Octave Mandolin & Irish Bouzouki

[Bassfinger]

Team,

 

Been playing the standard Mando for a couple of years and I'm now looking to get either an octave mandolin or an Irish bouzouki,the latter of which I would play both GDAE and GDAD.

 

I'm really torn over which to go for. So with that in mind, do you fine people that have trodden this path before me have any experiences, thoughts, tips, sage words of wisdom?

[JohnH89]

Personally I'd go for the Irish bouzouki . Longer scale length sounds better to my ear . Both are beautiful sounding instruments . The only place I can think of to try them out would be a branch of Hobgoblin music . I don't know if you have one reasonably local . 

[Bassfinger]

I like your sig John.  If Sir Douglas had obeyed the rules he wouldn't have lost both legs and later ended up as a POW.

[Oopsdabassist]

Hobgoblin in Newport Pagnell, bought my mando there.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, JohnH89 said:

Personally I'd go for the Irish bouzouki . Longer scale length sounds better to my ear . Both are beautiful sounding instruments . The only place I can think of to try them out would be a branch of Hobgoblin music . I don't know if you have one reasonably local . 

 

Is there are a particular make/model of Irish bouzouki you'd recommend for someone starting out? It's something I've been thinking about getting too, so was interested when this thread popped up!

[Bassfinger]

9 hours ago, Oopsdabassist said:

Hobgoblin in Newport Pagnell, bought my mando there.

Ah, not a gazillion miles from me, will check it out. Thanks.

[JohnH89]

9 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Is there are a particular make/model of Irish bouzouki you'd recommend for someone starting out? It's something I've been thinking about getting too, so was interested when this thread popped up!

McNeela or Ozark will get you in the ballpark . Decent instruments .

[pete.young]

Irish bouzouki has a longer scale length, not quite as long as an actual Greek bouzouki but a serious stretch for GDAE particularly if you are attempting to use violin fingering, rather than Irish tenor banjo style (use the pinky on the 5th fret and slide up to the 7th).

 

I'd say if you want to play melodies and use GDAE then an octave mandolin would be a good choice. If you are more focussed on accompaniment and GDAD then a bouzouki scale length allows you lighter strings which ning out more.

 

Ashbury stuff is pretty good at entry level. Very similar to Ozark.

[Grahambythesea]

Had 2 octave mandolas which are more comfortable to play than the bouzouki. My 2 had different scale lengths. Both now sold.

[Beer of the Bass]

Shorter scale can have more focused punch on single notes but can be a little barky when playing chords. Longer scale typically has more jangle and zing. I really like GDAD over GDAE myself, my approach is usually to use a capo to put the DAD courses into a useful place for the key I'm in, as melodies in keys with fewer open notes get a little stretchy. Though my instrument is a 10 string cittern, 650mm scale, tuned CGDAD.