# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  More ebay emandos

## delsbrother

First:

A Big Headed Tele-styled eMando Amazing quilt figure!

Or how 'bout:

A (left handed?) eDomra Dig the Vulcan-green pickups. Freaky!

Whoops, neither of these are 4-5 stringed.. sorry.

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## mrmando

Oh, they both have 5 strings (and 3 extra).

Barry Ford, who built the Tele-thingy, is also the builder of the infamous F-style mandobass.

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## pklima

Gotta wonder if that Soviet beast is a state factory product or was made by some individual craftsman. If it's the latter it might be a perfectly decent instrument. Gotta wonder if communist state factories ever made e-mandos... anyone know?

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## John Rosett

those pickups look like the pickups i've seen on a lot of old soviet guitars. usually, the insert is red, not green. it really looks "factory original" to me. if there was a shot of the back, you could tell for sure, as most of those soviet-made electrics have a large metal plate on the back with russian printing. 
     good luck bidding on it, and let us know if it plays in tune...  john

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## delsbrother

The back:



I emailed the seller asking if it was really left handed, and she responded, "No, look at the strings!"

So I did... and yeah, it's seems to be strung up righty.. Do domras usually have the majority of the pickguard (and control knobs!?) ABOVE the strings? Weird.

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## peterbc

I'd guess it's a lefty strung like a righty.

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## mrmando

Can only report that I have a photo of a Russian e-mando just like this one over at emando.com, on the No Names page -- and it too has the control knobs on the bass side. Same goes for a photo of a third such instrument that I have collected but not posted.

I think the odds are in favor of the instruments' having been designed that way, ill advised as it might seem.

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## mrmando

Flying V by Dario Tucciarelli on eBay

Yum yum... wanna be the Randy Rhoads of the mandolin? (or heck, the Albert King of the mandolin?)

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## Christian McKee

I understand now why it's important to have a job that would leave me with a great deal of disposable income. It's so that I would be able to purchase mandolins like that one. Waaaaaant. I could even keep it in a closet until it came time for photo shoots and still be happy ;)

Taboot, Taboot,

Christian

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## London Al

Regarding that lovely Domra creation, putting the controls above the strings isn't ill advised when you consider Hendrix played strats 'upside down'. 
Jimi hendrix could have had any instrument in the world, but he specifically wanted the controls above the strings because he found them easier to use like that.
To get access to the full on Hendrix vibe in this dep't you would need to have the pot's wired anti clockwise.
Anyway, has anyone ever seen an electric mandolin with a whammy bar?That coud really wind up the traditionalists!
Rock on emando fans everywhere!
Al

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## berkeleymando

Speaking of Jimi ...

http://jimi1970.homestead.com

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## mrmando

> Anyway, has anyone ever seen an electric mandolin with a whammy bar?


Why yes, I have...There are a few such beasts at emando.com.

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## delsbrother

It's a Breadwinner!

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## pklima

That Breadwinner looks pretty nice and very ready to swoop through the air. Good thing I play left-handed and it has a scroll or I'd be tempted.

Here's a 4-string beast with a 28" scale - definite emandocello potential:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

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## Mastersound

Nah. I've already started making my Mandowinner... here's the roughed out body shape:



Ignore the neck.... I'm making a faux Ovation neck from jarrah to see just how stable it'll be with no truss-rod or stiffener.

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## delsbrother

Rob... COOOOOL! Are you going to have all the freaky switching that came on Breadwinners too? What scale is it gonna be? 4, 5, or 8 strings?

I first got into these when I started listening to Rage Against the Machine; Tom Morello played a couple.. Talk about a face only a mother could love..

Here's a Breadwinner Fanpage!


PS Peter... Stop that. You're breaking my heart.

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## Mastersound

Hi delsbrother

No notch filters for this one! I actually had a white Breadwinner back in the seventies (I had the clothes and hair to go with it too!) and always got oh so confused with the switches. It was my first "name brand" guitar... odd shape but very comfy to play.

