Schwab - ryder - other ?

[JEP]

I am looking to replace my 5-string Fender with a more long range 5-string electric instrument.. playing mostly Western swing and a little gypsy-swing stuff.

From poking around, I'm considering checking out Steve Ryder and Kevin Schwab.. and was curious if there were any other builders in that vein that anyone would recommend also considering.

Thanks-- Jeff

[Brad Weiss]

Joel Eckhaus

NFI. I've played some good ones!

[seano]

Can't go wrong w/ Schwab. For the money though, check into a Mann (Johnathan Mann). I would honestly have a hard time parting w/ either one of these, they are both soooo sweeet!

[Ted Eschliman]

Great article on Kevin Schwab in the recent issue of Mandolin Magazine. Joel Eckhaus does fine work worth checking out; love his fanned fret Earnest Boomerang. Also, rising star (and you'll definitely want to catch him on the way up!), the aforementioned Jonathon Mann.

[Christian McKee]

I own a Ryder 4 string and a custom 5 stringer, and if I were to invest in another serious 5 string, I think I'd go towards Michael Stevens, http://stevensguitars.com/. I've played one of his "working man's" models before, and it felt *great*. I figure if they're good enough for Paul Glasse and Barry Mitterhoff, then I should be as content as a musician gets. It's worth noting that the working man's model from the Stevens shop is nearly twice the price of some of the Schwab and Ryder models. I've never had a chance to A/B any of these on the same amp, in close succession, though I'd really love to.

Christian

[mrmando]

I'm pretty happy with my Roger Bacorn 5-string.

[mythicfish]

Dave Wendler... Electro-Coustic Instruments.
Uses a MagPi PU system
Less than 1/2 the price of the least expensive Stevens.
Excellent sound, playability, and value.
Reviewed by Ted E. on Jazzmando.com

Curt

[Ted Eschliman]

Thanks, Curt. Forgot about the Wendler ElectroCoustic. It's strength is a little different in that it does a pretty good job of sounding more "acoustic," despite being a solid body.

[Martin Jonas]

Interesting, Ted: the ElectroCoustic is a case of parallel development. I'm currently getting the parts together to add a mini-humbucker to my Amazing solid body emando. As designed, this has a piezo pickup, which is nice and punchy, but rather harsh. I figure that adding a humbucker, plus independent volume controls to mix the tone from both pickups, should give me a nice fat tone with more of a mandolin-type percussiveness than a typical e-mando. Seems that Wendler had much the same idea.

I'll post details of my conversion and the results once I get back from the long overseas business trip I'm on at the moment and can start doing the work on the Amazing.

Martin

[WJF]

Can't speak to any of the others suggested here but I am VERY happy with my Schwab ... wouldn't think twice about buying another from him and would tell anyone interested that the whole experience of working with him from initial contact through delivery of the instrument was a delight and about as good as it gets in every way!!

[pglasse]

...if I were to invest in another serious 5 string, I think I'd go towards Michael Stevens, http://stevensguitars.com/. I've played one of his "working man's" models before, and it felt *great*. I figure if they're good enough for Paul Glasse and Barry Mitterhoff, then I should be as content as a musician gets.

FYI, add to the above list of Stevens "Paul Glasse Model" pickers: Don Stiernberg, Aubrey Hainey, and Tom Rozum. There's a reason. Yes, they're that good. These mandolins were really designed for that fatter western swing and jazz sound. The "mandocaster" type instruments are, in my opinion, a very different breed and not so suited for the music you have expressed interest in playing.

Of course I'm completely biased here for obvious reasons, so take that under advisement. That said, in my opinion, Michael Stevens is a real artist who does impeccable work. I'm very proud of the mandolins he builds.

All the best,

Paul Glasse
Austin, Texas

[michaell]

These are all excellent electric mandolins! I happen to play the four-stringed variety and I really love my Schwabs. I just really can't play the five-strings, although I love how they sound...

