Mandocello plan/advice

[Pappy Green]

Hi,

I am planning to build a mandocello based on a standard size classical body shape with a scale length of around 25inch. I am unsure which bracing pattern to use that would serve me best in such a low register and I am unabe to find a plan anywhere. I have built an octave mandolin in an O size guitar body and used the X/lattice bracing pattern as recomended by Grahmam MacDonald for bouzouki. It worked a treat (thanks Graham).
Mandocello string gauge is 0.070, 0.046, 0.032, 0.020 (from e-Mando)

Should I use the X/lattice or regular guitar style bracing?
Will the body and scale length be adequate for such a low register?
Any other advice would be welcome (including the location of a plan if anyone knows of one).

much obliged

Brett

[Kev3]

Hi Brett
No nothing about these myself - but you got me interested enough to have a look around. You're right, not much in the way of actual plans. Most talk is around A and F style instruments. This guy gives some overall dimensions in a table for the whole family:
http://smart-instruments.com/amluth95.html

And discussions here suggest a 25" scale may be a bit short for clear notes on the heavy guaged C string:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showt ... asurements

Hope you have more luck - love to see it and hear it when it's done

Cheers

[Mark McLean]

Nigel Forster makes some guitar bouzoukis, 8 strings, with X-bracing and similar scale length to what you are considering. I imagine that many of the design principles would be applicable to a mandocello? Check out his website, or you could PM him for a bit more of a lowdown on his approach.

[KLW]

I've mad a mandocello based on a Gibson LO body shape but with fan frets to solve the C string issues and 14 frets to the body..

I used a x brace pattern modified to fit the fanned frets and get bridge angle.. turned out quite good IMHO..

Some pics attached best I have of the bracing.. Scale was 24.75 treble and 26.25 bass with the 6th fret parallel..

P1010147 (Small).JPG (89.96 KiB) Viewed 10377 times

P1010141 (Small).JPG (77.78 KiB) Viewed 10377 times

[sebastiaan56]

It is not uncommon for guitars to be converted to Mandocellos by drilling a couple of extra tuner holes and replacing the saddle and nut. There are a few on the Mandolin Cafe along with some people who do it regularly. If you go with a archtop type tailpiece it gets even easier. Graham MacDonald will have some know how in the details of all of this.

[Pappy Green]

I am much obliged for the advice. I think I will go with standard guitar style bracing.

Kerry how does the small body handle the low C?