New Fender Emando

[Spruce]

...heck at $299...

Whadaya think they'll street at?
225.00? Or less...
Never thought I'd see a decent (hopefully) Mandocaster copy impersonate a bic lighter...

[Ed Goist]

Whadaya think they'll street at?
225.00? Or less...
Never thought I'd see a decent (hopefully) Mandocaster copy impersonate a bic lighter...

Street (or at least Musician's Friend's introductory price) will be $300. So:

MSRP: $400
Street: $300

[lukmanohnz]

Been quietly following this thread. I am very likely going to buy one if the early reviews are positive.

(...and I loved my tele - even though it's long gone.)

[John Eischen]

Guitar Center also states $299, available March 8. Want!

[Spruce]

Street will be $300...

Whoops, got it...

[Mike Black]

I wonder if they'll be able to keep up with the initial demand?

[mrmando]

Maybe Spruce should pick up a couple dozen and customize them: Seafoam, Sonic Blue, Cherry Red, Distressed. Then resell for $500.

[delsbrother]

Wasn't one of the first moves players did to these things to take OFF the ashtray cover? Which is why they're always missing? Now it's an extremely desirable feature.. Gotta repop it.. LOL

[Larry S Sherman]

Maybe Spruce should pick up a couple dozen and customize them: Seafoam, Sonic Blue, Cherry Red, Distressed. Then resell for $500.

If he did I would get on his list

Larry

[F-2 Dave]

Put me on the list too. I wonder if there will be a maple fretboard option?

[mtm]

what kind of setup does an emando like this require??? should one be discerning about where to purchase? safe to get at guitar center?

[Dan Margolis]

The intonation is the biggest issue with an original Fender electric mandolin. Like the classic Tele bridge, the mandolin originally had uncompensated saddles (two, not three). As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I had a set of compensated saddles made at Armadillo Machine shop in Austin. Using my measurements (he didn't have my instrument in hand), he made saddles that are much better than the originals. If someone handed him a Fender electric mandolin for him to measure, I'm sure that he could nail the offsets more precisely. Maybe the new Fender will be compensated?

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Wilkinson also make compensated saddles.
http://www.axecaster.co.uk/index.php...products_id=19

[mrmando]

I'm hoping Fender will reissue the MC510 case, which was made for the Korean Mandocasters of 1999–2000. You still see a few of these cases floating around, but they're getting harder to find. Failing that, a nice tweed one wouldn't hurt.

[Spruce]

Maybe Spruce should pick up a couple dozen and customize them: Seafoam, Sonic Blue, Cherry Red, Distressed. Then resell for $500.

Thet's the bugaboo with antiquing...
It's work that pays around 3.73 an hour...

The way to do it is pick one up in a few years that has been dinged up, and priced accordingly...
I've tried twice to put the first ding in a guitar, and just couldn't let the gravel fly...
This will probably be the first...

Might be kinda cool to do one in a custom color with the 'burst sticking through on the wear spots...
I've seen quite a few vintage examples where they sprayed color over 'burst (must have had a knot showing in the yellow or something), so this is historically accurate...

If he did I would get on his list

Ya know, anyone can do this...
There are tricks, but they are easily learned...

And I have a gob of accurate decals with only the "Fender" on 'em, so that problem is solved...

Maybe I'll do a thread when I get one, and go through it step-by-step...
It's fun to age a guitar in 3 months instead of 50 years, or else I wouldn't even do it...
And so can you...

PS...
For you Bookfacers, here's a page I put up with examples of guitars I've screwed up...
Hopefully, they'll be a '60 Mandocaster Copy on there soon...

[mrmando]

You mean it's more complicated than tying it to the bumper and driving around the block?

[Spruce]

You mean it's more complicated than tying it to the bumper and driving around the block?

Well, a much better tactic is to toss your Mandocaster without a case in the trunk of a 56 Chevy [along with assorted tools and stuff also lose] and drive over bumpy country roads for years on end....

But I just don't have that kind of time...

[Verne Andru]

Man, things sure get catty around here. I don't get the whole relicing thing, just like I don't get the pre-torn blue-jeans and telecasters. So shoot me!

To each their own.

[Dan Margolis]

Regarding relics, I have seen a few that I liked, including the Tele that's hanging up at the store where I teach. I'm not passionate about this. To each, his or her own.

[Spruce]

Man, things sure get catty around here. I don't get the whole relicing thing, just like I don't get the pre-torn blue-jeans and telecasters. So shoot me!

To each their own.

So-ooo, if I don't like your work, I should go on these pages and hammer it??

