Used and in fantastic condition. New price would be £3495.

I've got one of these beauties myself (its not as pretty as this one). IMHO the GoM (guitar bodied octave mandolin) is the only way to get an octave with strong and well define bass as well as great overall tone and volume.

Colorado Engelmann spruce top with red spruce x bracing, quilted maple 2 piece back, 12" radius ebony fretboard and bridge, ivoroid binding, pearl position dots and wave inlay, abalone rosette, quilted peghead veneer and cabernet lacquer finish, TKL black hardshell case.

Another fantastic and beautiful A4 from Bill, very rich and full with strong and well defined bass, sweet and complex mids and clear, ringing trebles.

Beautiful mandola from Bill with an Adirondack top with red spruce x bracing, red maple 2 piece back, 16" radius, 16" scale ebony fretboard, ebony bridge, tortoise binding, quilted maple peghead veneer, abalone rosette, tortoise ivoroid binding, with a golden amber lacquer finish and hardshell case.

It has a beautiful deep and sonorous tone, just like a great 'dola should.

An amazing octave from Bill, Colorado Engelmann spruce and curly sugar maple with Adirondack bracing, Ziricote headstock veneer, 21.5" scale, ebony tailpiece and fretboard with 16" radius. I have only ever owned two octave mandolins personally, both made by Mr. Bussmann. I would be very happy to add this to my collection but have run out of hands and space... To use one of my favourite cliches again it sounds as good as it looks. Well defined bass (not a common feature on octave mandolins) with depth and resonance, warm and complex mids with clear and strong trebles... fantastic.

With TKL hard case.

Adirondack (Red) spruce top with red spruce tone bar bracing, curly maple 1 piece back, 12" radius ebony fretboard and bridge, tortoise binding 1 1/8" nut width, amber lacquer finish, Ziricote headstock veneer and pickguard, TKL tweed hardshell case.

I used to think of Bill as the king of the oval hole but since I've been getting his f hole mandolins I have been so impressed I have one for myself. This is very loud and strong with rich and vibrant mid range, it's a very versatile mandolin, it will bark for bluegrass and whisper for the gentle stuff, and everything in between.

I first played Bill's own GOM (guitar shaped octave mandolin) when I last visited him, I insisted he sell it to me. This is in the same spec as mine but even more beautiful; Colorado Engelmann spruce top with a fantastic smokey black finish, red spruce x bracing, curly red maple two piece back, Ziricote headstock veneer, 16" radius, 21.5" scale ebony fretboard, ebony pickguard, tailpiece, and bridge, tortoise binding, 1 3/8" nut width, black top amber lacquer back and sides finish, TKL tweed hardshell case.

Many octave mandolins don't have a strong and well defined bass, this is truly awesome. It sounds as though it's a mandocello! I have never understood the appeal of the typical carved jazz guitar sound, I don't know why but a jazz guitar body on an octave mandolin is breathtaking. Sometimes adding two and two makes five. If anybody has an explanation let me know.

Another amazing A4 from Bill, in Colorado Engelmann spruce and red maple, it's Adirondack spruce X braced with a carbon fibre truss rod and Elite tuners. In the Great Woods Experiment Dan Beimborn and Simon Mayor chose the maple mandolin for clarity and projection, see above for their views and a sound clip. Sound clip of this one to follow.

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Regular visitors will know for my love of Bill's guitar bodied octave mandolins (I have on at home). This is my first mandola with such a body. I am gobsmacked.. many times over... I love the deep sound of a mandola, they don't get any deeper than this..

It has an Adirondack top with red spruce x bracing, curly sugar maple 1 piece back, 16" radius, 16" scale ebony fretboard, ebony bridge and pickguard, tortoise binding, desert ironwood peghead veneer, with a dark amber lacquer finish and a (Taylor) gigbag.