Anyone ever played a Novax?

[mrmando]

I've been offered a 5-string electric mandolin by Ralph Novak in a trade. Anyone ever play one of Ralph's instruments? This one has traditional frets, not fanned. Here's what it looks like.

[Tom Wright]

I have questions about the bridge/tailpiece layout. It looks to be a kludge, mixing a through-the-body Stratocaster bridge design with Gibson stop tailpiece. The break angle over the bridge looks very shallow, which might work fine, but I'd avoid consummating the deal without playing it.

[Christian McKee]

Looks also like that p/u is mounted backwards... I had a bassist once spend several hundred dollars to have such an error fixed because he felt it made enough of a difference to warrant the expense. Not sure how that might play on the mandolin.

[mrmando]

Ah yes ... I thought it looked like a Bartolini but not quite. That's because "Bartolini" is upside down.

This mando currently lives in the Czech Republic, and started out as an 8-string. The conversion job does look a bit klugey. Reportedly it once belonged to Radim Zenkl. I'm tempted to drive up to Radim's show in Vancouver tomorrow so I can ask him.

[delsbrother]

So the conversion wasn't done by Novak himself? Might be a fine instrument, but the thought of a non-fan-fret Novak that's been modified doesn't hold a lot of appeal for me, and I don't have access to all the emandos that you do. YMMV.