Or show a tad of class and refrain??

[Verne Andru]

So-ooo, if I don't like your work, I should go on these pages and hammer it??

Or show a tad of class and refrain??

So are you saying you are a professional relicer? Where do you identify yourself as such?

I like getting old instruments and fixing them up to look, play and sound as good as they can. Relicing does exactly what I try to undo.

But if you are making a buck at it, good on you. I'd ask that you hang out a shingle so others will know not to step on your toes.

[John Eischen]

I attempted to order through Guitar Center's internet site, it asked for any discount coupon number (today it's JAN30, $30 off), but it would not accept the number.

I called Guitar Center, and asked about the fact that their sites (this and MF) list the color as black. The customer service guy I spoke to on the phone stated that they used a stock picture, and stated that the item would be indeed be black. I'm assuming he is a typical Guitar Center guy, and he is wrong (did they ever make one in black? Does the Fender site specify sunburst?). I asked about the $30 off coupon today, he told me it wouldn't apply because "Fender opted out of the program."

So, I completed the order on line, all info, pressed "Submit Payment," nothing happened. I called customer service again, but this time I spoke with someone who had answers. He assured me that "black" was a misprint, it would be sunburst. Then, he applied the coupon and got me the $30 discount! So for $286.19 all in, it will be shipped as soon as they get them in, estimated at March 8.

I opted for store pickup, so that if for some reason I don't want it (defect, crushed in transit, or poor workmanship), I don't have to accept it. I'm happy.

If you call the number on the website, ask for Mitch.

[mrmando]

Gosh, Verne, Spruce has plenty of posts discussing his relicking projects. It's a simple matter of paying attention.

[mtm]

I attempted to order through Guitar Center's internet site, it asked for any discount coupon number (today it's JAN30, $30 off), but it would not accept the number.

I called Guitar Center, and asked about the fact that their sites (this and MF) list the color as black. The customer service guy I spoke to on the phone stated that they used a stock picture, and stated that the item would be indeed be black. I'm assuming he is a typical Guitar Center guy, and he is wrong (did they ever make one in black? Does the Fender site specify sunburst?). I asked about the $30 off coupon today, he told me it wouldn't apply because "Fender opted out of the program."

So, I completed the order on line, all info, pressed "Submit Payment," nothing happened. I called customer service again, but this time I spoke with someone who had answers. He assured me that "black" was a misprint, it would be sunburst. Then, he applied the coupon and got me the $30 discount! So for $286.19 all in, it will be shipped as soon as they get them in, estimated at March 8.

I opted for store pickup, so that if for some reason I don't want it (defect, crushed in transit, or poor workmanship), I don't have to accept it. I'm happy.

If you call the number on the website, ask for Mitch.

So, you apply the $30 savings toward proper setup? I'm still a bit confused as to whether the 'casual' mando player needs to be concerned about having an electric properly set up????

[Ed Goist]

John, Hats-off on getting GC to honor the coupon! That's not usually done with pre-orders. Well done!

mtm; I have found electrics much easier in general for a lay-person to get mostly set-up on their own. Action and intonation are easier to adjust with just simple tools. However, if the frets need leveling, or the nut has issues, that's beyond me, and I take it to my tech.

Also, my experience with individual electric instruments has varied drastically. Here's been my experience with electric mandolin-family instruments:

* JBovier EMC-4: Came very well set-up from JBovier. Needed nothing.
* Ryder EM-44: Custom build. Perfect set-up (as expected)
* Eastwood Warren Ellis Tenor Guitar: Came with a decent set-up from Eastwood. Changed strings & gauges to GDAE tuning and lowered action on my own. Took about 10 minutes. The factory intonation remained fine. I had my tech look at it at a jam, and he was quite impressed with the set-up.
* Girouard Electric Tenor Guitar: Custom build. Came perfectly set-up (this is one of many strong suites for Max Girouard). Also, this instrument has a Gibson style "Tune-o-matic" bridge & saddle, making user adjustment remarkably easy (pinwheels for adjusting string height). Within about 5 days I had the action set EXACTLY (and I mean exactly) how I want it. This instrument is now THE best set-up instrument I have ever played.
* Ovation MM-68AX: Came with an awful factory set-up by Ovation. The nut action made the instrument almost unfret-able in the first three frets. Bridge action was high as well. I took the instrument to my tech immediately, I did not pass go . Fortunately, I got a good enough price on the Ovation that I could justify some major work: new bone nut, re-radiused board to 10", refret with 80X43 frets, lowering of saddle, and set-up. Now she plays like butter.