A little about myself - I tinker around a bit on the mandolin, mostly as accompaniment in a small ensemble I play with. We were looking to add a deeper, richer sound to the group by getting an octave mandolin. Times being what they are, and my skills being what they are, does anyone have any advice on some low-end octave mandolins. I'm looking at:
Lark in the Morning
Celtic Star
Johnson
What are the general opinion on these makers? We're looking for more of a rich sound rather than bright. Does maple make the sound brighter?
You don't say where you're located so I'm giving you a USA-centric view. If you want someting reliable in the $500 area I would recommend the Trinity College line. The quality control of this stuff is pretty consistent.
You might want to start dropping into the mandolincafe.com website and start reading the CBOM (cittern, bouzouki, octave, mandola) section. You can pick up a lot of collective wisdom there.
A very good player from Scotland posted there recently that he picked up a Gold Tone and was impressed by how good it was for the money.
Lark in the Morning stuff can be overpriced and underwhelming.
I think the Johnson stuff my be comparable to the Trinity College but I would steer clear of the asymmetrical model festooned with mother-of-toilet seat inlays. The teardrop ones can be okay.
I think Celtic Star is a European based company that imports from several sources and brands them. Some may be Horas from Romania which can be hit or miss and almost always require a bit of set up work and minor upgrades in hardware according to people who own and like them.
Maple would be among the brighter sounding tonewoods.
I have a Celtic Star octave mando I bought last year. I think they are are very good buy for the price, the guy does a great service, instrument is very well made sounds sweet and the elctrics are top. I don't know if I only got a very good one or whether they are all like it, but I would recommend it from my own experience.
As I understand it Trinity College and Johnson are both made, at least to the same design, if not in the same factory, and the only essential difference between them may be quality control.
Both of these will benefit, as I have said previously, by replacing the fitted bridge and tailpiece with a Red-Henry-pattern bridge and a heavier brass tailpiece, which will put more of the string energy directly onto the soundboard.
I always reckon mellow to be the equivalent of understated, as it's the top-end response you need to make the deeper instrument audible in the mix, but you know what you're aiming for.
I bought a Celtic Star zouk about 2 years ago now and although im very happy with it, when i first got it it did have a bit of a rattle on the A string so i had to sort that out, id say only go with Celtic Star if you are prepared to some work on it.
I know the man involved in this company and you will get a good deal for the price.
These instruments are made in the same factory as "Hora" Instruments (and many other names!) but the difference is they are made to david's personal specification and only for him.
He has a say on the materials and finish.
He's a good man to deal with and the instruments are worth far more than the price and certainly better than a lot of the Pacific Rim made instruments that all tend to be made in the same factory under a multitude of names.
I know David gets some crap instruments - which he keeps and doesn't sell - other than occasionally to people for parts.
No actual connection to the company other than I know david personally and I have had a very nice "Bear Claw" mandolin from him that I bought for my girlfriend.
A friend bought one of his ( David's ) bouzoukis a little while ago - I was quite surprised by the effectiveness of the pickup, wasn't so keen on the acoustic sound, but that's after playing and modifying an 'Ozark' (Trinity College/Johnson-type ) 'zouk, and the Pacific Rim models do have a larger soundbox - the Kirkpatrick ones might be fine on the shorter scales but I haven't tried one.
Oh, I'm sorry. I am in the states. Initially I was looking at the $400 range but I'm not entirely sure I'm happy with the few sound clips of I've heard of instruments (particularly, a Trinity College) in that range. So I might be willing to to up to $600ish. I realize most Trinity College instruments are almost $600 but they are easy to find cheaper online (I'm a mad bargain hunter).
Yes, I found Daunt Lee on eBay and messaged him. He said he hadn't yet set up a studio in Japan to make them but hoped to do it one day. How inconvenient for me!
New Octave Mando player
New Octave Mando player
Hello all. I need some information!
A little about myself - I tinker around a bit on the mandolin, mostly as accompaniment in a small ensemble I play with. We were looking to add a deeper, richer sound to the group by getting an octave mandolin. Times being what they are, and my skills being what they are, does anyone have any advice on some low-end octave mandolins. I'm looking at:
Lark in the Morning
Celtic Star
Johnson
What are the general opinion on these makers? We're looking for more of a rich sound rather than bright. Does maple make the sound brighter?
Any help would be appreciated!
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by lsolo
Re: New Octave Mando player
You don't say where you're located so I'm giving you a USA-centric view. If you want someting reliable in the $500 area I would recommend the Trinity College line. The quality control of this stuff is pretty consistent.
