Input needed for mandocaster body/neck or kits

[Jim MacDaniel]

Inspired by this thread, I contacted a few companies that sell electric guitar bodies and necks, and one particualarly is interested in looking into creating Mandocaster bodies and necks and/or kits. I directed him to the above linked thread since he was looking for some mandocaster plans. However, I cautioned him against using the plans as-is, since they are for a slab body (although I guess if he went with a slab, a buyer could contour it themself) and it utilizes a P-bass pup (but I not sure what modern pup to recommend he uses as a model for routing out the top). I therefore thought I would reach out to you all for your feedback and wish list, were he to move forward with this project.

So, please post your recommendations or preferences for what you would like to see in mandocaster parts or kits, including but not limited to the following:
- Body type (i.e., pre-57 slab, or contoured body)
- Pick-up type (emando-specific 4-pole pup, guitar-syle blade pup, etc.)
- Specific pick-up recommendations and/or source
- Pick-up placement (e.g., slanted per the original mandocaster design, or horizontal as in the SB-4)
- Neck profile
- Fretboard type (i.e., pre-58 maple fretboard, or rosewood fretboard)
- Pick guard material and/or color options
- Bridge type (i.e., two adjustments per the original MC bridge, or adjustments per each string) and/or source
- Other suggestions/preferences?

[Cliff D]

Erm ....... If they are going to be in kit form, how about making them as modular as possible, ie interchangeable components, particularly with the option of bolting on different scale length necks to the same body (no, not simultaneously!). One could then build a "custom" mando by mixing & matching, ordering from a menu of options. I appreciate this would create some design challenges, but you are asking for suggestions!

[mrmando]

Contour body, definitely. Blade pickup. If we're talking customizable, maybe different options for # of strings?

Would there be legal issues with the body shape if it's an exact Fender copy?

I'll PM you ... I smell an Emando.com branding opportunity ...

[Jim MacDaniel]

Contour body, definitely. Blade pickup. If we're talking customizable, maybe different options for # of strings?...

I like what Steve Tourtellotte did on his recent mandocaster clone, with the stacked humbucker pickup that he could switch back and forth between standard and humbucker with a pull or push of the pickup selector. I also thought it would be nice to have a couple of different neck widths for a 4-string and 5-string version -- or to Cliff's idea, a longer scale neck for an e'dola.

Would there be legal issues with the body shape if it's an exact Fender copy?...

I was wondering about that as well, but some of these companies who sell Strat and Tele guitar necks and bodies bill them as "replacement parts" -- I wonder if that's their loop hole. (But then again, the guy I've been speaking to bills his Strat and Tele parts as "S-type" and "T-type" -- so maybe these can be called "MC-type" parts

I'll PM you ... I smell an Emando.com branding opportunity ...

Hmmm... That would make it an Emando emando, yes? #

[mandroid]

Given there are so many identical Fender like guitars out there the copyright seems moot.
I would like to suggest a pick-plate hole for strat pickups . there are abundant different options to install in the hole.
a few neck options: 400mm H Dola scale length would be nice.