[Shelby Eicher]

No one builds what I'm looking for so I designed my own and had it built. For the C string all of the mandolins have too short of a scale length. I dislike the E string on electrics. For me it's a 16 7/8 scale length 4 string electric mandola. It's sounds somewhere between a mando and a guitar. It's awesome. I don't understand why someone out there does buit a mandola scale length electric. It's the bomb-diggity. Then you can be Tiny Gimble!
Shelby

[mrmando]

There are a few builders making an instrument such as the one you describe. Terry Bales and Joseph Yanuziello have both built electric mandolas. From the bygone era, F.A. Thorp comes to mind. And heck, Rono made a few "baritones."

[foldedpath]

No one builds what I'm looking for so I designed my own and had it built. For the C string all of the mandolins have too short of a scale length. I dislike the E string on electrics. For me it's a 16 7/8 scale length 4 string electric mandola. It's sounds somewhere between a mando and a guitar. It's awesome. I don't understand why someone out there does buit a mandola scale length electric. It's the bomb-diggity. Then you can be Tiny Gimble!

Breedlove makes a Radim Zenkl signature model mandola as a custom order. It's a hollowbody with four strings (single course) and two pickups: a built-in humbucker at the end of the fretboard, and a piezo in (or under?) the bridge. I'm not sure what the scale length is, but they do call it a mandola.

I've had one on order for a while, and I'll post a report when, or if, it ever arrives. It's way past the estimated delivery date, but custom orders are often like that.

[Lee]

I've played Schwabs for years. Quite nice indeed!
Recently got a Jonathan Mann EM-5. Wonderful workmanship. The hollow body has a different sound and vibe to it than the Schwab's solid body. They're different. Wouldn't part with either.

[brunello97]

I've had a Schwab 5 string since the mid 80s. The craft work and electronics have always been out of sight. It is a real spaceship. Before I mellowed a bit, I'd run it through a Twin and it would peel paint. The C string intonation has always been a little annoying but I've learned to cope with it. Above all, Kevin has been a great guy to deal with and communicate with through the years. Highly recommended!

Mick

[Ted Eschliman]

I don't understand why someone out there does buit a mandola scale length electric. It's the bomb-diggity.

Thus, the Old Wave Solocomp JM 4-string Jazz Mandola:

[bolannta]

Quote (Shelby @ Oct. 23 2007, 01:32)
I don't understand why someone out there does buit a mandola scale length electric. It's the bomb-diggity.

Check out Mandolier, NFI.

[seano]

Anyone here have or played the 4 string "Mandolier" (above post)? Looks pretty sweet. I've got a goofy old Japanese "Bruno" (very similar to Kent) I converted to 4 string, actually sounds and plays pretty decent for what it is, but I'm jonesing for a more modern E-mandola...

[mrmando]

I did try out the Mandolier this summer. Great instrument. I thought it needed heavier-gauge strings and a little wider string spacing, but those are (1) matters of individual taste; (2) easily fixable. I haven't heard from John, the builder, for a while, but he's a nice, very helpful guy.

[Kid Charlemagne]

I have one of Kevin Schwab's early mandolins (#29) and he was great at it all the way back then in 1982. He's only gotten better. Someday I'm going to have him build another one for me.

I also have one of Jon Mann's SEM-5s, his version of an electric mandolin inspired by the popular PRS design. It's good for an entirely different sound, and I'm just as enamoured by it.

Either one of these would be a great instrument to start learning more on, and you can't really go wrong with either builder.

[kwick1]

Don’t forget Andrew Jerman(http://www.crossroadswood.com). He is building an emando for me right now. I talked to a lot of luthiers about building an emando, and I chose Andrew because he was the most open and enthusiastic about building a true custom. He has "standard" designs if you want, but I was able to work with him to design a complete custom. We worked together to design every element; the shape of the body and peg head, the woods that will be used, inlays, and even ES-335 type stereo pickups. He is not just building a nice emando in a color I chose, he is literally building the exact emando I had in mind. # #

[Joel Glassman]

Another two thumbs up for Andrew Jerman. He's building an
electric octave tele-mando for me. Great to work with and
its a very nice instrument.
We'll post pictures here when its done.

[Mike Bunting]

Of all these electrics, which have the sound of the old Tiny Moore Roberts and which have a fat jazz tone?