I’m looking into getting a Freshwater Accord Octave Mandola. I plan to play both melody and backing on it. The stretch of a bouzouki is too much for my hands, so the scale of the octave mandola (542mm as opposed to 660mm) should make things easier.
So has anyone tried the Freshwater Accord range? How are they, compared to, say, a Trinity college or a Fender?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Gabriel,
The Freshwater instruments are very nice indeed. They are custom made from excellent materials with lots of options available in woods, trims, soundholes, etc. But the Accord line is their attempt to market low-cost instruments. In that regard they aren’t remarkably different from the Fender and TC. With the Accords you get a choice of electronics or none, but that’s all.
Remember that the flat-top mandolin family instruments are very basic lutes. They are a box, a neck, a fretboard, and some strings. If they are well constructed from good materials, there really isn’t as big a difference among them as you’d find in say, guitars. There can be some differences that are very noticable from the player’s perspective, but from twenty feet away they all sound remarkably similar in my opinion. Now that might sound like I’m putting them down, but it’s actually a very good thing. You can buy any of the well made flat-top mandolin family instruments with a high degree of confidence. If you had a good TC right next to a good Accord, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a whole lot of difference. If there’s something that attracts you to the Accord over the TC or Fender, like scale length or neck shape, then go for that.
Having the difference between a spruce or cedar soundboard will make a big difference of course, but we’re not really talking about that range of instrument. The flat-top OM is an instrument that quickly reaches its point of diminishing returns. Once you hit a certain price point, a small improvement in sound means a big jump in price. After that its all about decorations.
And remember too that all mandolin family instruments really do need to be set up correctly to play their best, so include that in your plans and budget. I’ve played a couple of dozen instruments including all the brands mentioned here, and most of the differences among them have more to do with either shoddy craftsmanship or the degree of set up than anything, IMO. So pick one that has the features you like and is a well-made, well set up example, and have fun!
I’ve played one Freshwater instrument, a 10-string bouzouki, and I found the neck to be way too thick for my liking. My capo would barely reach around it. Maybe the Accord is different, but it would be wise to try before you buy.