Post by grayn on May 5, 2013 6:44:21 GMT
I've been fortunate to own a few octave mandolas/bouzoukis, over the years.
My first was a Robin Greenwood bouzouki. It was a typical long scale, thin neck type,
with a lovely, silky yet jangly, tone. It played nicely and went well with my mate's
mandolin.
Then I got a long time friend, the Rod Button octave mandola. With it's shorter,
wider neck and double stringing, as opposed to the octave stringing on the bouzouki's
lower strings.
This wonderful instrument had so much warmth and presence. It literally took
everything I threw at it. And I used to play hard. Once, I hit the strings so hard,
the bridge was knocked flat. I just re-jigged it and carried on. No problem.
Whilst I owned the Button, I got a Davidson Octave mandola, that was a gorgeous copy
of a Gibson A-Class. This baby looked the business and played very smoothly. But
tonally, it was quite thin, being mainly mids and highs. It went.
Much later, I got a Fylde Arch Top bouzouki. This had the longest scale of any I have
played, with a large body too. On it's own, the Fylde had a sort of grandeur. Deep
and sonorous. But it didn't mix with others well, at all. And some tunes were
difficult on that long neck. It went.
I've played a multitude of O.M.s and Bouzoukis, at folk clubs and in shops. I even
played a Sobell once. I thought it very hard sounding. Quite unpleasant, to my ears.
The Button always stood out for me, with it's no nonsense looks and sound. Then, a
while back, my old mandolin playing buddy, who'd also always admired the Button,
bought it from me (gasp).
Very recently I decided to get another octave mandola, preferring the shorter scale,
over the bouzouki's long, thin neck.
After trying a number of UK, handmade instruments, I started to get worried. Although
they all had some lovely aspects to them, they all seemed too small, to me. The
bodies were just not large enough and the necks too narrow.
By now, you probably think I just wanted to get another Button. And yes, it did set a
standard, to my ears. But I think after the 17 odd years I owned it, I'd become too
used to it's sound. Comfortable but not the inspiration it used to be.
It was some time before I missed it. I even considered ringing my mate and asking him
to sell it back. Yet in the end, I realised I wanted a new sound. Similar but not
the same.
Last week I rang Forsyths, who said the only octave mandola they had in, was the Fylde
Touchstone. I checked it out on Fylde's site and thought it looked really plain and
boring. However I found a couple of youtube vids of it, that sounded OK. So I
decided to check it out and was very glad I did.
The first thing I noticed about the Touchstone was it's size. It is much larger than
most other octave mandolas. So immediately you get a bigger sound. On Fylde's site
they say the "shallower body, produces a lively bright sound". That worried me. But
they forgot to say, the body being large and shapely, gives a very full tonal range.
Here are Fylde's measurements for it:
Fingerboard width at nut: 38mm, 1 1/2 ins.
Scale length: 532mm, 20 15/16 ins.
String spacing at bridge: 48mm, 1 7/8 ins.
Overall length excluding strap pin: 852mm, 33 1/2 ins.
Body width: 383mm, 15 1/16 ins.
Depth of sides at tailpin: 76mm, 3 ins.
Also to my liking, is the wider fret board. Plenty of room for manouvere.
The neck is of Honduran Mahogany, which has an attractive grain.
The fret board is rosewood and although it looks a little dry, feels good to play.
The headstock is veneered with a very dark wood, having what looks like, a rosewood,
truss rod cover.
The only cheap looking thing on this instrument , is the Fylde, golden logo. It looks
like they lost some of it, when it was adhered to the head. It's not a disaster but
it could be better.
The Touchstone keeps all it's decor to a minimum, with 3 concentric lines, for a
rossette and down to 2 parallel lines, for purfling. The binding is rosewood, which
doesn't stand out at all. All this keeps the costs down, I guess.
Fortunately the overall shape and design of this ocatve mandola, is very handsome
indeed.
The spruce soundboard (no type given, my guess is sitka) has a nice, uniform grain,
with some attractive feathering and a slight golden hue, that lifts it away from the
bleached white look, of many spruce tops.
The back and sides are sapele, with it's usual, uniform stripes. Although it's a
cheaper wood than mahogany, I have always found that it hits the spot, tonally. This
paticular example does exactly that and has a lovely, golden, reflective sheen, to
boot.
To play, the Touchstone is just how I like it. The neck profile and width, in
conjunction with the string tension, is just right. Lively and responsive but firm
enough to take some stick.
Sound wise, again just about perfect. A large, full tone, yet it is very controlled
and articulate. Somehow, it has just the right harmonic mix. Delightfully rich but
with plenty of definition, allowing you to blend in, or stand out, according to your
technique.
Before I got a Fylde Eric Bibb guitar, I'd been pretty scornful of Fylde. The Bibb
showed me what Mr Bucknall could do. In some ways this Tochstone, although a far
cheaper instrument, has taken my respect levels even higher.
There is nothing glamourous about this Fylde. Except that it is the best octave
mandola I have played.
I'll always love my old Rod Button mandola and would have it back, if my mate needed
the cash. But even that old warhorse would have to play second fiddle (mandola) to
this Fylde Touchstone.