This little thing will just have a push/push volume/tone knob and half a P-bass pickup, 4 strings and standard 353mm mando scale. I found a set of Gotoh mini tuners for a 12 string a while back at about half the usual price (they were NOS) so I've already drilled and reamed the headstock for them. I'm usually not into blatant ripoffs of other peoples' designs, but this thread and another one on the MIMF got me thinking about the Breadwinner shape, and a friend desperately want a mando in Flying-V style so they're my two current projects.

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## London Al

Hi delsbrother 
re the "its a breadwinner" link, I've just nearly fallen off my chair!
I own one of those things! I bought it in 1992, its done hundreds of gigs had gallons of alcohol poured over it , and I'm so happy to find out the guy who made it is still doin them.If anyone has a query about them I'll be only too happy to talk about the instrument.
Mines black by the way.
Rock on Brit mandolins!
Al on the island

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## delsbrother

Hop to it!

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## mrmando

TreeFrogs were made by Steve Cloutier of Minnesota. He's been inactive as a luthier for 6 or 7 years, so these instruments are not easy to find. That's the first one I've seen with the Baggs EQ in the front of it.

True or false: TreeFrogs are pictured on emando.com more than any other brand of electric mandolin...

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## delsbrother

> True or false: TreeFrogs are pictured on emando.com more than any other brand of electric mandolin...


They're number one with a BULLET!

What do I win?

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## mrmando

You win a copy of the first "Tekno Mando" sampler CD on Nonesuch Records...

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## mrmando

Here be the latest.

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## mrmando

anyone got the skinny on this one?

It looks like something the Wicked Witch of the West might have played.

Can't find anything on the Web about "Bob Brain."

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## delsbrother

Well, it's butt-ugly, if that helps! What is it with English emandoluthiers and really, really, really long headstocks?

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## toddjoles

Talk about an alien love child!!! Do you think he's trying to compensate for something? LOL!!

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## mrmando

What?! A Jack Brown selling for $455?

While it is true that I gave Jack a listing at emando.com, I don't know where this seller got the idea that Jack "is well known in the E-mando community for his quality workmanship." This appears to be one of the Browns pictured at emando.com; I got my photos from the first eBay sale. I have heard from one owner of a Brown--either this one or the 4-string; he bought the instrument on eBay from (I think) Jack's son for $200 or less and told me it was pretty primitively constructed. This Brown is already going for more than I paid for my Bacorn -- and you know THAT's not right.

Just goes to show what well-written puffery and an attractive ad can do for you.

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## mrmando

Regarding the Bob Brain instrument, I wrote to Maartin Allcock--who, being a former member of both Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention, is well qualified to answer questions about instruments used by those bands. Here's what Maart had to say:




> Yes indeed, Bob Brain built a wacky doublenecked bouzouki/mandolin for Dave Pegg (of both Fairport and Tull), which was featured on the cover of his solo album, "The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone", back in 1982 or so. He also built the stairs in Dave's studio, which has now been sold.
> 
> I have to say that although Dave's doubleneck looked amazing, the length of the heads north of the nut made for unstable tuning and they weren't the most comfortable necks to play either. However, this was the only example of his work that I've seen, so I can't really comment on his work as a whole. Except the stairs, which I used on many an occasion, and even recorded them on Ralph McTell's track "The Islands" from his album "Sand In Your Shoes" as they made a loud creaking noise which was perfect as a sound effect of a creaking boat on that track...

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## cascadepicker

mrmando,
"He is well known in the E-mando community for his quality workmanship"
Can he get away with stating false info on Ebay?
Also, why did you give him a listing emando?

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## mrmando

Well, the statement's probably sufficiently vague to make a lawsuit difficult, and eBay's probably not going to get involved outside of any actual fraud. If there's an "e-mando community" outside of my Web site and this discussion board, I'd sure like to know about it. If we had an official organization with membership dues and our own lawyer, then we might be able to police such statements.

This same seller used some copy from emando without my permission in this ad. I'm tempted to send him a notice of copyright violation, but the fact is that I steal images from eBay all the time, so such a complaint might well backfire.

