My Mandobird Is coming tomorrow

[ryru14]

My loving wife finnally broke down to buy me one off of MF and it should be here tomorrow. I'll post my review as soon as I am able to put it down. As a side note this is my 100th post on the Cafe.

[John Flynn]

Where were you able to find one in stock?

[BigRig]

Just got mine in yesterday from Musicians Friend. Had to go with the metallic gold one. I haven't had much time to break it in, but from what little I have played it I must say I am impressed.

[ryru14]

Mando Johnny,
Musicains Friend has the black Satin in stock, and the other colors either in stock or in three days Music123 has them winthin the week. Still not here. I am finding myself looking out the window looking for brown every 5 minutes.

[HoosierGuy]

#I am finding myself looking out the window looking for brown every 5 minutes.

That's why my wife doesn't like it when I'm expecting a package. I do the same thing, looking out the window. The brown truck is our friend, it brings us nice things.

[ryru14]

It arrived yesturday, and I have barely set it down to sleep or eat. it is in my lap as I type this post. I have a question for the Mandobird users out there, what do you use for a strap? I am havin heck of a time finding something that is comfortable and still looks cool.

The write up on my mandobird s/n SJ04070295. The intonation was almost spot on out of the box The satin finish is awesome. The length adjustment screw, for the G string was slightly stripped. the tone nob is slightly out of alighment. To truly rock out and just have fun it is great.

[Yellowmandolin]

What kind of quality control does epiphone have to let an off center nob and a stripped screw on a new instrument out? Seems a little weak. I am glad that you are happy though, and at one time was considering getting a Mandobird as well.

[delsbrother]

Two points:

A-QC is QC, but whattdya expect for under $200?

B-Sometimes it's where you get it. My first two Mandobirds(!) came from Music 123, and they both had issues - I think they were really seconds that got pawned off as new. My third 'bird came from listmember Mandohack, and it was pure as the driven slush.

[ira]

congrats on your new purchase!
i'm sure this has been covered here before, but what are the pros and cons of the 8 vs. 4 string mandobird. for 200 bucks i could prob. afford one at some point in the relatively near future (with birthday coming up), and would like to go in a way that makes sense for me.
thanks,
ira

[peterbc]

I use a leather belt as a strap, one of the woven ones. If you take off the belt buckle that end has a hole that's perfect, and you can put the other button through anywhere on the belt.

[mandocrucian]

what are the pros and cons of the 8 vs. 4 string mandobird.

For an instrument tuned GDAE in the mandolin register, I far prefer 8 strings over 4. For single strings, I think you are better off sonically and functionally overall doing a conversion of a short scale mini-guitar (it's just a tuning) to either 4 or 5 strings, tuned an octave lower. (GDAE, #G-D-A-E-a or G-D-A-E-b). #Works much better as a rhythm/backup instrument, and the longer 17"-18.5" scale length makes bending easier.

With 8 strings, you don't sacrifice any of the string splitting which allows one to get a fatter sound out of high register instrument. #That's too much to give up for single strings in the same register which limits you to being an "auxiliary lead" instrument (i.e. not particularly an intrinsic ensemble necessity). #(I've had a 50's Fender 4-string for years, btw. and a new Mandobird-8)

Doubleneck mandolin-8/octave-lower-5 is the best solution. And that's where I'm going.

IMO, if you want to play an instrument as an "acoustic mandolin", then you really should just stay away from the solidbodies.

Niles Hokkanen

[bjc]

So far as the strap goes, I have found that a regular guitar strap works fine. In regards to quality control issues, my mandobird needed some major work getting the intonation set...It took me while, but it is correct. I also had to have the nut cut down slighly to allow easier fretting on the first fret. I am also considering having the pick-up replaced with a humbucker bass pick-up.
I also just recently played a mandobird viii and it too needed quite a bit of adjustment out of the box, but once it was correctly set-up, it played nice.

[peterbc]

Mine was setup terribly when I bought it as well, it's intonated now except for the G string which is as far back as I can reasonably take it (I removed the spring to get it there...). I replaced my nut with bone (I cut down the plastic nut too far) and it made a huge difference.

[ira]

so niles, what you seem to be saying (correct me if i'm wrong) that i am looking to create an electric 4 string octave mandolin.

[mandocrucian]

If you want to go single strings, find a cheap short-scale kids electric solidbody. Some have 22" which is too long imo (though it might be good for an OM-8 conversion), others can have a scale around 18" which is what I'd opt for. #The pickup(s) will probably be crummy, but for $100-$130..... #You can always replace it with a Seymour Duncan if like the thing enough to want to upgrade it sonically.

Sting it up with 4 strings x-G-D-A-E-x. #No strings on either the bass and treble edges. #You don't need to respace the nut, move the bridge or any of those hassles. The extra space will allow you to push-bend the G string and pull-bend the E.

You can add a high B or high A on the treble side if you want to. The extra versatility which comes from being an octave lower (you can hold things together rhythmically much easier when the guitarist takes a break) is more than worth the extra left hand stretches.

Niles H.

[glauber]

This one seems to be a three-stringer: