Any Solid body E-mando recommendations?

[Pedal Steel Mike]

I want a solid body E-mando (8 strings.) I don't want a Mandobird because I hate the way they look. I really like the Old town with the dual pickup (nagnetic and peizo) system, but they cost $2,800 and I don't want to spend that much.

I'm looking at the John Stoneman's instruments. They look promising. Has anybody here tried one?

Does anybody have any other suggestions or advise?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

[jmkatcher]

Have you looked at the Wendler ElectroCoustic? I've gone through the emando.com builder list before and haven't seen too many attractive solid-bodies other than the Old Town (Schwab and Ryder are reputedly excellent, but Telecasters don't do it for me). There are a number of hollow and semi-hollows that look great, especially Yanuziello (which I'd like to have as an electric octave). I'll admit I'm biased by having a Gibson Florentine which I love for looks as well as playability.

[Lee]

I'm sure Jonathan Mann would be pleased to tackle your design preferences.
Or, you could find a Gibson EM-150, or clone, and install a piezo bridge pick-up.
Or the Rickenbacker electric mandolin is another choice. (Does anybody else think they're ugly?)

[jmkatcher]

The Mann instruments are semi-hollow, though very attractive. The EM-150 is a hollow-body and the Rick is very ugly. It is a shame about the Rickenbacker as their guitars are so beautiful to my eyes. I was playing with a 330-12 the other day and it just felt so good too. I wish they had a custom shop so I could order an 8-string as an electric octave.

[mandroid]

I could be convinced to shed my FM61 which I improved with a new EMG pickup and gang pot and switchcraft jack.
$500 and shipping, #custom case and all the original bits ,too.
MAS reform.

Ie: fender FM61se...
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Pedal Steel Mike]

Thanks guys. I sometimes play on a blues rock band and specifically need a solid body that won't feed back when I play with distortion and crank up the volume. A hollow body won't serve my purpose.

And yes, the Ricky ugly. So much so that I couldn't play it. (I can't play a mandobird for the same reason.)

I like the Wendler, but I think that it may have feedback problems (same with the Godin) under the circumnstances I plan to use it.

Mandroid, I might be interested in your FM 61 but I don't know what it is. Could you please tell me more about it and possibly send me some pictures? My E-ddress is Mperlowin@sbcglobal.net

[Christian McKee]

Nothing constructive to say, but I do have to stand up for the Rickenbacher: I love the looks! Much more than the various scroll-y, pointy F-5ish electrics out there, in fact. I think I like it so much becuase it looks vaguely eastern, talk about an instrument that *guaranteed* to get at least one "What's that you're playing?" each night...

Christian

[mrmando]

Stay the heck away from Stoneman! Those are substandard instruments.

Steve Ryder or Joel Eckhaus might be able to do something in your price range.

[wmr]

Pedal steel Mike,

I play in a rock blues band with my 5 string mandos 1 is a Mann the other a Rono. I use mucho distortion, wah, & overdrive at super loud volume. I do not have an issue with feedback either. I thought I would have feedback problems but they never arose.

I would really suggest taking a serious look at Jon Mann instruments. For the money I doubt you will find better.

What kind of amps and effects are you using? Are you just coming thru the amp or are you in the monitors as well?

[jefflester]

I'm in the "Rickenbacher electric mandolin is ugly" camp. Don't know why they couldn't make one that looks like a Rickenbacher guitar, that would be cool. Like the Tony Revell "mini-Rick" on emando.com.

[jefflester]

I like those E.F. Elliott solidbodies on emando, anybody have any idea how much?

[delsbrother]

I'm in the "Rickenbacher electric mandolin is ugly" camp. Don't know why they couldn't make one that looks like a Rickenbacher guitar, that would be cool. Like the Tony Revell "mini-Rick" on emando.com.
Here's (http://www.ladydisneyland.com/blueteam.jpg) something similar to that in action (with Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at Disneyland). Love the JetGlo!

[mrmando]

Hm. That's my acquaintance Dennis Fetchet ... but I've never seen him play that mando before.

[mrmando]

Dennis wrote me back and explained. That's a custom mando cut down from a Japanese copy of a Vox teardrop guitar. He writes: "It is not electric, as I have a wireless mic foam rubbered between the bridge and tailpiece. Works rather well."

[Ted Eschliman]

My experience owning the following:
1.) Wendler ElectroCoustic absolutely will not feedback. They are a solid body design, very comfortable. A bit pricey, but the right tool in the right hand.
2.) The Mann instruments are hands-down the best bang for buck. Haven't been in a situation to try it up against an sonically hostile envronment though.
3.) Ed stopped making the E.F. Elliot (he was mainly into "surf" style electric guitars), so there aren't many mandos out there, but these are terrific. I might have kept mine, had it been a 4-string, rather than 8. They are kind of rare, so it will be a sellers market.
4.) Mandobird? Nice novelty, but there comes a time a player needs a "real" instrument, even with the thing souped up.
5.) Earnest Boomerang is an interesting option; I loved the Novax (Fan Fret) system. Not sure why I let that one go...

[mrmando]

I've posted a review of a Jonathan Mann EM-5 at emando.com.

[glauber]

5.) Earnest Boomerang is an interesting option; I loved the Novax (Fan Fret) system. Not sure why I let that one go...
You probably thought it would come flying back. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Flynn]

Take a look at Mid-Missouri. They make solid body electrics that are really pretty nice. FYI, the pix they have on thier website is an old design. The newer ones are similar, but they have changed the proportions slightly and gotten the shape more appealing. They might email you some pix if you ask them. Mid-mos are well made and nicely priced, and the company really stands behind thier stuff.
http://www.midmomandolin.com/products_electrics.php

[Jim Garber]

I like Joel Eckhaus' instruments (http://www.earnestinstruments.com/mandolins.html). I esp like the Junior but YMMV.

Jim

[mrmando]

Just got off the phone with Ed Elliott, who says he intends to start building mandos again, in as little as six weeks. We'll have more news at emando.com when the time is right.