I gave Jack Brown a listing on emando because he builds electric mandolins. No endorsement or appraisal of an instrument's quality is implied by the mere fact that I gave the builder a listing. I have builders listed whose work I would never endorse. However, if someone asks me my opinion I'll be glad to give it. In Mr. Brown's case, I opine that $455 is too much to pay.

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## mrmando

Hm. I see that someone withdrew a bid on the Jack Brown e-mando auction, and the price is now down to $309.

Here's some text from an e-mail I received from Dave Voyles, who bought a 4-string emando by Mr. Brown. I hope Dave doesn't mind my posting this:

"They sold it to me for $175. It is a bit crude, especially his bridge set up. He cut down a regular compensated bridge saddle and glued the adjustment posts into the top of the mando. Also used a standard Gibson style tailpiece that he attached a steel block in that the strings go through."

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## jbrendanadamson

These ebay mandos are ending soon:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....1595425
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....1597524

The builder's webpage: http://www.jupitercreekmusic.com/

I think he posted on this board right before he put them up

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## Mastersound

It's like sending your children off on their first day at school! If you do buy one please please please put a meaningful critique on here so I can see what other people think of my little beasts! I have thick skin!

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## cascadepicker

Look at this. Not much info

Ebay item number: 3732963744

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## mrmando

Don't go there. By all accounts those things are awful.

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## pklima

So did anyone around here win that "alien love child", perchance? I'd love to hear how functional (or dysfunctional) it is.

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## mrmando

Dario Tucciarelli strikes again...

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## berkeleymando

Hi I don't know if it is legit for me to post this, but I just put up one of my emandos (an early 1990s Schwab five string) on Ebay, item no. 3737544501 . I'm happy to answer any questions about this instrument, let me know, I'd like it to find a good home.

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## mandocaster

Wow! that is a beatiful mandolin at a great price. The BIN is a great deal, even.

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## mrmando

Hey, berkeley -- I named my dog MAS. So I can say, "Down, MAS! Down!" and people think I'm talking to the dog.

Thanks for the emando.com plug, by the way.

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## delsbrother

OK, let's move this thing! I'd Buy-it-now except.. I REALLY can't justify another emando. However having just watched a Clash DVD I couldn't resist a black tele.

If any of you girly men snipes me (as opposed to BIN) I'm gonna open up a can of TEKNO whoopass on you.

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## berkeleymando

Its a nice one. I'm ashamed to note that now that I have my other Schwab I have hardly been using the five string and I need to fund my upcoming acoustic mandolin purchase, and other important things like rent and food. If anyone has any question feel free to pm me and I'll give you whatever info you would like about it.

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## delsbrother

Well, I wasn't sniped! But come on, guys, for $100 more just BIN! YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!

I, on the other hand, have been reduced to this..

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## delsbrother

OK, so somebody explain this to me... the guy who outbid me bid $775. On an $800 BIN. ? Then to outbid him someone else bid $807 (which killed the BIN). ??! The thing eventually goes for a still-reasonable $941... Now this is great for berkeleymando, but I think a few people flunked EBAY 101.

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## mrmando

Ooh, an Earnest Junior Deluxe...

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## Sellars

Eko electric mandolin on the German Ebay site.

I read on mrmando's site that this is an italian instrument.

Any thoughts about its playability or value?

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## mrmando

Eko = cheapo. But certainly worth the current 7.50 Euros.

"Ideal für Countrymusic" ... love it!

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## delsbrother

No comment.

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## Magnus Geijer

That's absolutely brilliant!

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## mrmando

Steve Wishnevsky never ceases to amaze.

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## jbrendanadamson

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3741571  004

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## jbrendanadamson

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10179&item=3740987  580&rd=1

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## mrmando

Dude, it's not that hard to figure out how to post a link.

That's an Alan Gerrell mandolin -- I see he's making excuses about his instruments being "not perfect like a mandolin from a factory." 

Um ... so his handmade instruments aren't up to the standards of a factory instrument.

I think that says it all.

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## mrmando

Defil from Poland
Gordon-Smith from England

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## mandocaster

The Gordon Smith looks intriguing. #The only thing I don't like is the bridge, which is non-adjustable for intonation. #If it could be had cheaply enough it would be worth having a good luthier replace it with something decent.

