Mandola (Mandolin)

[Down Up Dick]

Anybody ever play the Mandola? How did/do you like it? I’m thinking of buyin‘ one, but I dunno . . .

 

[VintageGibson]

Anybody ever play the Mandola? How did/do you like it? I’m thinking of buyin‘ one, but I dunno . . .

A couple of years ago I had a severe case of GAS combined with some spare cash that was burning a hole in my pocket, so I convinced myself that I needed an Octave Mandola. I had already some, but not a lot of experience playing Mandolin.
In case you are not familiar, the family is as follows;
Mandolin, approx 14 inch scale, tuned G D A E, low to high in double courses.
Tenor Mandola approx 17 inch scale, tuned C G D A, the pitch of the A strings are the same as the 2nd strings of the Mandolin.
Octave Mandola approx 20/22 inch scale tuned G D A E one octave lower than the Mandolin
Mandocello Approx 25 inch scale, tuned C G D A one octave lower than the Tenor Mandola.

My Octave Mandola is a good instrument but unfortunately we didn't gel.
I didn't like the very boomy bass sound of the two lower sets of strings so I changed these to octave pairs ( like the lower strings on a 12 string guitar) For me, this is better but would probably cause problems for melody players.
Scale length makes mandolin chords too much of a stretch for me, String tension adds to chording problems.
I also play 12 string guitar with no difficulty.

Just some points to consider, especially if you are coming from a uke background.
Basically, for me, it's an expensive wall hanger.

Vintage

 

[Down Up Dick]

A couple of years ago I had a severe case of GAS combined with some spare cash that was burning a hole in my pocket, so I convinced myself that I needed an Octave Mandola. I had already some, but not a lot of experience playing Mandolin.
In case you are not familiar, the family is as follows;
Mandolin, approx 14 inch scale, tuned G D A E, low to high in double courses.
Tenor Mandola approx 17 inch scale, tuned C G D A, the pitch of the A strings are the same as the 2nd strings of the Mandolin.
Octave Mandola approx 20/22 inch scale tuned G D A E one octave lower than the Mandolin
Mandocello Approx 25 inch scale, tuned C G D A one octave lower than the Tenor Mandola.

My Octave Mandola is a good instrument but unfortunately we didn't gel.
I didn't like the very boomy bass sound of the two lower sets of strings so I changed these to octave pairs ( like the lower strings on a 12 string guitar) For me, this is better but would probably cause problems for melody players.
Scale length makes mandolin chords too much of a stretch for me, String tension adds to chording problems.
I also play 12 string guitar with no difficulty.

Just some points to consider, especially if you are coming from a uke background.
Basically, for me, it's an expensive wall hanger.

Vintage

Thanks for the info. No, i play mandolins now. I have a Type A, a Mando-Banjo and a Seagull. In fact, they’re my favorites. I just thought I’d like to try somethin’ a bit different. I don’t want an Octave though.

I really wanted a new type F, but it would be tuned the same as my A, so no difference.— ahhh, well . . . So mebbe, mebbe not.

 

[Canada Jim]

In North America, the instrument tuned an octave below the mandolin is called an octave mandolin (OM).
The mandola is tuned the same as a viola - CGDA so an octave mandola would be an octave below that. I have never head it called an octave mandola. It is usually called a mandocello. I have heard people call an octave mandolin, an "octave mandola" which doesn't make sense, because it's not and octave below a mandola.
I have played a mandola and they are very similar to playing a mandolin. The octave mandolin has a long enough scale length that certain chord forms ( the 7523 G chord for instance) that are easy on mandolin are impossible for me to play on the OM, so I tune my OM to GDAD and sometimes use a capo.

Mandolin and mandola (not mine)

My OM

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, lately, with my Classical Guitar on hiatus, I’ve been whackin’ away my other instruments, and havin’ a moderately good time. So, my burning lust for a Mandola has cooled some. I can’t find one for sale anyhow.

So, thanks for the info. I believe I’ll ponder a while longer. Mebbe until another whim starts nudgin’ me.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, I did it. I pulled the trigger on a Gold Tone Mandola to sing Celtic tunes with. I‘m a mandolin person through and through.

 

[Knows Picker]

Gold Tone has some decent stuff and has nice quality control too.

I actually started on the mandolin before the ukulele. I still mess around with it. Just past 2000 something I got one of those Asian Over the Top Inlaid instruments. It is a mandola. Boy, if looks could kill!! Griffins all over the place! It is more like a A style mandolin in shape, with a roundish sound hole and a very deep body. Scale about 17 inches. Never played it overly much, as at the time I was more into jigs and reels. The body was just too resonant. I got it back out recently, looked at the scale length and said, hmmm, 17 inches, lets try the string combination I just got for a solid body electric tenor!!

