mandocellos range fits into the scheme of things.
Personally I'd go down the Bouzouki route. A lot more versatile and physically a lot easier to play. |
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Posts: 843
Location: CA | I have no idea what a mandocello is, even after reading the description. (The 'cello' part seems like you should play it with a bow.) But it is beautiful for sure, and a tribute to the skills and craftsmanship at Mom.
I say we throw 'em a real curve ball. How about an Ovation guitar/sitar combo? Love to see the neck on that puppy. |
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Posts: 4233
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | A few of observations two days in:
1) This instrument isn't strung, it's cabled.  I've never seen such a thick gauge of bound wire on anything other than a piano! Those of you who think a 12-string can strengthen your fingers oughta get hold of one of these!
2) It's loud...very loud...especially for a SSB.
3) The tone is amazing! I didn't even realize it, but I killed 20 minutes just strumming G-C on it yesterday. It's balanced, confident, and oh so resonant. I've heard the phrase "rumble in the belly" used here often; you should feel it on this thing when you strum any chord that leaves that bass-C pair open. This thing growls so much, I've started to call it Growler instead of mandocello.  That's the first time I've ever named an instrument. With a little perspective for its voice, it could even work as a solo instrument.
In case there may be any room for doubt, I like it very muchly!  |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | You will get tired of the 20-40-60-80 strings. That's why I was thinking of the octives on the bass two. Mine is a ssb too and they have a big sound, of course my ss Bass does too. |
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Location: Yorkshire, England | Tune like a CGDA like a Tenor banjo and you'll be OK - this is the same guitar finish as my 1868 Elite - Looks good ! |
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Posts: 270
Location: Yorkshire, England | By the way, just in case anyone hasn't mentioned it, the strings should be 4 identical pairs,(C,G,D & A) not like the octave strings of a guitar.
I have actually owned (it was my Dad's) a Mandocello, the tuning relates to the Viola, as the Mandolin relates to the Violin, or Fiddle. |
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A First For The Mothership, Wait'll you see this!