Fylde Mandolin

[Rick C.]

I love my Fylde Octavius- sounds great, but a session weapon it ain't.

The only Fylde mandolin I've ever had my hands or (or even seen for that matter) was the little flat top they make that's mahogany/cedar just as the Octavius. Nice tone, easy to play, but too quiet for my needs. Anybody played their other mandolins? What did you think?


Thanks,


Rick

[Ro3b]

Hi, Rick!

I haven't played any of the other Fylde mandolins, but I've noticed both the "Touchstone" and "Lucetta" models have longer scale lengths than are usual -- the Touchstone's scale length is 14 3/4," and I think the Lucetta is something similar (can't get the page to come up now). That would make for a real boomer of an instrument, all else being equal, but it would be a little hard to play for me. Shrug?

[Wombat]

I love my Fylde Octavius- sounds great, but a session weapon it ain't.

The only Fylde mandolin I've ever had my hands or (or even seen for that matter) was the little flat top they make that's mahogany/cedar just as the Octavius. Nice tone, easy to play, but too quiet for my needs. Anybody played their other mandolins? What did you think?


Thanks,


Rick

I have their more expensive model. I think that's the Octavius. It's certainly as you describe it. I haven't played any of the others but friends who have say that they are louder but coarser. To quote one friend, they are better for playing in ensembles but not as much fun for playing alone.

I'd rather amplify mine than play a louder but inferior instrument.

[Rick C.]

Wombat,

I think I may have confused the issue- the Octavius I have is the bouzouki, their mandolin of the same style is also called Octavius on their website, I see (!!). What I'm looking around for is a flat top mando that is loud and bright enough for session playing.

About a year ago I started back playing mando a bit after a nearly 10 year absence from the instrument. Sold my Trinity College (Japanese-made, mid-80's) and concentrated on bouzouki and box. So I went mandolin shopping with a mando budget of $1800 US- you can buy a pretty decent mando for that, even these days. I played dozens of mandolins-- Gibsons, Collings, Weber, Breedlove, etc., including several that were out of my price range, just for comparison.

What'd I buy? A $450 Chinese-made Trinity College. Of all the ones I played (even the vintage F-5 Gibsons at Gruhn's in Nashville), it had the most ring, better volume, and bright tone. And the flat top means I don't have to cock my right hand at an angle I don't like.

I've owned a Gibson A-1, and had a Sobell for a few months. The Gibson just didn't suit me at all, and the Sobell was from the time he was making 8 string mandos with the same width neck as the 10 strings-- a lot of work to play, and the E string was weak. Nice tone though, rosewood/spruce. And at the only gig I ever used it, it went out of tune in the middle of a tune set and I had to finish it on whistle!

So after all that, I'm playing a mando most players would not even give a second glance. One day I'd like to get my hands on a Foley mando, just for 5 minutes to see if I'd want one. The TC will be going to Ireland with me in August if I count my pennies right, we'll see how it's received over there!

Rob, how are things up there? Are you officially a Yankee now? Ha!



Rick

[rh]

One day I'd like to get my hands on a Foley mando, just for 5 minutes to see if I'd want one.

If you're ever down in the Miami - Ft Lauderdale area, you can try mine. The tone is great, it's very loud, the neck is pretty chunky -- i've been playing it a lot recently so i'm used to it, but switching back from my Weber or my A5 takes some adjustment. Still, i'm glad i got it, it sounds lovely.

I'm also interested in your comments about the TC, i'd been looking at getting one as a beater mandolin but was wondering about the tone and volume. Some of the Asian mandos actually are louder than many of the more expensive instruments, though the tone is often kind of strident. Still, it's good to hear there are decent sub-$500 options.

[buddhu]

Barney McKenna and John Sheahan in the Dubliners use Fylde mandos onstage. They look like Octavius models to me. Obviously they amp them up, so that doesn't mean the Octavius is really loud enough for a session. They sound great though.

I really fancy a mando with a zero fret, like the Fyldes. I might take a look at their Touchstones again. Slightly longer scale length and quite a big body. I hear they are a fair bit louder than the smaller Octavius model.

[mrdot]

Hi Wombat, sounds as if you know a bit about Mandolins including ones made in Oz. I have switched over from guitar because there are too many guitars around the place and I am as deaf as a post and need something that I can hear over the rest of the band. We play all sorts of music. not any bluegrass though. I have a sh*t chinese Beam Blossom and just lost a nice bright Wildwood out of the back of the ute somewhere on the Newell Hwy. It sounded pretty good but I thought that I might take the opportunity to look around for something else. There is always something on Ebay but I am reluctant to buy without playing first. Any leads on Oz makers? What is a Mid-Missouri like to play. Will spend a bit for a good instrument.
Regards Bill Plant
Wangaratta Vic