I use a Roland Cube or a Pignose Hog 30... both have battery capability as well as plug-in.
I use a Roland Cube or a Pignose Hog 30... both have battery capability as well as plug-in.
Thanks for the info.
On a different topic, I emailed Fender and asked what case they might recommend, and they sent me the following:
"Thanks for writing in!
As of right now, there’s no specific, designated case attached to the Mando-Strat. However, that model should fit into an “F” style Mandolin case. I’ll include some links below!
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...hardshell-case
http://www.amazon.com/SKB-Universal-.../dp/B002WJHFU0 "
bb
I think it will fit in a GoldTone case - the one that fits the Fender FM 62SCE.
An old Fender MC510 case is a good option if you can find one.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
I picked up a Mando Strat in December.
First, they're made in Indonesia (didn't read the entire thread so if that's already known, sorry).
The bridge has to be replaced to make it a stage worthy instrument. I've already ordered a properly intonatable four saddle bridge.
The set up was brutal, although what do you expect from a sub $300 instrument?
There were also fit and finish problems. Foil shielding was visibly protruding from beneath the pickguard.
Having said all that, with a decent bridge (once that arrives) and set up, it's a fun mandolin to bang away on. I'm using it for a song by a Canadian band called FM (Phasors on Stun).
As for a HS case, the cases I built for my F type and also my Godin A8 both fit the Mando Strat like a glove.
I just got mine (used) two days ago and it had zero fit/finish issues and was already set up very well (the cover plastic was still on the pick guard too. I agree that the bridge really needs to be replaced. I'm waiting for Moongazer to get more in stock. If you don't mind my asking, which one did you use?
Case wise, mine came with a gig bag that was apparently built for an A style octave because it is wayyyy too big.
I'll try out my other cases tonight and post up if any of them are a good fit.
That thing is a blast to play, even at noob level. I think I'm going to get me a wahwah pedal and an overdrive ...just to annoy my neighbors (and my mandolin teacher).
My GFs: Collings MF, Mandobird VIII, Mando-Strat, soprano & baritone ukuleles tuned to GDAE and a Martin X1-DE Guitar.
Of the cases and gig bags that I own the best fit is my Boulder "Alpine Series" backpack/gig bag. The neck of it is about 3 inches too long but the space for the body is a decent fit. Wad up a polishing cloth by the headstock and it works very well indeed. Plus its a really well designed bag. This will be what I carry mine around in (at least until I find a hard case that works well). Here's what it looks like: ALPINE MANDOLIN GIGBAG at Elderly
Hard cases: My TKL cases fit almost well. The body fits nicely but the headstock is held up a little too high by the neck brace. The case will close without much pressure but its a very close thing. It will work in a pinch but would need modification to be ideal.
My GFs: Collings MF, Mandobird VIII, Mando-Strat, soprano & baritone ukuleles tuned to GDAE and a Martin X1-DE Guitar.
FYI: The price has dropped considerably (almost in half) since you first posted it.
Linky Link
My GFs: Collings MF, Mandobird VIII, Mando-Strat, soprano & baritone ukuleles tuned to GDAE and a Martin X1-DE Guitar.
1) are the frets all level ?
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
1] Check neck relief, nut and bridge first and formulate a game-plan from there
2] First issue is usually getting the neck straight and frets leveled. IIRC these have a truss-rod adjustment at the heel, which means you have to take the neck off to make any adjustment. It's bolt-on so you can always shim the neck, if needed.
3] Make adjustments to the nut - usually it's cut too high and you need to drop the strings closer to the fretboard to get proper intonation up and down the neck.
4] Adjust the bridge for proper string height first, then intonation at the 12th fret. Once that's done recheck intonation up and down the neck, particularly around the first 3 frets to ensure the nut is cut correctly.
5] Fret every fret to check for buzz.
6] Goto step 1 and go through all this again until it plays the way you want it to.
Of course there's more you can do, but this should get you in the zone.
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy • Wood • Thormahlen • Andersen • Bacorn • Yanuziello • Fender • National • Gibson • Franke • Fuchs • Aceto • Three Hungry Pit Bulls
Wow - thanks for that FM post. I always thought they were just electronic - who knew. Are any other tunes done with mandolin?
Waitaminute... Nash the Slash wore a top hat??? That can't be just a coincidence.... OR CAN IT??
i've been playing my new mandostrat for a few days now, it's a very fun mandolin.
before i decided on the mandostrat i went to a music store to try an eastwood mandocaster, it may be that there wasn't a mandolin player in that shop to make a good setup, but i found that mandocaster unplayable, some days later i bought my mandostrat on an internet store, i couldn't find a mandostrat in any shop in my area (Madrid, Spain) so i thought that i could buy one to try, and ask for a refund (paying the return shipment) if i didn't like it.
when it arrived, the intonation was ok but the action was way too high, i lowered the bridge saddles and now it plays very easily, the fretwork is well done, so lowering the action didn't cause fret buzz. it takes some time to get familiar with the single strings, but in two or three days of playing it feels like home.
right now i'm not feeling any need for upgrades, the pickup sounds good to my ears playing through my fender passport mini, and i didn't find any problem to adjust the factory bridge to reach a not perfect but ok intonation, it's enough for me at the moment, maybe in the future... im playing higher in the fretboard with this mando than with my acoustics, so maybe i'lll need a fully adjustable bridge soon, we'll see...
I went though changing bridge and pickup twice and found that the original setup was the best. For what its worth save time and money and spend time getting use to electric versus acoustic.
Thanks to Verne and others for the tips. Basically, when I tune the open strings correctly, it's out of tune on the 5th fret. When I tune to the 5th fret, it's in tune on the 12th fret, but not on the open strings. Plus there's some fret buzz higher up the neck. Have decided to take it to a guitar tech to have it set up (he has done set ups for others in the mandolin orchestra I play in, and comes recommended). We'll see how it is after that, but I suspect I will take redrector's advice and just spend time playing it for a while before I make any changes. For me there's no hurry in getting it "gig ready." bb
New at 2014 Winter NAMM!
Thank you for the pic. Can't look at that head-stock without thinking about garden gnomes!
I just re-strung my new Fender Mandostrat and adjusted the action and intonation - made a huge improvement in playability. The stock gauges on mine were .012, .016, .026, and .036. I restrung it with D'Addario electric guitar strings at .009, .014, .024, and .034. I also bought a .010 for the high E in case the .009 was too floppy, but I really like the feel of that .009 and now whole-step bends on the E and A are possible without causing my fingers to bleed . I lowered the saddles by about 2.5 turns on all set screws, and used a strobe tuner app on my iPad to dial in the intonation on the 1st and 3rd strings to match the fretted and harmonic octave. The 2nd and 4th are still off because of the uncompensated saddles, but I plan to retrofit it with compensated saddles as soon as I settle on which type to go with. The fret ends are just a bit sharp, so I will dress them soon as well. Overall I am really very pleased with this purchase, even with the less than optimal setup as purchased. I don't really expect perfection from a $300 instrument. Has anyone else altered their string gauges?
"Well, I don't know much about bands but I do know you can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir. Mandolin picks, perhaps..."
I've been enjoying my Mandostrat for a year and a half or so. When I first got it, I very quickly realized that the bridge assembly was rubbish. Apart from the intonation problems that other people have commented on here, I found that no matter how I played it, the ends of those headless setscrews were excruciatingly painful on the heel of my hand. Maybe it's just the size or shape of my hands, or my style of playing, because I haven't seen anyone else mention this, but for me it was almost unplayable.
After puzzling over just what Fender was thinking to produce such a monstrosity, I realized a couple of things. One was that those bent up tabs on either side of the base plate were clearly there to hold a cover. What else could they be for? But then, where was the cover? Could mine just be missing? Nope. Nowhere in any of the marketing photos did they show a bridge cover on the Mandostrat. But, aha! The original Mandocaster, that's another story. Almost all of the pictures on the web of the original Mandocasters show them with a metal bridge cover! In their press material, Fender boasts that the same machinery used to make the bridges for the original Mandocaster were used to make the bridges for the re-issue. They're so proud of this, apparently, that they couldn't bear to hide their masterpieces under anything like the original bridge cover.
Clearly, the right solution was to design an entirely new bridge, with four independently adjustable saddles and no protruding sharp bits. That would have to wait. Changing the screws to shorter ones with smooth heads would help, but I really wanted something over the whole bridge. So, I sat down at the computer and much, much later, got this out of the 3D printer:
It looks a bit funky, but it's very comfortable. It is press-fit over the side tabs and back of the bridge plate, and is quite solid. I thought about cutting down or replacing the longer screws, which would have allowed me to lower the overall height a few millimeters, but decided to try it with everything stock. As it turns out, the height doesn't seem to be a bother.
Just thought folks might be interested. I think I'll print one in black to see how that looks.
Nice and sophisticated solution! And, yes, I believe it will look more attractive in black.
I myself have chosen the less complex solution and just replaced the height adjusting screws to shorter ones. It worked out well but it could still be more pleasant to place your palm on the bridge.
Very cool printing design.
Yes, I have many times through the years, chastised bass bridges for their too-long screws. Musicman, Zon and G&L manage to use appropriately sized screws, so why shouldn't everyone? Even ads for replacement bridges show gougers! A Dremel with cutting disk solves the problem, but I shouldn't need to do that.
Blow on, man.
No, your playing is probably fine, you just didn't drink the Fender Koolaid, it's part of their mojo.
While I agree the bridge cover looks cool and saves one's hands from poorly setup instruments [trimming the screws should be part of a setup] they interfere with the way most people play.
I, and a lot of other electric players, do quite a bit of palm muting, and that's impossible with those covers. That's the main reason people started taking them off back in the day and why Fender stopped making them. Acoustic mando players are used to not having any sustain while electric players are always fighting to keep unwanted strings from ringing.
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