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Thread: 4-5 string electric

  1. #1
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default 4-5 string electric

    I want to know where i can get a good electric mandolin that is affordable, has 4-5 strings, and sounds like an electric guitar. Not going to purchase anything any time soon, but just want to keep an eye on some better mandolins for the future. Any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Tony-
    What's your definition of "affordable"? The 4 string Saga kits can be had on ebay for $120 plus shipping.
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  3. #3
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Well, i'm not sure of the usual price of good electric mandolins, so any suggestion helps.

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    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    The new Gold Tone 4-string looks pretty sharp and has an MSRP of $399, so I suspect it will be selling for somewhere between $299 - $349.
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  5. #5
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    wow, that does look very nice. not a big fan of the color, but thats the least of worries. very cool.

  6. #6
    iii mandolin Geoff B's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    electric octave mandolins are right down in the guitar range, and are tons of fun...

  7. #7
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Are the Gold Tones out yet?

    Epiphone's mandobirds are cheap and fun
    Check out Blue Star emandos at Elderly.com
    And Kentucky is still making their KM-300e

    I fell in love with JBovier's 5 string emandos. I don't think they're on the website yet. But they are available.

    D

  8. #8
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    I haven't see the Gold Tones hits the retailers or etailers yet -- and I don't think I saw any notes on it from NAMM attendees here.

    Quote Originally Posted by TonyEarth View Post
    wow, that does look very nice. not a big fan of the color, but thats the least of worries. very cool.
    I like the color, especially with a maple fretboard, but I don't know why they chose black knobs, truss rod cover, and fret-board inlays (which all look kind of odd on it IMHO) -- but I guess the first two can be easily replaced with white ones.
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  9. #9
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    you're right, the black makes it look a little weird, but especially the fret inlays and the knobs, which kind of stand out.

  10. #10
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    I like the yellow with white esthetic, but I agree with Tony and Jim. Those black accents in the knobs and truss rod cover seem like a cop-out.

    Here's a great shot of an excellent yellow white guitar (and guitar player)


    Daniel

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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Nestlerode View Post
    ...Check out Blue Star emandos at Elderly.com
    I tried, I tried, they're all out of stock

    I wanna blue five-string! I wanna blue five string!

    John

  12. #12
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    I'm not sure if they are above the OP's desired pricerange, but Jeff Cowherd got the aesthetics right on his new JBovier emando lineup...
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  13. #13
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    wow, those look awesome. how much do some of those usually sell for?

  14. #14
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    According to Ted's review of them at jazzmando.com:

    4-String List $849, Street Price $679
    5-String List $949, Street Price $779
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  15. #15
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Ouch, i believe that is over my range. i might be able to buy one at 679, just barely, though i doubt it. maybe by the time i decide to buy an electric mandolin i will have saved enough money. still, your suggestions are really great, jim, i appreciate it.

  16. #16
    Registered User Dan Hoover's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    epi mandobirds are at $199...from what others have said,they might need a little tweaking? couple more dollars unless you have a friend or knowhow..
    i'm kinda in the same boat..i want electric..i want loud...and i have a couple amps just sitting...just not sure if i want to jump in on a jbovier?or go with gold tone or epi??or something else just for starters...what to do???? my wife say's kitchen redo first..
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  17. #17
    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    There's an article somewhere in the forums on pickup upgrades for Mandobirds from Almuse.com, which apparently are favorably reviewed.
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  18. #18
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Dan,
    If a kitchen redo comes first sell an amp and use the proceeds to grab as much emando as you can.

    Daniel

  19. #19

    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    If you're handy with a screw driver and a soldering iron I'd recommend the Moongazer kits. Pretty great value. There's a video posting in the recent thread history where I posted a quick snippet of mine. Tom's great to work with.

  20. #20
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Hoover View Post
    my wife say's kitchen redo first..
    In that case, when she asks about the new electric mandolin, you can tell her you thought you were getting one of these.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

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  21. #21
    Registered User Dan Hoover's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    earlier response was lost,thought i'd repost..
    If a kitchen redo comes first sell an amp and use the proceeds to grab as much emando as you can.

    Daniel
    i wish my mind worked like that,my wife wishes my mind worked like that too..i have a hard time parting w/stuff,do-able,but man it's tuff....i keep going back to picking up a mandobird as a starter,it's a really good affordable price,always like epiphone...maybe upgrading like jim say's..then down the road if i'm liking the loudness,upgrading to say a jbovier???
    martin,with my fingers,that could be very dangerous..and my wife hates kitchen gadgets..we don't even have a microwave here...
    tony, you have some good choices here,good luck
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  22. #22

    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    I have a 2 Jon Mann electrics - one 14" scale and the other is an 18" octave - Both are great, but the octave has a rich lower register tone similar to a guitar - lot of fun...

  23. #23
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    tony, you have some good choices here,good luck
    Thanks, dan, i will surely consider all of these thoroughly.

  24. #24
    Registered User TonyEarth's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    Thank you all for your responses. I believe that right now, my best choice would be one of the mandobirds. i agree completely with dan:
    i keep going back to picking up a mandobird as a starter,it's a really good affordable price,always like epiphone
    , and as i get better i could upgrade. the hard part now would be choosing a mandobird (the eight string or the 4 string). However, more suggestions are always welcome!

  25. #25
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: 4-5 string electric

    One of each? CGDA string the 4 string , leave the 8 as is.
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