My first was a Robin Greenwood bouzouki. It was a typical long scale, thin neck type,
with a lovely, silky yet jangly, tone. It played nicely and went well with my mate's
mandolin.
Then I got a long time friend, the Rod Button octave mandola. With it's shorter,
wider neck and double stringing, as opposed to the octave stringing on the bouzouki's
lower strings.
This wonderful instrument had so much warmth and presence. It literally took
everything I threw at it. And I used to play hard. Once, I hit the strings so hard,
the bridge was knocked flat. I just re-jigged it and carried on. No problem.
Whilst I owned the Button, I got a Davidson Octave mandola, that was a gorgeous copy
of a Gibson A-Class. This baby looked the business and played very smoothly. But
tonally, it was quite thin, being mainly mids and highs. It went.
Much later, I got a Fylde Arch Top bouzouki. This had the longest scale of any I have
played, with a large body too. On it's own, the Fylde had a sort of grandeur. Deep
and sonorous. But it didn't mix with others well, at all. And some tunes were
difficult on that long neck. It went.
I've played a multitude of O.M.s and Bouzoukis, at folk clubs and in shops. I even
played a Sobell once. I thought it very hard sounding. Quite unpleasant, to my ears.
The Button always stood out for me, with it's no nonsense looks and sound. Then, a
while back, my old mandolin playing buddy, who'd also always admired the Button,
bought it from me (gasp).
Very recently I decided to get another octave mandola, preferring the shorter scale,
over the bouzouki's long, thin neck.
After trying a number of UK, handmade instruments, I started to get worried. Although
they all had some lovely aspects to them, they all seemed too small, to me. The
bodies were just not large enough and the necks too narrow.
By now, you probably think I just wanted to get another Button. And yes, it did set a
standard, to my ears. But I think after the 17 odd years I owned it, I'd become too
used to it's sound. Comfortable but not the inspiration it used to be.
It was some time before I missed it. I even considered ringing my mate and asking him
to sell it back. Yet in the end, I realised I wanted a new sound. Similar but not
the same.
Last week I rang Forsyths, who said the only octave mandola they had in, was the Fylde
Touchstone. I checked it out on Fylde's site and thought it looked really plain and
boring. However I found a couple of youtube vids of it, that sounded OK. So I
decided to check it out and was very glad I did.
The first thing I noticed about the Touchstone was it's size. It is much larger than
most other octave mandolas. So immediately you get a bigger sound. On Fylde's site
they say the "shallower body, produces a lively bright sound". That worried me. But
they forgot to say, the body being large and shapely, gives a very full tonal range.
Here are Fylde's measurements for it:
Fingerboard width at nut: 38mm, 1 1/2 ins.
Scale length: 532mm, 20 15/16 ins.
String spacing at bridge: 48mm, 1 7/8 ins.
Overall length excluding strap pin: 852mm, 33 1/2 ins.
Body width: 383mm, 15 1/16 ins.
Depth of sides at tailpin: 76mm, 3 ins.
Also to my liking, is the wider fret board. Plenty of room for manouvere.
The neck is of Honduran Mahogany, which has an attractive grain.
The fret board is rosewood and although it looks a little dry, feels good to play.
The headstock is veneered with a very dark wood, having what looks like, a rosewood,
truss rod cover.
The only cheap looking thing on this instrument , is the Fylde, golden logo. It looks
like they lost some of it, when it was adhered to the head. It's not a disaster but
it could be better.
The Touchstone keeps all it's decor to a minimum, with 3 concentric lines, for a
rossette and down to 2 parallel lines, for purfling. The binding is rosewood, which
doesn't stand out at all. All this keeps the costs down, I guess.
Fortunately the overall shape and design of this ocatve mandola, is very handsome
indeed.
The spruce soundboard (no type given, my guess is sitka) has a nice, uniform grain,
with some attractive feathering and a slight golden hue, that lifts it away from the
bleached white look, of many spruce tops.
The back and sides are sapele, with it's usual, uniform stripes. Although it's a
cheaper wood than mahogany, I have always found that it hits the spot, tonally. This
paticular example does exactly that and has a lovely, golden, reflective sheen, to
boot.
To play, the Touchstone is just how I like it. The neck profile and width, in
conjunction with the string tension, is just right. Lively and responsive but firm
enough to take some stick.
Sound wise, again just about perfect. A large, full tone, yet it is very controlled
and articulate. Somehow, it has just the right harmonic mix. Delightfully rich but
with plenty of definition, allowing you to blend in, or stand out, according to your
technique.
Before I got a Fylde Eric Bibb guitar, I'd been pretty scornful of Fylde. The Bibb
showed me what Mr Bucknall could do. In some ways this Tochstone, although a far
cheaper instrument, has taken my respect levels even higher.
There is nothing glamourous about this Fylde. Except that it is the best octave
mandola I have played.
I'll always love my old Rod Button mandola and would have it back, if my mate needed
the cash. But even that old warhorse would have to play second fiddle (mandola) to
this Fylde Touchstone.
Mr Bucknall calls it that, too. 
Jo whoever he is.