I notice that is a relist, and the original selling price was over $900. That seems pretty high, considering the quality of the finish and hardware.

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## Mastersound

Hi mrmando

If I'd been able to buy a Mandobird here in Australia I'd never have even started making my mandos. Mine are nowhere near factory standard... if your main criterion is the finish. Watch people go into a music shop and watch them as they look at instruments. They look for the style of instrument that they're interested in, then maybe take it off the wall (or hopefully ask first!) and then they look at the finish. If the grain is filled and even and suitably polished and shiny they show interest. With luck they might even ask to play it, but the first thing they look at is the finish. Fit is important (but less so). They'll have a bit of a strum or noodle, but if the finish is less than factory perfect it won't even be considered.

Of course some people look briefly at the instrument, then play it, and then finally look more closely at the finish and the name on the headstock. Those people are called musicians.

Things like solidbody electric mandolins are a niche market, especially outside of the US. If the builder is open and honest about the quality of their instruments and prices them to what they're honestly worth then I think everyone goes in with their eyes open and ends up happy.

I'm concentrating on making a playable instrument that won't let the buyer down, and at this stage my emandos are brushcoated with clear polyurethane. At some stage I'll invest the time and money into spray and polishing equipment and learning how to use it, but I don't want to put the cart before the horse.

Having said all that it is nice if the screw holes line up, body and neck shaping is consistent, and the tuners are installed the right way around! ;-)

Rob

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## mrmando

Rob, it wasn't the *finish,* per se, for which the excuses were being made. (Goodness knows I've owned my share of crudely finished instruments.) And the remarks about the mandolin in question did not address the finish, but the choice of wood, setup, playability, and intonation -- things that musicians look for.

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## mrmando

> The Gordon Smith looks intriguing. The only thing I don't like is the bridge, which is non-adjustable for intonation. If it could be had cheaply enough it would be worth having a good luthier replace it with something decent.
> 
> I notice that is a relist, and the original selling price was over $900. That seems pretty high, considering the quality of the finish and hardware.


Well, the ad does say that the instrument's a second because the finish is crazed. Which isn't really a problem, considering that one must be crazed in order to want to play an electric mandolin.

High price on the previous listing probably had something to do with the brand name. It's supposedly a premium brand in the UK (I wouldn't know)--although if you hit the Gordon-Smith Web site it doesn't acknowledge that they've ever built an e-mando.

If Prince (that is, Prince, the artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince) were to shop for an e-mando, he'd surely like the look of the bass horn on that Gordon-Smith.

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## delsbrother

Eh, I should've checked this thread earlier; I would've sent 150 clams to Poland just for the thrill of owning a Defil. Would that make me a _Defiler_? Oh well, I'd rather grow up to be a _Debaser_ anyway.

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## mrmando

Very cool
VERRRRRY cool

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## mrmando

And one more...

Didn't realize Dave Schneider was getting that much for his mandolins. Anyone played one?

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## pklima

And then there's this...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....47&rd=1

To quote from another recent thread, truly bizarre and words fail me. And it's only a 3-day auction.

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## delsbrother

I'm IN! And I DARE any sniper to take me out. You gotta love the big knot right in the middle of the top. Who knew #2 pine would work as a tonewood?

BTW the tenor is prettier.

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## mrmando

Those are the creation of one Tho X. Bui -- he's an engineer or something with a penchant for building stuff: bicycles, tables, chairs, violins ... and now THESE. I think he may be the next Steve Wishnevsky.

I'm in on both of them, not that I really expect to win. Not sure how I'd explain those axes to the wife.

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## delsbrother

I think you need this one more than me - good luck!

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## mandocaster

I'm feeling powerful, powerful enough to conquer something, and when I feel that way there is nothing better than playing a freaky Japanese electric mandolin.

Conqueror on EBAY

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## mrmando

Ah, the mighty Conqueror. Under how many brand names were those freaky Japanese mandos sold? Only Playerof8 knows for sure, and he ain't tellin'.

