by Herbert Forrest Odell

Jan 1910, Crescendo Magazine

The mando-bass or bass mandolin is of course intended to imitate the double bass. It is not an especially effective imitation. The instrument at this time is not in use whatever in this Country and is used very little in foreign countries. The tuning of the mando-basses in use varies. Nearly every one tunes the instrument differently. On account of the large body of the instrument and the large strings necessary to produce the low tones the instrument isn’t as yet a great success, and we doubt if in the mandolin orchestra it will ever become very popular, for the reason we have already in the mandolin orchestra the guitar or piano to supply the bass and the mando-bass is merely adding more to the bass tones.  The instrument, if used usually plays the same bass notes as the guitar with a single pick stroke.  It may occasionally be doubled on counter melodies with the cello but it takes the player into the higher positions and as the frets are quite a way apart and the strings are very large it is not advisable.  The tremolo effects on the mando-bass are only effective when performed by a very skillful player.  In small organizations this instrument is entirely unnecessary.  In large orchestras it does no harm and not very much good although it adds somewhat to the bass of the guitars.  If clubs can obtain a person who can skillfully play the tremolo on the mando-bass, then it might reduce the pungency of the guitar into a more sustained quality of tone which would be effective.  In as much as the bass and accompaniment of the mandolin orchestra are quite well taken of by the guitar section or the piano it seems almost unnecessary to add any other bass instruments.  Personally I much prefer in large orchestras to add the regular double bass when more bass is really necessary, than to add the mando-bass.  I have never seen a mando-bass in the U.S., but have played upon two or three in London, and after a careful trial of them I came to the conclusion that they would not be especially effective or at all popular, or really necessary.