New Fender Emando

[John Rosett]

A couple of years ago, Fender put out a "reissue" of an early lap steel. It looked cool, and there was a lot of buzz about it in the lap steel world. Unfortunately, Fender cheaped out, and put a crappy sounding strat pickup in it, and the buzz died quickly. I don't think that they are going to do much differently on the Mando-strat, as far as custom shop options, etc. I'm sure that you could get the Fender custom shop to build you one, but and original would probably be cheaper.

[Spruce]

A couple of years ago, Fender put out a "reissue" of an early lap steel. It looked cool, and there was a lot of buzz about it in the lap steel world. Unfortunately, Fender cheaped out, and put a crappy sounding strat pickup in it, and the buzz died quickly. I don't think that they are going to do much differently on the Mando-strat, as far as custom shop options, etc. I'm sure that you could get the Fender custom shop to build you one, but and original would probably be cheaper.

For me, it's nice to have a platform to make a pleasant instrument that emulates a vintage Mandocaster, for not a lot of $$....
As opposed to building one.
And, I can put a historically accurate decal on it--legally...

Change out the pickup, make an interesting pickguard (anodized gold, anyone?), paint it with a custom color of choice, antique it, maybe even re-board it with BR--all stuff that is fairly easy and fun to do...

Or...
I'm building a Paisley Esquire as we speak, which never existed....
How about a Pink Paisley Mandocaster, which also never existed??
I do have the impossibly-hard-to-find paper...

[Ed Goist]

For me, it's nice to have a platform to make a pleasant instrument that emulates a vintage Mandocaster, for not a lot of $$....
As opposed to building one.
And, I can put a historically accurate decal on it--legally...
...snip...

Very hard to argue with this, even if you're not handy with this stuff...

I have a local guys who's a wizz at this kind of work, and if I were looking for a single-string solid-body e-mando under $1,000, I'd buy one of these and put up to $700 into it to mod it out. I am sure I'd end-up with a high quality instrument that still had the Fender name on the headstock.

As a platform for mods this is hard to beat...

BTW, this is exactly what I just did with a new Ovation MM-68AX...Got it at a good price and dropped a few hundred into it in mods, and for under $1K I have a killer a/e-mando. This is kind of a compromise between a production instrument and a custom build.

[Verne Andru]

I can see these as great modding platforms, for sure.

I also think it's important to keep things real though, so new players or players that are not that skilled at setting up instruments go in with their eyes open. Those barrel bridges are difficult for an experienced luthier to setup properly and are going to be way beyond any noob. And the sound is going to be less than spectacular without gutting the electronics. As long as everyone knows the deal going in, everything's kewl in my books.

Anybody know why they are calling it the Mando-Strat and then putting a Tele-style bridge on it? Strats bridges have individual saddles. Maybe they should call it the Mando-Tele-Strat to cover all bases?

Better yet, I think this should be called the Squier Mandocaster, and reserve the Fender decal for a proper MIA re-issue. That way they could do a Squier Vintage Modified and fixed all the problems with the original and give the collectors and propeller-heads what they want. Toss a few in the trunk of a Buick, drive it around country roads for the summer and then they could launch a real "road worn" series.

Then there's Tiny...



Now that's an electric mandolin! Notice he's kept the Bigsby headstock but it's not a Bigsby?

[MikeEdgerton]

For me, it's nice to have a platform to make a pleasant instrument that emulates a vintage Mandocaster, for not a lot of $$....
As opposed to building one.
And, I can put a historically accurate decal on it--legally...

Change out the pickup, make an interesting pickguard (anodized gold, anyone?), paint it with a custom color of choice, antique it, maybe even re-board it with BR--all stuff that is fairly easy and fun to do...

Yup, like that... make it orange in the process. By the way, if you figure out an easy way to strip the poly finish let me know. I still haven't started on my bass.

[John Rosett]

Bruce-A paisley Mandocaster would be cool, but it would look best with a maple fretboard.

[Charlieshafer]

I can see these as great modding platforms, for sure.



Then there's Tiny...

Now that's an electric mandolin! Notice he's kept the Bigsby headstock but it's not a Bigsby?

That was Tiny's signature model made by Jay Roberts. It was a less-expensive build alternative to his custom Bigsby. They pop up every now and then in the classifieds or on ebay. Tiny was running a music store then, and I believe there are just about 200+ of those kicking around. To the best of my knowledge, there were only 4 actual Bigsby mandolins ever made, so good luck finding one!

[John Rosett]

This is my favorite color scheme:

[Spruce]

...if you figure out an easy way to strip the poly finish let me know.

That's one reason I thought of a Paisley build--the original '69-70 instruments were poly...

Bruce-A paisley Mandocaster would be cool, but it would look best with a maple fretboard.

Easily done...

This is my favorite color scheme:

Yep.
Kennard at Intermountain is selling his, and man is it nice...

[Django Fret]

BTW, this is exactly what I just did with a new Ovation MM-68AX...Got it at a good price and dropped a few hundred into it in mods, and for under $1K I have a killer a/e-mando. This is kind of a compromise between a production instrument and a custom build.

Not to hijack the thread, but what mods did you make to the Ovation MM-68AX to improve it?

[mrmando]

Ooh ... Musician's Friend catalog just arrived, with a 15% discount offer. Tempted...

[Spruce]

Ooh ... Musician's Friend catalog just arrived, with a 15% discount offer. Tempted...

I'm waiting for a "scratch and dent" special...

[Ed Goist]

Not to hijack the thread, but what mods did you make to the Ovation MM-68AX to improve it?

Here's a thread about it...Bone nut installed, fretboard radius enhanced to 10", larger frets (80X43) installed, action and intonation adjusted.

[mrmando]

I'm waiting for a "scratch and dent" special...

I could buy two, have you customize 'em both and let you keep one...

[delsbrother]

LOL I was thinking the same thing.

That's a lot of work for not much pay, though.

[Ed Goist]

I could buy two, have you customize 'em both and let you keep one...

Well played! The entrepreneurial spirit lives!

[F-2 Dave]

This is my favorite color scheme:

Yes.

[John Rosett]

My favorite picture of a Fender Emando:

[Mike Black]

Thought that I'd take a few pictures of Jethro with his old Fender from some old album covers.

[mandopete]

Holy cow batman, that's amazing!

Is that one of yours Bruce?

Want.

[Spruce]

Holy cow batman, that's amazing!

Is that one of yours Bruce?

Want.

Naw, that one was on E$%y...
But I want one too, so I'm building one...
Got an original late 60's Bigsby, and (most importantly) the paper, so it should be a fun build...
And it will be an Esquire, so no one will confuse it with anything vintage...

[John McCoy]

My favorite picture of a Fender Emando:

I love the way they've color-coordinated their axes with their suits. Can I get a Fender mando in charcoal grey with a banker's pinstripe?

[mrmando]

Thought that I'd take a few pictures of Jethro with his old Fender from some old album covers.

It would appear that he had three of them? Those mandolins have 2 different color schemes and neither of them matches the bandstand photo.

[delsbrother]

My favorite picture of a Fender Emando:

Mine:

[zoukboy]

Naw, that one was on E$%y...
But I want one too, so I'm building one...
Got an original late 60's Bigsby, and (most importantly) the paper, so it should be a fun build...

I'm putting together a custom Tele w/vibrato, and since I don't really like Bigbys I am putting one of these on it:

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xtrem-To...h-_p_4431.html

About 1/3 the cost and a better design, I think. I MUCH prefer the Tele bridge plate and roller bridge they offer to the one that comes with the Bigsby Tele kits.