The best electric mandolin?

[Tim2723]

Now I play an acoustic mandolin and I'd want buy an electric mandolin.
I don't know if solid body or other. I want an electric mandolin with 8 strings (4 strings four 2) where I can put jack.

Help!!!

The differences between solid body and acoustic-electric instruments is far to significant for you to just buy one or the other before understanding them. I suggest you listen to some videos of each first. It's not a simple decision.

[Darren Bailey]

This is my Mandobird which makes all the electric noise I ever want.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have to agree with Dennis Vance - The Godin A8 is a terrific mandolin. One of the few that can sound really 'acoustic' despite being essentially an electric instrument (IMHO),
Ivan

[Mike Bunting]

Solid body or acoustic with a pick-up? They are two very different things.

Absolutely,very different indeed. With pickup in an acoustic, you are just trying to make the acoustic sound louder, an electric mando will have the same total characteristics as an electric guitar. Hear Tiny Moore
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1hniThMx_go

[mandroid]

Michael Stevens only does 5 string[not 8] . but they are undoubtedly terrific ..

http://www.stevensguitars.com/models/mandolin/

Weber made 4.5&8 string solid bodies ..

I suppose they didn't throw away the patterns, But, IDK if they still have some inventoried.. on hand.

[lorrainehornig]

Moderator's Edit. Please refrain from promoting personal listings in the Classifieds, as per Forum Guidelines

[lorrainehornig]

Sorry about that...I will reread the guidelines.

[Cal]

The USA made Adamas gets my vote.

[mandolinita]

Is it better: mandolin electric all solid (for example: Harley Benton MA-500 VS Bluegrass Series) or mandolin electric semiacoustic (for example Harley Benton HBMA-100E- VS)?
Thank's

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

I'm extremely ignorant on the subject so forgive me for asking, why would any one want an electric mandolin? Solid body I mean, I can understand an acoustic with pick ups but I now what an electric guitar sounds like compared to an acoustic and my imagination leads me to believe it would defeat the purpose of a mando?

[darrylicshon]

You have to try one, then you will see how much fun they are, i think you need all of them. 4 ,5 , 8 string and i think you need them all in om also

[mandroid]

But as the OP was perhaps , just throwing a stone in a Forum pond to watch the ripples ,

.. what is the Best Puppy?

I like both My 4 string CGDA Modified Gibson EM 150 acoustic..

And the Biller Made Solid body I Got Greg to Make ..

Others Like the acoustic With a Sound Board Pickup ..

Sometimes you keep the Litter ..

[crisscross]

Is it better: mandolin electric all solid (for example: Harley Benton MA-500 VS Bluegrass Series) or mandolin electric semiacoustic (for example Harley Benton HBMA-100E- VS)?

It depends on what you are looking for: the HBMA-100E is an acoustic mandolin with a magnetic pickup. You can play it unplugged or amplified.
The HB MA-500 VS is a solidbody with two singlecoil pickups. Unamplified you won't hear much of it, but amplified you can choose different pickup combinations, wich makes it more versatile when played through an amp.
If you already have an acoustic mandolin that you are stisfied with, I'd go for a solid body.
It also depends on what your sound ideal is.
Do you want it to sound close to an acoustic, only louder? In that case I would choose a Godin with a transducer.
Or do you want to modify the sound with effects such as reverb, chorus or distortion?
In that case , I think a solidbody with a magnetic pickup would be the best choice.

[mandolinita]

It depends on what you are looking for: the HBMA-100E is an acoustic mandolin with a magnetic pickup. You can play it unplugged or amplified.
The HB MA-500 VS is a solidbody with two singlecoil pickups. Unamplified you won't hear much of it, but amplified you can choose different pickup combinations, wich makes it more versatile when played through an amp.
If you already have an acoustic mandolin that you are stisfied with, I'd go for a solid body.
It also depends on what your sound ideal is.
Do you want it to sound close to an acoustic, only louder? In that case I would choose a Godin with a transducer.
Or do you want to modify the sound with effects such as reverb, chorus or distortion?
In that case , I think a solidbody with a magnetic pickup would be the best choice.

I already have an acoustic mandolin and I'm satisfied with it.
I must play pop music without modify the sound with effects.

[mrmando]

Is it better: mandolin electric all solid (for example: Harley Benton MA-500 VS Bluegrass Series) or mandolin electric semiacoustic (for example Harley Benton HBMA-100E- VS)?

If the discussion is about which is the best electric mandolin, neither of those two is even on the radar.