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## pklima

As if it wasn't confounding enough when it was listed for a dollar, that doubleneck sold for about twenty times for what I figured it'd be worth! There's apparently some demand for doubleneck e-mandos... four different people bid over $200.

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## mrmando

EM200 for $3,300 on eBay.

Someone's dreamin'.

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## mrmando

And here is a nice little no-name Japanese job resembling a San Remo.

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## mrmando

The Schneider is back for $200 less. Interesting how in the first ad, 75% of the seller's equipment had been stolen and now it's 90%.

Nothing like a good no-reserve Mandocaster auction to test the market...

And I love the look of Rob's Breadwinner e-mando, martinets notwithstanding.

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## mrmando

THO STRIKES AGAIN!

Hog-wild e-mando ... gotta love it!

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## mikeomando

Is it me or is there more creativity coming from mando builders than guitar builders? I've never seen a guitar that when you play it you are also strangling some poor hog. Choking a chicken, sure, but never strangling a hog.

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## jefflester

Looks like the Ryder 8-string Tele style that was in the classifieds is now up at Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....60&rd=1

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## delsbrother

I must say, I like the new colors.

And you can't discount the effect of demented pickups.

But I don't trust any seller who doesn't own a bulldog.

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## delsbrother

Uhhnnghhhh...4am...still wired.. must.. keep.. surfing..

_Black and orange stray cat sittin' on a fence..._

Good Lord!

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## mrmando

Blue Kingston

First one of these I've seen that wasn't a standard sunburst. Weird, eh? Ya think someone gave it a custom finish job?

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## delsbrother

I'm in! Who are they kidding? People pay EXTRA for that stripped neck look!

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## zeke

Good luck. That actually looks like a fun li'l guy.

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## delsbrother

Oh well, so much for that. Now I must not look again, lest I turn into a pillar of salt.

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## delsbrother

Wow!

Wow Mk II

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## Christian McKee

Wow indeed! That's SWEET! If I wasn't in the process of buying one of those inherently inferior "acoustic" mandolins, I might be all over that...

Christian

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## michaell

That five-string looks very nice. Is this a new builder?

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## mrmando

The 5-string builder is one Mike Atkinson. Very nice-lookin' stuff on his Web page.

But what if I were to tell people that you, Michael Lampert, were interested in a 5-string?

I don't know anything about the Snodgrass mandola yet. The bridge sure doesn't look like it belongs where it is -- reminds one of the Gibson F12.

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## delsbrother

My EMAS is out of control. That thing's gotta be better than a Shamax. Don't think I'll stand a chance against sniping programs, though. Oh well. If that happens I'll take that as a sign from above to curb my mando-spending (I'm seriously thinking of a Godin A8 too, but for obviously different music).

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## michaell

Just checkin' it out- (my new 5-string is in the mail as we speak)!!!

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## mrmando

Mike A. is another engineer getting his luthier-feet wet. He told me the starting bid on his 5-string is the total cost of materials; he wants to get a couple of instruments into the hands of players cheaply and get their appraisal before he starts selling instruments in earnest.

So, Darrell, if that 5-string comes your way, you will be so good as to write a review for me and Mike.

And remember, my Bacorn was only about 20 bucks more than this thing is now ... so it might not go higher.

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## mrmando

Wow -- Michael L. takes the plunge. I assume Kevin built it? -- a 5-string version of the Signature model?

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## jmkatcher

I know it's not electric, but the Mike Atkinson "classical" model on his website is really attractive.

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## michaell

Yes-exactly. A five-string signature model..I've had some very 'low' ideas lately.

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## mrmando

Looks like a wacko 8-string octave/4-string standard doubleneck with P-90 guitar pickups ...

Wicked!

Any clues as to the maker?

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## delsbrother

Whoa! Those headstocks look vaguely Martinesque. (I personally would've loved to have seen more electrics from those guys..)

OTOH, the laminated body on that doubleneck... I don't know... I think I played basketball on something like that in High School. 

ps eBay snipers suck.

