Sobell scale lengths

[NiallAnderson]

Hi there - I'm hoping that perhaps Dick G or Dagger G could help with this query. Does anyone know what scale length Stefan Sobell uses for his large body 10 string mandolins (it doesn't look like there's actually much difference between 8 and 10 string instruments from the web site photos)...? There's a second hand one on the market just now, so was curious how it compares to other makers specifications.

Thanks.

Niall

[John Kelly]

Hi Niall,
From looking at the Sobell website I'd say that the scale length of the 5-course instruments is 23" (585mm). I think that the difference in the two over-all lengths of the normal and large-bodied instruments, about 1.5", will be due to the extra body size of the large one; I'd imagine the scale length stays the same. I build my octaves with either 540mm or 520mm scales and there is very little difference in the over-all length as the body template is the same in each case, just the scale length being different, and I tend to vary the headstock design from instrument to instrument ( I do not build on a commercial scale) and this can affect over-all length, as can the decision to have a 14th or 15th fret body/neck joint.

Have you tried contacting Stefan through the website?

Hope this helps,
John.

[NiallAnderson]

Cheers, John - 585mm is right for his citterns, but I did definitely mean the mandolins he makes - should be somewhere around 36cm, I guess, but some people make 10 string versions with slightly longer scale lengths than their equivalent (standard) 8 string mandolins...

Just to add confusion, I think I meant large and small body rather than 8 and 10 string in my original message in the parenthesis, but obviously my command of the English language had deserted me before 11pm or whenever I posted that...

Didn't want to bother Stefan Sobell with this query as it's mostly idle curiosity, so thought I'd see if someone who has one of the instruments could tell me (idle curiosity being what the Internet was invented for, really...)

Cheers!