Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola

Subject: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 05:17 PM

I've got a Fylde Octavius Mandola (the pear-drop shape - strictly speaking it's an Octave Mandolin, tuned same as a Mandolin but an octave lower), which I keep in a fairly battered banjo case. It's not a great fit, but it's as good as anything else I've seen.

Does anyone know of a better-fitting case for this instrument, and where I can get one from? I'm ABSOLUTELY NOT interested in gig-bags, I want a hard-case.

Any help will be much appreciated.
Cheers guys,
S:0)

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 06 - 09:30 PM

The Hobgoblin USA New Instrument Price ListGR3371, Octave Mandola Hard Shell Case, $ 115.00. GR3372, Fylde ... GR3531, Fylde Octavius Bouzouki, $ 2045.00. GR3535, Fylde arch top Bouzouki, $ 2355.00 ...
www.hobgoblin-usa.com/local/price.htm - 90k - Cached - Similar pages


The Hobgoblin New Instrument Price ListGR3371, Octave Mandola Hard Shell Case, £ 59.95, (€ 90.00). GR3372, Fylde Touchstone Mandola Case ... GR3531, Fylde Octavius Bouzouki, £ 825.00, (€ 1230.00) ...
www.hobgoblin.com/local/price.htm - 216k - Cached - Similar pages

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 01 Oct 06 - 05:31 AM

Thanks GUEST - I was in Hobgoblin (Nottingham, UK) on Wednesday - the Touchstone Mandola case is completely the wrong shape and size, my Octavius rattled around in it (nice case though!). That was all they had in the shop. I'll try one of their other shops for the Octave Mandola Hardshell Case, Leeds maybe.
S:0)

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 01 Oct 06 - 05:08 PM

SJ
I have a Fylde Octavius bouzouki which fits perfectly in a banjo case I bought from Andy Perkins (The Banjo Shop - Faversham) - a common enough case. The trick is to unscrew the gadget box inside and reverse it to make room for the peardrop shape. Takes about ten minutes. If you really want to do the job properly, move the handle round as well and the case will balance with the bouzouki in it; otherwise it tends to hang head down. That's just in case you can't find one ready made...
B

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 02 Oct 06 - 03:39 AM

If you find a good case that is a bit too big try wrapping the instrument in bubble wrap.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Oct 06 - 04:35 PM

Nobgobblin' in Nottingham has to be the vaguest and most useless place I've ever been in. Last time I was in they didn't even have a Jim Dunlop 60.

As for Perkins - only ever let him near banjos. He is a powerful salesman, but later you realise. I once let him work on a guitar, and, more fool me, once on a mandolin.

If a case is too deep, a shaped cutout of foam rubber can work wonders.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 03:53 AM

Richard,
I had two guitars worked on by Andy Perkins, and know numerous others, pro musicians, who have had instruments in his care, including mandolins (and come to that, my Fylde bouzouki), all perfectly satisfied, except one who shall remain nameless who was scandalised that Andy put a new set of strings on to replace the antiques which were in situ. Further - you realise what? He runs a shop - his job is to sell things. If you have any other ideas as to what a shopkeeper should do for a living, I'm sure we'd be fascinated to hear. It's an approach which I find more acceptable than that of some well known music emporia where the staff's main activity seems to be scratching their arses and admiring each others' piercings.
Oh, and if you do use foam rubber padding, for heaven's sake cover it with cloth - it can attack certain finishes.
B.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: GUEST,FFF
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 04:45 AM

Why not email Roger and ask for his recommendation? He's a helpful chap and always ready to assist Fylde Instrument owners:-

rogerbucknall (at) fyldeguitars.com

FFF

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: GUEST,FFF
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 04:48 AM

ooooppps (Too late to bed last night1)


rogerbucknall (at) fyldeguitars.com


FFF

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: GUEST,Ian Pittaway
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 05:01 AM

Had the same problem with a Fylde cittern. I used a banjo case and filled in the gaps round the edge of the instrument with a thick towel. Not ideal, but it did the job. Otherwise, you could have a case custom made by Kingham Made To Measure Cases (who usually make early music cases for lutes, etc.) - http://www.kinghammtm.com/ - very good, but very expensive.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: redsnapper
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 05:22 AM

I can second Kingham who made a beautiful case to measure for my tenor mandola. Very good and a bit expensive but less expensive than some (more well-known) cases I've owned and a wise investment for a good instrument. And very nice people indeed.

RS

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Mooh
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 06:06 AM

Calton will make one for you if you supply the dimensions...or at least they used to.

Generally a slightly bigger case tricked out with extra interior padding will do the trick, and the advice above about covering whatever foam with fabric is good. Velcro will hold the extra foam pieces in place but still allow them to be removed if the case is doing double duty.

In my work as a festival instrument security guy I've seen some good retrofits, even an odd shaped mandolin sharing a guitar case with whistles and flutes, all neatly padded and secure. I myself once had a subdivided guitar case for carrying accessories.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 06:21 AM

Hello Boatman

Check Perkins' past. Not about musical instruments.

The Saga mandolin he sold me split from end to end of the soundboard - Saga not interested, despite their alleged lifetime guarantee to the original retail purchaser - they said I was not the original retail purchaser...

My late wife's Hagstrom J45 (a splendid vintage instrument in its own right) he rendered almost unplayable - it has taken several years and a refret and a lot of work by other luthiers to get it nearly right again - except that despite being told we wanted to keep the original machine heads so they could be refitted if desired to return it to original, Perkins cut up the machine head covers and lost the ferrules.

My Italian mandolin, nicely repaired previously by Alathea, has never sounded the same since Perkins repaired a soundboard split (that split was my fault). I suspect too large a tie.

There is a difference between an attentive attendant and a pushy salesman.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: GUEST,Godfrey
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 02:35 PM

I know it's a bit late in the day but I found this forum whilst searching for an answer to the same problem.
I have now found the solution at Hobgoblin with one of their GR3775 Ashbury Foam 5str Banjo Cases. The Octavious fits snugly with no modification necessary and it only cost £39.95. Not quite a hard shell but quite rigid and I'm confident it will give a good level of protection. The only downsides are that overall it's quite bulky and 3 - 4 inches too long at the headstock end but I can live with that.
Kingham cases look absolutely wonderful but I was quoted £276 which is more than a third of the price the instrument itself and I didn't feel I could justify that.
Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Case for Fylde Octavius Mandola
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Jun 07 - 03:13 PM

Strollin' Johnny has left the building.
But I thank you all for your advice.
Be happy.