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## mrmando

Aw, cripes ... I'm sorry about the snipers. I was rooting for you all the way, man...

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## delsbrother

That's OK, I viewed the situation as an opportunity... I used the funds to buy an Ovation mandocello I was _also_ watching on eBay.  Wish me luck; I've never trusted eBay/Paypal with a purchase this big before.. It wasn't exactly a steal of a price (I've been in auctions where they've gone for much less) but it looks good and I was swayed by the fact the buyer had a brick and mortar store.. Anyone have any experiences with Bunnybass.com? That's the seller. If anyone knows if these guys are scammers please LMK ASAP. &lt;paranoid&gt;

I've been jonesing for one of these for quite awhile, and when this one came up with a reasonable price I jumped.

Ah who am I kidding.. Purely "jilted lover syndrome" at it's worst!

Darrell

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## delsbrother

Just did some more browsing around Bunnybass.com (you can check out the emandocello there, I used BIN for $1K). Gotta love the comprehesive Girls on Guitar page.

I never knew how small Kim Gordon was! Check her out, struggling to play a (rare, 2 pickup) Mandobird. Wow!

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## mrmando

If it weren't entirely sexist I would start a "Girls on Emando" page. Martie Seidel, Carmella Ramsey, Pony West, Rachel Clayton, Deni Bonet, J'anna Jacoby ... 

You could do worse.

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## delsbrother

Did a little more digging.. Bunnybass was actually co-founded by a woman, and the "chicks on guitar" page started out as a response to Ed Roman's guitar site. This made me feel good about my purchase, as somehow I feel safer giving my $ to a woman (character flaw?).

But then I found out sometime in 2004 the site was bought by some dude in North Carolina. He just left all the content up there, and evidently sells the instruments too... I dunno, does that sound fishy to anyone else? I really don't want to throw my mandocello money into a deep dark digital hole (and the eBay fraud thread is freaking me out). Will paying via PayPal+CC help in the event this guy doesn't really exist? I mean, at one point, Bunnybass had a showroom you could visit in New York.. Now, everything is supposedly in NC..

Sorry if this is too off-topic. But I could use some advice from veteran eBayers.

Darrell

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## mikeomando

I've always used Paypal and a credit card, and tried to time it so that the credit card was early in the billing cycle, so the bill wouldn't have to be paid before the goods showed up, and you could dispute the purchase while it was still 'fresh'. #Tht being said, I've never had a problem with an ebay transaction, and I've blown plenty o' cash on emandos there. #Whether the guy is bricks and mortar or not doesn't even enter into the equation for me. #Has his Ebay name been hijacked? And does he have good feedback? #Those are the two questions. #Does anyone really exist? #
I didn't bid on that purty 5-string, but I wanted to. #The burl looked cool. #I wonder how it plays?

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## Mastersound

Bunny is cool

When I was running the Bassguitarist.com website she was a great supporter... she pinted hundreds of people my way. She's great at sourcing good basses and reselling them for a small and honest profit... that;s if it is actually Bunny still involved with the website. I'd dig a bit deeper.

Rob

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## delsbrother

_Oooohhhh.... Jazzy!_

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## Ted Eschliman

_Oooohhhh,_ my!!!....

I'm a little verklempt! Talk amongst yourselves..
I'll give you a topic: Rhode Island, it's not a road, nor an island ...

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## mrmando

New Jonathan Mann 5-string

Looks pretty tasty. The guy in the red suit knows I've been a good boy...

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## thistle3585

How is the bridge braced on the Mann 5 string? I understand it to be hollow.

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## mrmando

Eh? D'you mean, how's the TOP braced? You can ask Jonathan himself; looks like eBay didn't pan out so he's posted it in the Classifieds here.

Here's a sweet Rigelcaster E110. These don't come around too often.

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## thistle3585

Yes, thats what I meant. I'll check with him.

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## Lee

Kevin Schwab made a 5-stringer with a single F-hole just like the Jonathan Mann. In fact, Mr. Mann's newest is practically indistiguishable. I like the 5-pole Bill Lawrence pick-up. Me like.

