The first time I had ever saw a mandola was on the back cover of a Planxty album. It was this above photo of Andy Irvine playing a Portuguese Mandola. I was hooked instantly from seeing this incredible looking instrument, with weird tuners and long scrolled head. This image stuck in my mind for a long time and the search for an instrument just like it ………….well they just didn’t seem to exist !
It was almost like some kind of mythical instrument, that no instrument shop anywhere owned or even knew where you could get hold of one. Andy played this instrument for a few years with Planxty and it had a wonderful tone. It actually turned out to be a 12 string guitarra, that Andy converted the machine heads of, to create an 8 string instrument.
I eventually bought a lovely Button Portuguese mandola a couple of years back and got a great buzz from playing it. The tuners ( machine heads ) on these things are far better than the modern ones, in my opinion. Not only do they look fantastic but they really hold the tunings tight. The tuning needs a key to turn it but an old clock key works perfectly.
The very big disadvantage with this instrument is where on earth do you find strings to fit it !!!! I have spent long hours making my own strings for these, so it can be very irritating if you break a string. I later bought a few guitarra's and even a wonderful mandola version from a instrument collector in Canada. It has an amazing Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, spruce top and a tone to die for.
Andy also played a German Waldzither for many years, again another very odd looking instrument with a lovely tone. Waldzither ( Forest Cittern ) are German instruments, with nine strings. Eight strings paired or coursed and a singular bass string on top. Andy also tuned this GDad and removed the top singular bass string to make chording easier. The odd tuning pegs need a key to turn them, so if you buy one make use you get the key with it. Here is Andy playing a Waldzither in the picture below.
I eventually bought a Fylde mandola and really enjoyed it, although the very heavy strings on it are a little too heavy for my liking. Fylde instruments are built very solid and I very much like the Octavious range of Bouzouki’s and Mandola’s. Andy also played the Octavious bouzouki for years and played it beautifully, especially on Balkan tunes.
The Mandola is a confusing part of the mandolin family. It has been labeled Octave Mandola, Octave mandolin, mandola, and Tenor mandola. Many makers including Sobell, Fylde etc call this instrument an Octave Mandola when tuned GDae and a Tenor Mandola when tuned CGda. Though, it has been called an Octave Mandolin by makers in the USA. Infact, to be very honest I have only heard the name Octave mandolin over the past couple of years. For me, I still like the name Octave mandola, or simply mandola. But it does give people something to argue about !
The main attraction of the modern mandola, Octave Mandola or Octave Mandolin, which ever you want to call it, is the scale length. Coming in between the mandolin and the Irish Bouzouki this can be a very comfortable size for playing fast melody, and really works well with Jigs and Reels. A beautiful instrument...........what ever you want to call it !
Kieron