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Thread: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

  1. #1
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    I'm a big fan of TK Smith, who builds Bigsby-inspired instruments that are just too cool...
    He builds his own pickups for his creations, and they sound wonderful...

    Anyway, this appeared on his website recently, and I thought you'd all like to have a gander...







    It's part of a matched set!



    Just wow....

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    holy cow!
    Mitch Russell

  4. #3
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Those are very nice. I'm not even going to check the prices.....
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  5. #4
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by John Rosett View Post
    I'm not even going to check the prices.....
    Don't...
    Another...






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  7. #5

    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Man. It's rare that I think engraving looks good on anything but 1911s, but that's pretty darn striking.

  8. #6
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Oh Yeah. I like those a lot. That red one is something extra special.
    "Mongo only pawn in game of life." --- Mongo

  9. #7
    Registered User Mark Seale's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by Spruce View Post
    Don't...
    Another...





    This one, for sure. Any idea if it is solid, chambered, or hollow body?

  10. #8
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Wowzer- so what do these guys go for?
    Chief. Way up North. Gibson 1917 A model with pickup. JL Smith 5 string electric. 1929 National Triolian resonator mandolin with pickup. National RM 1 with pickup. Ovation Applause. Fender FM- 60 E 5 string electric (with juiced pickups). 1950's Gibson EM-200 electric mandolin. 1954 Gibson EM-150 electric mandolin. Custom made "Jett Pink" 5 string electric- Bo Diddley slab style. Jay Roberts Tiny Moore model 5 string electric.

  11. #9
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Seale View Post
    Any idea if it is solid, chambered, or hollow body?
    Bigsby inspired, so I'm pretty sure it's chambered...
    I snapped a pic of a Bigsby copy he was working on, and you can see what's under the hood:


  12. #10
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    I was going to say that the only quibble I had was the odd positioning of the knob (volume?) so close to the bridge, but it looks like that might be driven by the architecture of the chambers.
    Mitch Russell

  13. #11
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by Chief View Post
    Wowzer- so what do these guys go for?
    Here's the only one I've seen for sale publicly...

    Quote Originally Posted by onassis View Post
    I was going to say that the only quibble I had was the odd positioning of the knob (volume?) so close to the bridge, but it looks like that might be driven by the architecture of the chambers.
    Check out the knob positioning on Tiny's Bigsby...
    Glad TK re-arranged things...

    Click image for larger version. 

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  14. #12
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Nine large. I have a couple of lotto tickets I need to check...
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  15. #13
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Yeah, that's kind of like way out of my ball park. Makes them more pricey than the originals.
    Chief. Way up North. Gibson 1917 A model with pickup. JL Smith 5 string electric. 1929 National Triolian resonator mandolin with pickup. National RM 1 with pickup. Ovation Applause. Fender FM- 60 E 5 string electric (with juiced pickups). 1950's Gibson EM-200 electric mandolin. 1954 Gibson EM-150 electric mandolin. Custom made "Jett Pink" 5 string electric- Bo Diddley slab style. Jay Roberts Tiny Moore model 5 string electric.

  16. #14
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by Chief View Post
    Makes them more pricey than the originals.
    Um. No. Carter Vintage had the Glenn Tarver Bigsby 5-string for $40K a couple of months back. But it's gone now.

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...igsby-Mandolin

    Should Tiny's mandolin ever come on the market, it would fetch more than a Loar, I'll bet.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

    Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls

  17. #15
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    I just love the way the neck blends into the body on both the original Bigsbys and the Smiths...
    Just beautiful...


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  19. #16
    poor excuse for anything Charlieshafer's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    worth every penny, and out of my price range. I hate that combination. Beautiful work, for sure.

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  21. #17

    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    I played this one at NAMM this year. So nice. TK told me that he got ahold of x-rays and one of Tiny's mandolins for the construction. I can't reiterate how much I love it. It's here in Nashville at Carter's Vintage... I go in and play it a couple of times a month. I hope no one buys it so I can continue to do so.
    https://cartervintage.com/collection...nt=42578200771
    Listed at 6,200 but he offered it to me for 5k. I just can't in my right mind spend that, but I can dream.

  22. #18

    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    It is chambered but heavily braced. Makes for a feathery light solid body.
    Last edited by Ransolo; Sep-13-2017 at 4:06pm.

  23. #19
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Quote Originally Posted by Ransolo View Post
    Listed at 6,200 but he offered it to me for 5k. I just can't in my right mind spend that, but I can dream.
    ...a great investment, IMHO...
    Here's mine:










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  25. #20

    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    Nice looking rig you have there Spruce. I love those Fender Reverbs.

    Len B.
    Clearwater, FL

  26. #21
    Registered User Pete Martin's Avatar
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    Default Re: TK Smith Electric Mandolins...

    What, Spruce, you're NOT playing it through an EH-185???!!!???
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