Thanks to all for the plethora of information. I ordered mine from Musician's Friend with the 10% off today!
Thanks to all for the plethora of information. I ordered mine from Musician's Friend with the 10% off today!
Sam Lyman
Moscow, Idaho
My CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/samlyman
My YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf...A_Ph_qw/videos
Well, that was actually post 53, just to show that there's no matter so trivial that people can't find a way to disagree on it.
Not being a guitarist, I'll have to excuse myself from offering any personal opinion on the matter of Springsteen's guitar, since there's clearly enough material there to vex the wisest of scholars for decades. If they ever do clear it up, then perhaps they can turn their attention to more trivial matters like global warming and peace in the Middle East.
That being said, I can't help but agree with the sentiment about the player vs. the instrument. I've heard Joe Craven play a bootlace, and when I visited Andre Bissonnet's shop in Paris, he plucked a leaf from a potted plant on the countertop and played a tune on it. And no, I don't know what kind of plant it was.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
You can blw a tune on a eucalyptus leaf...
JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;
Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster; Squier Modified Vintage Cabronita Telecaster; Gretsch 5420T; Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat: Washburn Banjo B9; Ibanez RB 5string; Ibanez RB 4 string bass
Pedalboard for ELS: Morley Cry baby Miniwah - Tuner - EHX Soul Food Overdrive - EHX Memory Toy analog Delay
Fender Blues Jr Tweed; Fender Greta;
http://www.armadilloguitar.com/shopp...products_id=47
This is a link to the shop that made the compensated saddles for my original Fender emando. The picture on his site is of my mando. In fact, I took it! He charges $20 plus shipping. I've mentioned this several times before, but if someone can ever hand him a Fender to measure in person, he might be able to spec the angles even a little better. For that matter, he could make a four-saddle bridge for a Fender emando. No financial interest with Armadillo. Nice guy.
Last edited by Dan Margolis; Jan-26-2013 at 12:36am.
______________________________
Your problem is, you think you have enough time.
You can play a tune on a homemade carrot flute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ksxg...4019AFDDA9806B
______________________________
Your problem is, you think you have enough time.
Well played, Martin! (Although you exchanged the quote from post 53 with my own statement.)
As to the level of effort those folks over on the Telecaster forum will put into minutiae, have you ever read the threads here where people tear apart scroll work?
In any case, I look forward to buying you a pint when our paths finally cross! I'm confident we'd be friends, in person.
Think globally, bike locally.
Well, I pulled the trigger on the Fender emando today ... went with a local shop (Milwaukee area) called Cream City Music, who won't be stocking it but ordered it for me. I mentioned GC's price and their Fender rep said "oh, I think we can do better than them", and came in at $259, so gotta like that. They also had a few used mandos on the wall, so I did my best (I'm a beginner) on a 1915 Gibson ($2000), a Breedlove KO VTG ($1850?, can't remember), a couple of old Kay's, an Alvarez ($500). As a beginner, I don't really know what to look for, but I really liked the feel and sound Breedlove. Unfortunately, there's a cash flow issue ... so it was probably a mistake to play them because it's back to learning on my ... entry level....
Also, I've been enjoying the thread diversion on Telecasters, and they had some cool vintage models on the wall ... so thanks to all for that discussion ... never would have looked at them had that topic not cropped up.
Kudos to Cream City Music ... they have my business now !!!
LOVE those threads. You might notice that whenever I see an old Gibson mandolin on eBay or CL that doesn't look quite right, I start a thread about it. I have no problem with minutiae; I'm just not enough of a guitar enthusiast to get into guitar minutiae.
Sure, what part of California are you in?In any case, I look forward to buying you a pint when our paths finally cross! I'm confident we'd be friends, in person.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
I got that same one but if you read the small print there is a list of companies that don't participate and Fender is in that list. It never occurred to me to just try the code any way.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pages...-offer-details
Now I'm going to have to see what happens on the next one they send. I get these a few times a week from these guys.
um ... er.... ya, I was kinda hoping for more info than this since I can't get to Namm myself. But go to you-tube and type in " Namm 2013 Fender custom shop" and take a look at that electric Mando bridge and pick-up!!!! Maybe in the future Fender will offer upgraded versions?!?!
My thought would be to offer two versions, the basic $299 model, and then a partial-custom route, where you could just select options from column A, column B, and so on; much like Weber's "build a mandolin" section. Choose your pickup option; Lollars, or Seymour Duncans, whatever, then chose your bridge, tuners, stock colors, etc. The only problem there is that the price will probably get up to the point where it's bumping up against small custom builders.
This thread reminds me of the Blues Brothers in Bob's Country Bunker - LOL! Sorry if I don't know who's on first, and what's on second. Some of you appear to be very famous in your own minds but let me remind you there's a far bigger world out there than this forum.