It's quite the thing now!!

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, Knows, thanks for the info. I’ve never seen one like that. I’m glad you got it fixed up.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, last night, when I was looking out the front window as I always do while locking up, I saw a big box. Thinking it was for someone else, I brought it into the house to check, and it was my new Gold Tone Mandola! Wow! And it was three days early!

I unwrapped it to find that it was a very nice looking instrument indeed. It comes with an all right gig bag. I twiddled the strings in the kitchen (shhh), and it was pretty much outta tune but made some noise. The strings are very tight, and that’s a negative for me, but I still haven’t tuned or played it yet. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

I have 5 Gold Tones, and they’ve all been great for me after I whipped some of them into shape. I never did come to love or even like the darned Cello Banjo. It was just not my cup of tea or even water. I finally gave up and sold at a big loss — ahhh, well . . .

 

[Down Up Dick]

Today I sent for some lighter strings and some heavier picks for my mandola. Its strings are very tight. I can fret them, but they’re too tight. I have one 2.0 mm pick. and I liked the sound it made the last coupla days.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, I struggled with the Mandola, on and off, from Nov thru Apr, trying to get a nice tone with no buzzing outta it — not much luck. The strings are very tight, so I used 1.5 thru 2.0 picks. I didn’t change strings, but the ones I bought weren’t much different. Finally, one day I just grabbed a pick that was laying around, and gave it a plunk. Voila! A good sound and no buzz with a Nylon .073 pick. This led me to trying other picks, and now I’m using various types of them from .060 thru 1.0.

I really enjoy playing the Mandola now when it’s turn comes up. I usually play Folk, Celtic Songs and some easy Classical pieces.

 

[Three Tenors]

I'm primarily a guitarist. But after becoming enamored with Tenor Ukulele a few years ago, I decided to try a Mandola. Now I have an Octave Mandolin as well. I'm somewhat addicted to both of them, and 5ths tuning is very interesting! They do seem to have different uses for me. When I play in a group with strummed acoustic guitars, I think the Mandola works better. It compliments rather than competes with the range of the guitar's open chords. (It's range is a super-set of that of the Tenor Ukulele.) The Octave Mandolin covers close to the same range as a guitar in open position. So it sort of competes with the guitar's tonal spectrum (albeit with a different timbre) rather than compliments it. But that very characteristic makes it preferable to me for solo work and for vocal accompaniment. I've tried a few Mandolins, but they just feel too cramped to me. Mandocellos can sound gorgeous, but I haven't been tempted to go down that road (yet!).

As far as strings (see below) are concerned:

My Eastman MDA315 Mandola (16" scale, C G D A) came with EJ-76s; they were too stiff; I changed to EJ-72s with good results.

My Eastman MDO305 Octave Mandolin (21" scale, G D A E) came with EJ-80s, which were too floppy. I changed to EJ 72s and they were better, but I ultimately went to EJ76's and the instrument came alive!

Here are the gauges of the (D'Addario) sets mentioned:

EJ-80 Octave Med 12-12-22-22-32-32-46-46
EJ-72 Mandola Light 14-14-23-23-34-34-49-49
EJ-76 Mandola Med 15-15-25-25-35-35-52-52

By the way, I use Wegen Twins (2.5mm) gypsy jazz picks on both instruments.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Wow! Thanks for the info, TT. I’m happy with my set-up now, but I can always use help with my endeavors. What kinda music do you play on your Mandolas?

 

[Three Tenors]

Ha! Well, I don't really know any Celtic material. Whiskey in The Jar and Come On Ilene are the two closest that come to mind.
I do some pseudo Bluegrass like The Ballad of Jesse James if that counts. And I can do a smattering of some classical pieces.
But mainly I just do songs I like - as I do on Tenor Uke - but with a different timbre than than the typical guitar arrangement.
On guitar I play mostly Jazz, but I'm not at a level yet to do that very well on 'Dola' or 'OM'.

 

[Down Up Dick]

I ordered some new picks and they came the other day. Most of them are replacements for my collection, but I also ordered some
D’Andrea celluloid ones that someone suggested that I might like. And Wow! I really do. They’re the wide, .071 and .096 sizes. They feel good in my fingers, and they fret without much noise. They look good too — easy to find when they flip on the floor. I’ve stopped using the heavier picks — too much noise.