Cheap Mandocaster

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Not sure about worldwide shipping prices (£10 to the UK) but I just noticed Thomann are shifting their Harley Benton HBMA500s for £83......bonkers!
With upgraded pickups and a Jerman bridge, that would work out around the price of an Alden and way less than an Eastwood.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbma500_sb.htm?sid=c5587c97a2bf11212 d390cf47ed08107

[journeybear]

That's 95 euros + 30 euros shipping to US = 125 euros x 1.43210 = $179. This is an 8-string with two pickups. Tempting, considering that's what I spent for my single-string MandoBird, which I am happy with but not ecstatic about ... I still want a whammy bar, but this is tempting.

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Here`s a clip of a Harley Benton (heavily processed with non-standard pickups but rather nice)!!!
At least there`s also the extra degree of set-up flexibility that comes from having an adjustable truss rod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zEXwcPNVsI

[Alfactor]

Doing the conversion to Canadian dollars, I get a price of about +/- $210. That seems pretty wicked in a good way if these instruments play as nicely as they look. I don't know anything about them. I also don't know about the trans-ocean shipping and possible duties that I am likely to pay. Can anyone enlighten me on these issues?