Electric mandolin - suggestions please

[gretsch6120]

Just purchased a MK electric mandolin, while it plays great and has a very good acoustic sound, not so sure about it's plugged in tone. Electric mandolin is what I need as I will play live with it with my band. Some suggestions of a electric mandolin will be appreciated. It is the electric sound that I am after. Thanks!

[mandroid]

Thistle here in the US will fill your order, you can say what you want in English,

rather than try to fix another pac rim import.

Steve Ryder is another builder, Kevin Schwab , several others

look at electric mandolin resources link , see: LINKS off the home page.

4 string? or 8 or 5? whats the rest of you signal chain, so far?

[Geoff B]

emando

[gretsch6120]

I guess 4 or 8. As far as signal chain, I would either go directly to the board, or to a amp first, then lined out to board.

[TomTyrrell]

Get a solid-body electric. Cheap choice is the Epiphone Mandobird. Slightly up the scale are the Michael Kelly KM300E or the Eastwood (an 8 stringer). Then you start getting in to the small shop emandos.

Don't waste time with a hollow or semi-hollow mandolin.

[gretsch6120]

Does Eastman make a solid body electric? Where to get one? Anyone have an opinion on the Godin A8?

[mrmando]

Hang out at emando.com and see what grabs you. Plenty of listings there with contact info for the builders.

The Godin gives you an "amplified acoustic" sound, not an "electric" sound.

[mandroid]

a multi effects pedal board would get you some sounds to play thru,
Feedback resistance is what Solid body electrics were made for.

those Men in the East [and women too] make many brands, but so do your fellow Americans.

[TomTyrrell]

Does Eastman make a solid body electric? #Where to get one? #Anyone have an opinion on the Godin A8?

Eastman doesn't make a solid body electric. Eastwood does.

[Eddie Sheehy]

If you get an Eastwood mandocaster or an Epiphone Mandobird be prepared to upgrade them.

[Tbone]

I've got a mandobird 4 string for sale, if you're interested, gretsch6120. $150. Let me know.

[gretsch6120]

Tbone - can you send some pics to
gretsch6120@cox.net

thanks!

[gretsch6120]

what kinds of upgrades are you thinking of?

[mrmando]

Let's be good little boys and girls, and confine selling of items to the Classifieds, eh?

Gretsch, do you want to sound like a louder mandolin or more like an electric guitar?

[gretsch6120]

I am looking for a louder mando, but, this whole electric mando sounds very intersting:D

[Pen]

If you are looking for an accoustic/electic you have 2 options.

1) Get a hoss of a mando and add a pickup. Overall, better sound unplugged - but likely much more expensive.
2) Get a hollow body mando made to be plugged in (existing pickups).

I went through this about 3 years ago. I play with a rock groups (drums, loud guitars, etc). After much searching and playing, I bought a Ovation MM68 (not to be confused with it's less expensive cousins). The Godin came in a close 2nd. The Ovation is a much sturdier instrument and I liked the unplugged sound more than the Godin. The amount of banging an instrument receives during gigs & practices is not to be ignored when buying.

If you intend to run your instrument through an effects peddle and utilize the various sounds - use a hardbody mando though. You'll pick up too much residual sound onstage from bass/drums/etc to play effectively. Running clean it will work great though.

More information about the specifics of your environment would be helpful.