You might want to start dropping into the mandolincafe.com website and start reading the CBOM (cittern, bouzouki, octave, mandola) section. You can pick up a lot of collective wisdom there.
A very good player from Scotland posted there recently that he picked up a Gold Tone and was impressed by how good it was for the money.
Lark in the Morning stuff can be overpriced and underwhelming.
I think the Johnson stuff my be comparable to the Trinity College but I would steer clear of the asymmetrical model festooned with mother-of-toilet seat inlays. The teardrop ones can be okay.
I think Celtic Star is a European based company that imports from several sources and brands them. Some may be Horas from Romania which can be hit or miss and almost always require a bit of set up work and minor upgrades in hardware according to people who own and like them.
Maple would be among the brighter sounding tonewoods.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by Steve L
Re: New Octave Mando player
I have a Celtic Star octave mando I bought last year. I think they are are very good buy for the price, the guy does a great service, instrument is very well made sounds sweet and the elctrics are top. I don't know if I only got a very good one or whether they are all like it, but I would recommend it from my own experience.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by tctelboy
Re: New Octave Mando player
As I understand it Trinity College and Johnson are both made, at least to the same design, if not in the same factory, and the only essential difference between them may be quality control.
Both of these will benefit, as I have said previously, by replacing the fitted bridge and tailpiece with a Red-Henry-pattern bridge and a heavier brass tailpiece, which will put more of the string energy directly onto the soundboard.
I always reckon mellow to be the equivalent of understated, as it's the top-end response you need to make the deeper instrument audible in the mix, but you know what you're aiming for.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: New Octave Mando player
I bought a Celtic Star zouk about 2 years ago now and although im very happy with it, when i first got it it did have a bit of a rattle on the A string so i had to sort that out, id say only go with Celtic Star if you are prepared to some work on it.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by Joneser
Re: New Octave Mando player
For a very decent, but modest range of instruments go here http://www.troubadour.uk.com/
I know the man involved in this company and you will get a good deal for the price.
These instruments are made in the same factory as "Hora" Instruments (and many other names!) but the difference is they are made to david's personal specification and only for him.
He has a say on the materials and finish.
He's a good man to deal with and the instruments are worth far more than the price and certainly better than a lot of the Pacific Rim made instruments that all tend to be made in the same factory under a multitude of names.
I know David gets some crap instruments - which he keeps and doesn't sell - other than occasionally to people for parts.
No actual connection to the company other than I know david personally and I have had a very nice "Bear Claw" mandolin from him that I bought for my girlfriend.
# Posted on February 18th 2009 by UKCITTERN
Re: New Octave Mando player
A friend bought one of his ( David's ) bouzoukis a little while ago - I was quite surprised by the effectiveness of the pickup, wasn't so keen on the acoustic sound, but that's after playing and modifying an 'Ozark' (Trinity College/Johnson-type ) 'zouk, and the Pacific Rim models do have a larger soundbox - the Kirkpatrick ones might be fine on the shorter scales but I haven't tried one.
# Posted on February 19th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: New Octave Mando player
Thanks for the replies so far. I'd be playing acoustically, which I should have mentioned before.
I've heard good things about Minstrel instruments, but I can't find anywhere they're sold. Does anyone have a lead on that?
# Posted on February 19th 2009 by lsolo
Re: New Octave Mando player
I've heard Daunt Lee moved from Canada to japan and isn't building Minstrels anymore. He pretty much sold exclusively on Ebay I think.
You still haven't said where you are or what you budget is. You might look at Gypsy's Music or Bill Peterson in the States.
# Posted on February 19th 2009 by Steve L
Re: New Octave Mando player
Oh, I'm sorry. I am in the states. Initially I was looking at the $400 range but I'm not entirely sure I'm happy with the few sound clips of I've heard of instruments (particularly, a Trinity College) in that range. So I might be willing to to up to $600ish. I realize most Trinity College instruments are almost $600 but they are easy to find cheaper online (I'm a mad bargain hunter).
Yes, I found Daunt Lee on eBay and messaged him. He said he hadn't yet set up a studio in Japan to make them but hoped to do it one day. How inconvenient for me!
# Posted on February 21st 2009 by lsolo
Re: New Octave Mando player
Check out the Olde Woods Lutherie site on myspace and Gypsy's Music at gypsysmusic.com.
# Posted on February 21st 2009 by Steve L