View Full Version : 4 string or 8 string
My MAS just can't be cured. I'm thinking of getting a solid body electric mando -cheap since I never played an electric solid body and I may not even like it. So I'm thinking about a mandobird. 4(or 5) string would seem the norm for a solid body. What would you choose?
The Bluestar "Mandoblaster" is a great instrument for the price. Keep your eye on Elderly; used ones appear often. Then spend another $250 for a used Fender Blues Junior amp. My 2-cents...
John Rosett
Feb-23-2004, 11:33am
if you get an 8-string, you can always change over to 4-string.
i played a 5-string mando in a band for about six years, and i finally decided that it was like playing an electric guitar with a string removed, and capoed at the tenth fret. so i started working on my guitar playing, and now i are a multi-instrumentalist.
john
peterbc
Feb-23-2004, 11:57am
I got a 4 string mandobird, but I guess they have (at least in prototypes) an 8 string one which I'd like.... but I can't get now, I have to wait until I get some money. The 4 string is pretty cool, but I havn't played any other electric mandolins before. I have a Vox Pathfinder 15 which cost $80 on musicians friend (I hit a sale or something, they're normally about 120) and I think it sounds pretty good. It's also about as cheap as you can get!
Peter
mandroid
Feb-23-2004, 9:53pm
What EFX you want to run thru?
String pairs can get out of phase (and tune) and some signal processors compound the situation.
I know, double neck mandobird ! Epi, you out there?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif
John Rosett
Feb-23-2004, 11:06pm
rickenbaker used to make an electric 12-string guitar with a flip-up mute that muted half the strings. so it sounded like a 6-string, but still played like a 12.
any machinists out there?
john
Godin A8 acoustic-electric mandolin: great instrument that sounds like an acoustic mandolin, but can be turned up as loud as one needs, and costs only about $500. Probably could be run through all kinds of effects to make whatever weird sounds one wants--although I don't know why one would want to do that.
My A8 brought me back to playing the mandolin after some years of leaving it alone because amplification is such a hassle--until I found the A8. Needless to say, I love it. But that's because I love the "real mandolin sound," and now I can be heard in any playing situation. I tried the Mandoblaster and other alternatives, but they don't sound like mandolins. If you like the high-pitched "electric guitar sound," then go for it. Otherwise, I'd suggest trying the Godin.
Oren