Mandocello — Lutherie Encyclopedia

MandocelloType: instrumentThe tenor/baritone voice of the mandolin family, tuned like a cello and providing bass lines in mandolin orchestras.## History The mandocello emerged in the late 19th century as part of the mandolin orchestra movement that swept through Italy, Germany, and the United States. As mandolin ensembles grew in popularity, the need for lower-voiced instruments to fill out the harmonic texture led to the development of the mandola, mandocello, and mandobass. Gibson produced mandocellos beginning in the early 1900s, with the K-1 and the ornate K-5 (the mandocello equivalent of the F-5 mandolin) being notable models. The instrument was common in mandolin orchestras through the 1930s, declined in popularity with the orchestras themselves, and has seen modest revival interest in both folk and classical contexts. ## Construction The mandocello is a large instrument, with a body comparable in size to a small guitar or large mandola. Scale length ranges from 24.75 to 27 inches, and the body width at the lower bout is typically 15 to 17 inches. Eight strings in four courses are standard, tuned C-G-D-A one octave below the mandola (matching cello tuning). Both carved-top and flat-top versions exist. Carved-top mandocellos follow the Gibson tradition with spruce tops and maple backs carved to an arch. The instrument requires heavier bracing than a mandolin to support the greater string tension of its lower-pitched strings. Bridges are floating and adjustable, and tailpieces are typically cast metal. ## Tonal Characteristics The mandocello produces deep, rich tones that provide harmonic foundation in mandol…