Compare and Contrast the F-Style, A-Style, and Flat-Style Mandocellos

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24 Members, Created 1/31/2011 -

Administrators: MontanaLutherie (owner) , willie shepherd

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From MontanaLutherie on 2/7/2012 10:46:17 AM

I just posted this on our FaceBook page in answer to a fellow's question- thought you might be interested and thoughts of your own...

Scott asked this question awhile back and since the answer is longer than a comment, and others might be interested, I've put it in this note. The information is applicable to all of mandolin family (mandolins, mandolas and octaves) as well as mandocellos. Please go our regular website: FACTS/Sound and Tone Elements for further information.

The first division is between the carved instruments (A's & F's) and the Flat instruments. Carved instruments have a greater range of tone than Flats. Our Flat instruments do have a slight curve for added strength (that is sort of) pressed rather than carved and they have a lot of volume. We almost always build Flats with sound holes to add to the volume a round/wide sound that is needed in the genre they are used for quite frequently, celtic music. Their use is not limited to this, and many play them in country bands, etc. and I think they are 'under used'.

Bruce carving tone bars

The main things that make the sound/tone of the instruments are the woods used, the bracing, and whether it has a sound hole or F Holes. Following is a quick run-down of these elements and go to our FACTS page for more information or do not hesitate to call or email us with further, or specific, questions.

Back/ribs/neck- maple is a standard and has a very bright tone, Mahogany has a woody (chocolate-thanks Caith) tone. Many others that aren't used that often, but can be.
Tops/the sound board- Spruce is the standard and there are several kinds with different qualities, also Cedar and several others. Bruce will calibrate each instrument and adjust the bracing to the top and back woods being used.
Our carved instruments either have Tone Bar, X Bracing or modified X Bracing for Flats. Tone bars have a bell like quality with a lot of sustain, X bracing has more of bark or chop (play in faster than tone bars and must necessarily be used with sound holes), and the modified Xbracing has more guitar qualities to strengthen the top (carved instruments can take a lot more string pressure than flat instruments).
Sound holes give a wider, more open sound and thus blend with the other instruments in a band or orchestra and sound louder to the player. F Holes project forward to an audience and be audible with banjos : )

We have several mandocello videos on our website Players page, and on our YouTube channel

1 Comments
	MontanaLutherie says: 2/7/2012 10:49:47 AM Sorry about the bad editing!....mw
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