Does anyone make a cheapo 5 String under $500

I see cheapo 4 string electro mandos, but have not seen a cheapo 5 string electro mando. Does anyone make these?

Probably the cheapest one that's any good is the Blue Star mandoblaster. I don't think they are under $500 though. Check the Elderly Instruments web site for pictures and prices. I have a used one (purple!) that I've been trying to sell on and off.

There are some made for the Indian market that are in your price range. I got ahold of one, and it wasn't exactly high quality (you get what you pay for, I guess). It was a little bit rougher than my Mandobird, had position markers for guitarists, and a crappy looking Korean humbucking pickup. Oh yeah, it also had six tuners, not five (but it was only strung up with five strings). The bridge was a horrible mess of fretwire and "rosewood" combined with a fake tune-a-matic adjustment mechanism.

Mine also came with the peghead cracked off, so I have no idea how it sounds.. If I'd have kept it I would've replaced the bridge and everything electronic. I sent mine back though. Every so often they turn up on eBay. Search for Shrinivas - the mando is a copy of U. Shrinivas' mando, which I believe was a "Shamax". BTW my mando came "intonated" for Shrinivas' unique open tuning!

I second MM's recommendation of a used Blue Star Mandoblaster.. MidMo has solid emandos too.. Not sure if the MidMo has five strings though.

Fender makes one for about $300.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7....4550643

Fender does make one, but nobody here has ever recommended it. I played one once, and that was enough for me. My mandoblaster, on the other hand, goes out jamming all the time.

Your right, the fender is pretty crappy but he was asking for a "cheapo 5-string". #I'd say that the Fender fits the bill.

Think function! #Solid body? Single strings? Pickups? Cheap? How about super-cheap ($100-$150!!!)?

Kid sized electric guitar! Usually has a scale length of 19", but you can tune it octave down and add a high B (or A) string on top. #Or slap on a capo to shorten the scale length. #The Stew-Mac kits has a 17" scale. #

"But that has six strings, and I want five." #
Just remove the low E string, and the bridge hardware (and the tuner) to eliminate the rattling. Do not respace the nut, or the bridge. period. That extra space where the 6th string used to be will give you clearance to do low trucker/"6 Days On The Road" push bends.

There's an article in Mandocrucian's Digest #13 about mini-guitar>mandocaster conversions. (In #17, a piece about turning a Stew Mac mini-Explorer kit into a mandocaster). Back issues available for $3.50.

Niles Hokkanen

Rhythm Mandolin Boot Camp: May 7-9, Front Royal, VA. #(Electric players welcome!)

That's a good idea! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/...cons/smile.gif

Who cares what it looks like, LOL. You got a very inexpensive (too much use of the word cheap in this thread), 5 string Mando. Kind of.