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## nobleheart

holy monkey.... I just saw the late model fender five string emando go on ebay--used-- for $600. What's goin' on here? I bought mine for $250 about a year ago. Market shift?

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## mandroid

someone s going for suggested list pentagon price

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## nobleheart

no kiddn'.
caraaazy stuff..

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## pklima

Speaking of crazy stuff:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....66&rd=1

I love the output jack!

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## mrmando

That looks a lot like an old Carvin. I don't think it is one  it's handbuilt  but it's fairly close.

The description brought tears to my eyes...

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## jefflester

Hmmm, nice bridge(s). Maybe the loop and ball ends help the sound. #

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## delsbrother

TEKNO-ready! Almost brings a tear to my eye..

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## delsbrother

Amazing!

There can be only one! 

Frankly, I'm speechless about the last one. Anybody heard of this company? It'd almost be worth the BIN just to figure out what that thing is on the headstock.

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## mrmando

Almost bought an Amazing violin once ... same body shape, different bridge and headstock, of course. Word has it the reserve on this mando is $1,000, which is a bit of a laugh.

On the Highland mandola, the headstock decoration is a maple leaf. Appears to be made of chewing gum.

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## delsbrother

This one wasn't up long before someone snatched it.. Anyone have experience with Echeverrias? I like the non-reverse Firebird shape; would have made a nice compliment to my Mandobird.

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## pklima

That one looks nice, though it's more of a reverse reverse Firebird shape than a non-reverse Firebird. Anyhow, here's a freak:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....38&rd=1

Anybody in the hunt for this?

----------


## mad dawg

> TEKNO-ready! Almost brings a tear to my eye..


That Tiesco looks sweet, and it went for only $250 US.

----------


## mad dawg

BTW, Mike Spicer in Hamilton, Ontario, makes electric mandolins that appear to be inspired by the Tiesco...

----------


## pklima

That doubleneck guitar-mando thing is only $207.50 with less than ten hours to go. No idea who Earl Robertson was but if it is indeed a 1958 American-made electric...

Lucky for me I'm sticking to cello-tuning and larger instruments.

----------


## delsbrother

I dunno, I can't picture Kent with much of a custom shop - I'm thinking that's a homemade Frankenguitar all the way, maybe cannibalizing some cheapo pawnshop prizes for the pickups and hardware.. Of course I'm probably wrong.. But still can't picture myself playing that thing.

I CAN picture myself slinging a real Mosrite-ish double neck like Deke Dickerson's custom TNM. (TNM website). Of course these are guitar/octave guitars, but whatever - hmmm... how 'bout a mando/octave mando? Got a spare $7500?

No I didn't go to that concert, but I wish I would've! I didn't know about it at all until I Googled Deke Dickerson to use as an example in this thread. I'm kicking myself for missing that! I'm a huge fan of Big Sandy and all that Rockabilly steel stuff..Evidently Dick Dale came on for an encore with Nokie Edwards. Can you imagine??

Darrell

----------


## pklima

That mando-guitar's no Kent - I just got confused because the builder used a Kent lap steel pickup in it. Sure is ugly, though.

What I don't understand is why so many of the weirdest e-mandos seem to be 3-day or 5-day auctions or get snatched up quickly because they have a low BIN. Gotta keep your eyes peeled...

----------


## mrmando

What do you think about this one? 

Mike Reinhardt strikes again...

----------


## Christian McKee

You know, I was pretty sure I liked all weird things, until I started seeing this guy's mandolins. Now I guess can say that I don't like all the weird things out there...

Christian

----------


## mrmando

_Chacun a son gout_ -- I dig 'em.

----------


## Keith Miller

anyone seen this one flying v mando ! ebay UK

----------


## pklima

More weird old Bigsbyish doublenecks, this time very expensive.

Gaudy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....61&rd=1

Ugly:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

Someday I'll post a link to something with only one neck, I promise...

----------


## mrmando

I'm betting Elmore also made the previous butcher-block doubleneck from a few months ago. Same headstocks.

