Mandobass is a common term for the largest members of the mandolin family, sometimes used as bass instruments in mandolin orchestras.

Variants

There are three main variants of the mandobass:

• The large four-string mandobass has a much longer neck and is tuned EADG, like a double bass
  Double bass
  The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
  
  . It was popular in early 20th century European mandolin ensembles. Early examples had very large bodies and were often played in an upright position like a double bass is. Later examples often have smaller bodies and are intended to be played "guitar style".

• The small four-string mandobass is identical but with built on a smaller scale and usually tuned GDAE, two octaves below the mandolin. Although not as resonant as the larger instrument, it and was often preferred as being easier to handle and more portable.

• The eight-string mandobass, or tremolo-bass, relatively rare, is built exactly like a mandolin but is much larger and tuned either GDAE, two octaves lower than the mandolin, or CGDA, two octaves below the mandola.

History

Calace and other Italian makers predating Gibson made mandolin-basses.

Some were made by the Gibson company in the early twentieth century, but appear to have never been very common. Reportedly, most mandolin orchestras preferred to use the ordinary double bass, rather than a specialised mandolin family instrument.

See also

• Mandolin
  Mandolin
  A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
  
  
• Mandola
  Mandola
  The mandola or tenor mandola is a fretted, stringed musical instrument. It is to the mandolin what the viola is to the violin: the four double courses of strings tuned in fifths to the same pitches as the viola , a fifth lower than a mandolin...
  
  
• Octave mandolin
  Octave mandolin
  The octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in 5ths, G, D, A, E , an octave below a mandolin. It has a 20 to 23 inch scale length and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family...
  
  
• Mandocello
  Mandocello
  The mandocello is a plucked string instrument of the mandolin family. It has eight strings in four paired courses, tuned in 5ths like a mandolin, but is larger, and tuned CC-GG-dd-aa . It is to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin.-Construction:Mandocello construction is similar to the...
  
  
• Acoustic bass guitar
  Acoustic bass guitar
  The acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...