Washburn opinions?

[sroberts]

Anyone know about this one? Washburn Electric Mandolin, "F" Style M3SWE?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Thanks in advance!

[jim_n_virginia]

Washburn is an Asian imported mandolin and while it might be a good starter mandolin by itself the electric one has a barn door cut in the side of the instrument for the eq and preamp and it has a undersaddle piezo bridge pickup installed and the wire go through the top under the bridge to hook up to the end pin jack.

All of these procedures effect the sound of the instrument. And for the almost $700. you'll spend (after shipping, insurance etc.) you could get a lot better mandolin. Or just get a Washburm without all the electronics on it and you can think of some way to put a pickup on it beside cutting a big hole in the side.

Also I tried a Fishman bridge piezo pickup once and it was very harsh sound to me so I took it off, now I have a Macintyre Feather installed which is not quite as quacky.

Also in case you don't know the prefered way by most mandolin players is to play into a mic as opposed to having a pickup. I usually play into a mic the pickup was for in case I am somewhere really noisy and need it.

[sroberts]

Thanks, Thats pretty much what I thought.