Limited Selection?

[sanctuary13]

maybe I've been barking up the wrong trees, but trying to find out what emando's are available has been sparse at best.

I've only been playing mandolin a year, but I'm a lifelong musician (started violin at 10, drums at 4, guitar at 15, bass at 16, on and on) and I've developed a desire to acquire an electric mandolin (or electric octave mandolin)

What I've noticed is it's kinda tricky just narrowing down whats out there. I mean, you've got things like the Epiphone Mandobird out there, and while I do like Epiphone (I prefer playing on mid-range to low end equipment when I'm playing stringed instruments, they just have more character and I don't feel so bad when I chop bits off) I'd like to know what else is around. Fender's emando is rapidly jumping out of availability, and I don't have the capital to invest in one of those gorgeous Mann's.

Basically it would be for studio experimentation and whatnot, I'm not currently with a band, so nothing live is planned.

The thing is I'm a student (6 years of military service and what do I get? school? boring!) so money is definitely an object. I'm at the point where I am considering those cheap $125 "Build your own electric mando" kits on eBay. Coming from an acoustic background I'd rather have an 8 string, but thats just me and I don't know how it would affect the tone. Plus if I did get one of those cheap kits, I'd have to spend the same amount again on new pots/pickups/wires/etc since there's no way I'm trusting that ####.

I'm also considering converting an archtop guitar into a mandola to achieve something similar, except I'm worried the neck width will be too big.

Anyways, I couldn't really find a whole lot here in the electric corner for us "no cash/no clue" guys, and mandolincafe has yet to fail me in my search for the truth.

I guess what I'm looking for is a dedicated electric mandolin (solid or semi hollow) that looks halfway decent, isn't a ###### kit (good kits are ok) would prefer 8 strings but 4 would be fine (not sure what I'd do with a 5 string atm) and doesnt look like COMPLETE #### for hopefully under $4-500. The Mann SE-8 of course would be the ideal, but since I'm falling quite short, here we are.

Anyways, any info you may have on whats out there and what I should be looking for (other than the obvious straight neck)

[fredhicks]

First off, Chewelah eh....close to where I am retiring at Nine Mile Falls in a couple of years. I just bought a Mann....I was in a hurry and it was for sale without having to wait for a build and I had the money. The cheapest one I had considered was the mandoblaster. I think it is probably the cheapest of the decent mando's. I had no interest in the cheaper ones that some people like....they quite often seem to need some small fixes to make them play well and I wasn't interested in repairs. But if you don't mind messing around with them a lot of people like to "adjust" them and the price is good. I know I saw a used mandoblaster in the classified section that someone had sanded off the rather bright usual mandoblaster coating and it looked real nice with just the wood. I was tempted by that one. Definitely go through the classifieds....there may still be some sitting there if you go through the pages. The next step up from mandoblasters are the Mann/Ryder/Smith and I was thinking about a Ryder a while back before my wife kind of nixed that. He was going to build one for me for just under $1000 with nothing fancy on it. He also makes his own pickups. I am just starting into the electric side of things....no idea how it will turn out yet.

[mrmando]

Have you been to emando.com?

[EdHanrahan]

... I'm also considering converting an archtop guitar into a mandola to achieve something similar ...

If you're not familiar with Frank Ford's "Frets" website, it's a treasure trove of repair & maintenance info. Here, he converts a Martin 000-15 to an octave mandolin.

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luth...stconvert.html

Yes, it is a flat-top. An arch-top might be less work, with no filling of bridge-pin holes, etc. Enjoy!

[Daniel Nestlerode]

• Eastwood makes a model they call the Mandocaster (not to be confused with the Fender electric mandolins which are colloquially known as --but not officially called-- mandocasters). But they only come in the 8 string version.
• Epiphone Mandobirds come in both 4 and 8 string versions.
• Mandoblasters (www.elderly.com sells these) come in 4 and 5 string versions.
• Fender has made electric mandolins on and off since 1956. They have had several different models, hollow body (with a piezo pickup), semi-hollow body (electromagnetic pickups), and solid body. They are not in production right now, so you'll need to have your browser set to ebay to catch one.
• At least half a dozen folks here-abouts build electric mandolins. Contact them and ask them about pricing. You may be pleasantly surprised.

FWIW, I've had to tweak both my Epiphone and my Fender to get them into good playing shape. Between the two I've spent more than $200.00 to do it too. So make the cost of a set-up (at least) part of the calculation for how much you're willing to spend unless you go with one of our guys (Andrew Jerman, JL Smith, Jonathan Mann, etc.)

And do go visit emando.com. All of the product info I just provided --and more-- can be found there.

...and I don't feel so bad when I chop bits off

Dude! Are you using a pocket knife for a pick?

Daniel

[thistle3585]

You must be barking up the wrong tree because there are a number of instruments in the classifieds for less than $500. Emando.com has a few in that price range plus there is a builders section devoted to electrics under "eye candy" on the home page.

There will also be two new electrics debut at the summer NAMM show in July which will add to the list of imports by Ovation, Kentucky, Alden, Eastwood, Epiphone, Fender, Michael Kelly, Bean Blossom, Morgan Monroe etc. etc.

I'd recommend buying something used because you have a better chance of it having been properly setup and "tweekwed" than buying something new in that price range.

If going with a kit, I'd recommend www.moongazermusic.com. They are a bit more than the import kits but the quality is a hundred times better and they come with an unbelievably well crafted bridge for spot on intonation.

[sanctuary13]

Thanks so much for the responses, I'll be perusing emando.com for some time I imagine.

No matter what instrument I buy (except for percussion, since that's kinda my forte) I have it professionally set up first, so that's factored into all my costs.

And no pocketknives either, I just cant stomach the thought of an instrument without some sort of personality, whether it's swapped out decoration, new pickups, or just wear the neck OUT (like I did my last mandolin). Guess it was my SRV obsession in my youth.

mandolincafe.com rules, you guys always have the answers.

EDIT: I just started looking at emando.com, didnt know it even existed! and I've found the moongazers, theyre gorgeous, but I'm not exactly in a position to start a woodworking project atm, and if I spent that much on the kit, I'd wanna make sure I did it right.