Anyway, back from NAMM and it was a great show this year. Biggest ever. Lots of great talent, gear and people.
On the new mandocaster, I have a few pictures I'll put up in a bit [the lighting was low so pics are not as good as I'd like]. The Fender display was typical of past years so I had to snoop around a bit to find the mandos but here's what I found:
- "Crafted" in Indonesia. "Designed and backed by" Fender. That means it's made by Samick to Fender specs.
- No truss rod.
- Comfort contours for the belly.
- Bridge is utter garbage.
- No way to try out the electronics so nothing to say.
- Bolt-on maple neck with neck-plate.
- 3-ply pickguard.
Build-wise it's about the same, maybe a bit less, than my Made in Korea 5-string Fender mando. The neck also feels about the same profile, filling the hand fairly well. If you get a straight neck, the lack of truss-rod shouldn't be an issue. A good fret-level and a neck-shim should be all that's necessary to get it happening.
The bridge looks like it'll fall apart very easily and should be replaced even if you don't care about proper intonation. Machines appear serviceable, but nothing fancy. Fairly heavy body with a meh finish. No thought put into grain, etc.
Indonesia made Samicks can be good instruments but always need work out of the box, IME, so budget setup work along with a new bridge at the least. No opinion on the electronics as there was no way for me to test it out, but it is a single-coil which means it is going to give you 60-cycle hum regardless what you do. Shielding the electronics cavity should help a bit, but not much.
Bottom-line: If you absolutely want to be seen playing a Fender mando-caster, then these should be serviceable with some work and a few hundred in upgrades and setup.
If you're just looking for a solid 4-string electric mandolin, there are better options available IMHO. If it absolutely has to have Fender on the headstock, look for one of the MIK Fenders from the late 90's. They can be had on the used market cheaper and are on-par, if not better, than this offering as far as build and much better features.
I also took a look at the other Fender electric with piezo's. Acoustically it sounds like any other plywood mandolin-shaped object out of China, where this one is built. No way to check out the electronics, so no opinion how it would sound plugged in.
I have tons of pics of Webers, Eastmans, etc. that I'll get up in a separate thread.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
In no particular order...
Pot, Kettle, Kettle, Pot.
Thanks, Verne. After, what??? 7, 8, 9 times stating your opinion? We get it. You think the Fender Mando is a useless waste of resources and those that might desire one are clueless wannabees. Take a hint from your statement up there. There IS a far bigger world out there. A world that contains opinions that are different than yours yet just as valid.
Steve Perry
Sumi SF5 Birdseye
"Quit thinkin'... Just play"
Right back at you, my friend. If you read through this thread you'll see it hasn't been me that keeps bringing this up. Drop it, okay?
For the record, the new Fender Mando-Strat is on par, build and quality-wise, with low to mid-level Squier guitars. And that shouldn't come as much of a surprise as they are being built in the same plant as the low to mid-level Squier guitars.
Years ago I had asked around about the Gold Tone electric didn't get a lot of feedback (no pun intended) Figure the new Fender will get quite a bit of play and will be able to get some honest reports (not saying your are dishonest, but rather time tested reports). At the sub $500.00 range I don't think many here are looking for perfection.
If I could play like Tiny Moore I would invest in a electric from some of the fine builders that show up here on the Cafe.
My world isn't too much bigger than this forum...I get pretty freaked out when I have to go out and actually talk to people!
:-)
Last edited by tkdboyd; Jan-31-2013 at 12:58pm. Reason: Wording seemed potentially insulting...didn't want it to be taken that way!
Back to the Fender Mando Strat . I seems to me that the copy should be fairly comparable to the vintage mandocaster . any one want to debate the necessity of a truss rod in a 4 sting electric mandolin ? at least with the reissue I have no qualms about customizing it , also the tuners should work with out the buttons crumbling .
on a side note I notice goldtone has the 5 string listed for sale now . I remember a thread a long while back about a 5 string emando from them but did not see it listed on their site until now . did we miss it or was it just me ?
Last edited by rico mando; Jan-31-2013 at 1:46pm. Reason: switched to half decaf .not fully charged yet
Anybody besides Spruce know the history behind that garbage bridge? I do and that's part of the charm. It looks like an inexpensive toy and I like toys. No need to justify the purchase beyond that in my book.
Where was the body contouring in the original? Since everyone who's seen one has commented about the weight maybe that might be a place to "customize" first.
Also, just from looking at old photos there seem to have been several variations on the originals.. Is this documented somewhere?
2015 Chevy Silverado
2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"
I ordered one for $260 ... I'm a beginner and was excited from the initial buzz about the reissue, but lately, I've been having buyers remorse before I've even seen it! But, given the perspective that it's 'only' $260, I'll think I'll be able to sleep tonight... whew.... Thanks for the perspective, Mike...
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