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Thread: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

  1. #1

    Default Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    https://reverb.com/item/12427033-mor...tar-conversion

    It's a custom refit of a bass guitar, and my wife looked at it and said: "Oh! I like that!"

    "Oh, look. I just bought it! Guess it was a good thing I got it before someone else got the thing you liked!"

    <she frowns, sighs> "I'm going to play it. Not you."

    My response: "Oh... Huh..."

    So, I'll have bass backup for my mandolin now? Still winning!

  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    This is more like a super long scale octave mandolin. Mando bass is normally bass tuning and 42 inch scale with single strings tho there are variants. Hey, whatever works.
    Jim

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  3. #3

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Heard him play it.

    It has a voice like a horny angel. And as far as I could see, he was getting solid chords out of it on the included video. I figure it might have something to do with the double strings keeping the sound from getting muddy.

    I have no idea, really. It just sounded exactly like what SHE liked.

  4. #4
    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Doug Pinnick and his 12-string ...

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  5. #5
    Registered User JH Murray's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    So what would be the tuning of this beast?

  6. #6
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Seller says GDAE two octaves below a mandolin on a 30” scale. String bass, mando bass and electric bass tuning is EADG low to high.

    BTW I recall that Hagstrom made an 8-string solid body electric bass. I think the strings were all paired in octaves.
    Jim

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  7. #7

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    GG DD AA EE two octaves down.

    Main reason we wanted it was due to it being the same overall fingering as a mandolin.

    While the kinetic memory will take some adjusting, it still offers a point of reference.

    Mind you, if anything happens to it, we'll be crying later.

  8. #8
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Quote Originally Posted by Foolish Frost View Post
    Mind you, if anything happens to it, we'll be crying later.
    What would happen to it?
    Jim

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  9. #9

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Dunno. Stolen? Catch on fire? Eaten by wolves? Abducted by aliens?

    If I knew, it wouldn't be an "if". It's be a "when".

  10. #10
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Actually, a solid-body "double octave" mandolin. Mando-basses are just different ways to build a bass fiddle -- same tuning, but with a mando-esque body and frets. I have seen a double-strung mando-bass, with a bass-fiddle-like body, on the website of Pamela's Music in the UK (it's not there now). I assume it was tuned EADG like a bass fiddle, but the listing didn't specify.

    Fifths tuning on double string courses in the bass octave would be interesting, anyway.
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  11. #11
    Registered User bob_mc's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    FWIW, I had one of that builders mandocello conversions and it was an absolute blast to play. It tuned well and the string spacing was comfy. I have some significant nerve damage to both arms and let her go due to pain but I miss that thing.

  12. #12
    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    There are lots of 4-string EADG 30" short scale basses available, some for less than half of that one. I'm not sure what the double courses will do, other than sound awful when one string goes out of tune. I know that some rock and jazz players play 6,8,10 or 12-string bass, like Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick. After playing mandolin, I don't want any more strings to tune, and EADG strings are available off the shelf and fairly cheap.

    I've never had trouble going back and forth between mandolin and bass (EADG) but maybe that's because I played bass many years before taking up mandolin.

    Not trying to rain on your parade. Hope you enjoy your.....horny angel.....whatever that means......
    Living’ in the Mitten

  13. #13

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Horny angel is a Meatloaf ref.

    And I’m not sure, but normally on a bass, low chords tend to get muddy. His demo didn’t do that. I’m wondering if the dual paired strings is the reason.

    We’ll see.

  14. #14
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Actually the gauges he uses are pretty close to mandocello so it can probably be tuned to that. In the video it sounded to me that the higher strings sounded pretty good but the lowest somewhat muddy. Do report back when you get it. Or do you have it now? I bet it sounds better in person where you can also adjust EQ. Could be a fun thing in any case.
    Jim

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  15. #15

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Got it in.

    So, Botany (my wife) is playing with it. She seems to love it.

    overall, good construction, with the note that the low bass string pair are prone to beat each other into a buzzing fit if you hit them too hard. Or anything above a gentle stroke, really. It sounds pretty good with that gentle stroke, though.

    We figure it can be fixed with a 20-40% increase in the distance between them to just give them breathing room. Might make it a touch harder to fret them as a pair, but eh. Not by much.

    Overall, the setup was pretty good on it, and the bridge plate is a nice design for paired strings. Has one going through the guitar, and the other of the pair coming through the bridgeplate bottom. Kinda hybrid style.

    Also getting her a capo for it so she can play it as an odd octave mando. Should be interesting.

    I have to give the maker a thumbs up.

  16. #16

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    I wonder if in light of the buzzing, it would be better to have a single string for the lowest bass and then pairs for the others? I have a bisernica that has the lowest strings single and uppers paired. I always see the various Mortone instruments on Reverb and have been curious about them. Kudos to him for building a variety of experimental instruments that are fairly accessible to the masses.

  17. #17
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    Quote Originally Posted by Seter View Post
    I wonder if in light of the buzzing, it would be better to have a single string for the lowest bass and then pairs for the others? I have a bisernica that has the lowest strings single and uppers paired. I always see the various Mortone instruments on Reverb and have been curious about them. Kudos to him for building a variety of experimental instruments that are fairly accessible to the masses.
    I have heard of some mandocellists who have done similar with their instruments.
    Jim

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  18. #18

    Default Re: Found this little beauty: Electric Mandobass

    We considered that too, and it's a viable option.

    Guess it comes down to wanting to get the paired string sound, though. it just sounds slightly deeper than a single string.

    Not to mention, I think she likes the look better. Got a new nut coming in.

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