[Paul South]

I was wondering due to having some current numbness in my left hand if maybe an acoustic electric maybe would be helpful for now, it seems I could keep the action very low without buzzing and still be able to still have volume through an amp. Is the set up on an acoustic electric just as critical as an acoustic mandolin or does the pick up help balance out any flaws in the set up. I would like to keep playing even if the numbness/ tingling even gets somewhat worse than it is now

[lenf12]

Acoustic-electric mandolins are quite susceptible to feedback as the volume gets louder. How do I know? I've been playing with a folk/rock/Americana type of quartet using a Kentucky KM-340S with a jjbelectronics dual piezo pickup installed and could never be heard when the volume inevitably gets louder. That's when the feedback issues become most apparent and annoying so I started to use a Mann SEM-5 solid body electric mandolin. Feedback issues were solved but I sound more like a guitar than mandolin. The search continued until I bought an 8 string solid body electric a couple of months ago. Now, all of the feedback and guitar sound issues are resolved to my liking. I can play as loud as the electric guitars and still sound like a mandolin and when I kick in the distortion and a bit of delay......heavenly. I am a very happy camper. Even my wife likes the sound of the 8 string over the 5 string. She's trying to convince me to sell the 5 string since it won't be getting much use anymore.



Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[lenf12]

Is the set up on an acoustic electric just as critical as an acoustic mandolin or does the pick up help balance out any flaws in the set up.

The setup on any mandolin is critical to getting good sound and playability. A bad setup on an electric mandolin plays bad causing missed notes and "clams" and sounds bad, only louder. Get the mandolin setup with action as low as possible without buzzing and analyze whether you have some technique problems which can be corrected. A common problem is "death grip" or using too much pressure to cleanly fret a note. This can cause a lot of hand problems, numbness and tingling among them. Good luck!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[crisscross]

To the OP. a little help in deciding wich sound you prefer. Please excuse guitar analogies
What kind of sound you like better?

The intro to Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here"?
Then I would opt for a mandolin with a transducer like the Godin plugged directly into a PA system.

Or the intro to the Byrds' "Hey Mr.Tambourine Man"?
Then I would choose a solidbody with a magnetic pickup played through a tube amp (wich is an imprtant part of the warmer less high frequency electric sound)

[mandolinita]

Acoustic-electric mandolins are quite susceptible to feedback as the volume gets louder. How do I know? I've been playing with a folk/rock/Americana type of quartet using a Kentucky KM-340S with a jjbelectronics dual piezo pickup installed and could never be heard when the volume inevitably gets louder. That's when the feedback issues become most apparent and annoying so I started to use a Mann SEM-5 solid body electric mandolin. Feedback issues were solved but I sound more like a guitar than mandolin. The search continued until I bought an 8 string solid body electric a couple of months ago. Now, all of the feedback and guitar sound issues are resolved to my liking. I can play as loud as the electric guitars and still sound like a mandolin and when I kick in the distortion and a bit of delay......heavenly. I am a very happy camper. Even my wife likes the sound of the 8 string over the 5 string. She's trying to convince me to sell the 5 string since it won't be getting much use anymore.



Len B.
Clearwater, FL

What 8 strings solid body electric a couple of months ago did you buy? Brand? Model?
Thank's

[Petrus]

Got a Fender semi-hollowbody a couple of weeks ago, quite happy with it for the price ($250.) Saw a great opportunity to get a Fender Robert Schmidt hollow body for about half retail ($279 instead of the usual $550) and bought it on New Year's Day; still waiting on its arrival.

Airline electric mandola is worth a look; looks cool anyway.

Back to the original question ... I would love to try out this Duesenberg. Anyone who has experience with one of these feel free to chime in. I think they're around $2K. Check out those knurled tuners.

[lenf12]

What 8 strings solid body electric a couple of months ago did you buy? Brand? Model?
Thanks

Hi Mandolinita,

I got the Morgan Monroe MMT-1E bought used here on the Café classified section for $225 USD + shipping. It is used but in very new condition and quite inexpensive because it's made in China. It did need a proper setup and new strings which I did myself. I then plugged it into my Fender amp, turned up the volume and have been loving the sound and playability ever since.

http://morganmonroe.com/products/Mor...l#.VKlatLctEdU

and a Mandolin Cafe thread for some interesting reading:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...t-impressions)


Happy hunting,
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Brett Byers]

Way beyond the OP's budget, but I have yet to see a better electric mandolin than a Rono. They occasionally come up on the used market. I would love to add one to my stable someday.

[Finger Stylish]

Here's a vote for an Ovation, Sounds great plugged in or unplugged.
Also very easy on the fingers.
Anyone looking for an electric should consider one.

[mandolinita]

Here's a vote for an Ovation, Sounds great plugged in or unplugged.
Also very easy on the fingers.
Anyone looking for an electric should consider one.

Do you suggest Ovation MCS148 Celebrity?