----------


## krishna

Everyone of these pics are coming up on my screen as an "Invalid Item"...Kerry ....and I so wanted to look...(SAD FACE)

----------


## mad dawg

> Ugly:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW


I didn't know Picasso built mandolins. #

----------


## delsbrother

> Ugly:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW


Peter! You finally found a left-handed doubleneck emando!

----------


## pklima

I don't know how left-handed it is... the mando neck has a bigger cutaway on the right-handed side, the guitar on the left-handed side. The mando controls appear to be on the left-handed side, the guitar controls on the right-handed.

This appears to be doubleneck week, though. We also get an old Carvin:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....77&rd=1

and a recent Wishnevsky:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....38&rd=1

I'm tempted to bid on the latter.

----------


## mrmando

I don't buy the story about the Carvin being a custom job. It appears to be stock from the '69 catalog except for the whammy bar. After a few years it becomes difficult to remember exactly when you purchased something.

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/decade/i...ublenecks.html

----------


## glauber

> and a recent Wishnevsky:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....38&rd=1
> 
> I'm tempted to bid on the latter.


Hmmm, a mandocello with no truss rod? I thought they always required at least a couple.

----------


## pklima

I'm fairly sure Italian-style classical mandocelli don't have truss rods, though they have much shorter necks. I don't know what year Gibson started using truss rods... I wouldn't worry about it in this case, though - I've owned a couple of Steve's instruments and his necks are HUGE and very stiff. Besides, the electric can be strung lighter than an acoustic mandocello.

----------


## glauber

There's a high-end Ovation on eBay (UK-based). It may turn out to be a good price.

----------


## Baron Collins-Hill

no whammy bar on the mando though.... maybe a fork will do.

----------


## delsbrother

> I don't know how left-handed it is...
> 
> &lt;snip&gt;
> 
> and a recent Wishnevsky:
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....38&rd=1
> 
> I'm tempted to bid on the latter.


Well, I didn't say it would be a _comfortable_ lefty, Peter! 

Re: The Wishnevski - that looks outrageously cool. RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES! I recently tore up my shoulder (part of that being old stuff again) so there'd be no way I could play that for any amount of time.. Otherwise I might've bid too. Hmmmm. Maybe I could rig up a stand like Maccaferri did. "_The Unknown Mandocellist._" Or not.

Darrell

ps The hell with the doubleneck. That blanket is driving me nuts!

----------


## pklima

Steve does nearly always photograph his instruments in front of the same blanket, doesn't he? Oh well. I usually photograph mine on top of the same brown sheepskin.

I've got a doubleneck electric bass with one neck tuned in fifths (CGDA, an octave below cello - sort of a contrabass emando) that works well for me. The Wishnevsky doubleneck would be like its higher-pitched, smaller cousin.

----------


## jbrendanadamson

PentaBouzouki

----------


## Tom C

Some electric mando

----------


## mad dawg

> Some electric mando


In case you forget its case, I see that it comes with a handy carrying handle built right into the instrument.

----------


## mrmando

The Curt-mandolin has been on eBay before. It's currently on the No Names page at emando.com, but now I'll have to move it.

----------


## delsbrother

There is no substitute.


Tho.. His latest guitar is very handsome, IMO. One of these days...

----------


## pklima

No substitute and no mistaking it for another maker's work:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....46&rd=1

Then there's this Mandoblaster:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....08&rd=1

The seller says he will soon list books by Tiny Moore and Niles Hokkanen/Richard Thompson.

P.S. Delsbrother, when you wrote "Tho" I first thought you meant Tho X. Bui. His mandos aren't quite as crazy as Steve's but they're close.

----------


## mrmando

Can't believe no one has posted this one yet...

One of the prototype Fender Pentalins for $1200? Cheaper than most vintage Mandocasters and a whole lot more rare ... 

There but for the wrath of MrsMando go I...

----------


## delsbrother

Is it just me, or does the "long" photo in that auction show the headstock with the "Fender" decal? In the "closeup" the decal doesn't appear to be there - but maybe it's just the glare. Were those models officially considered Fenders? That crackle finish is so... '80s. 

[edit] Never mind, bad laptop monitor.

----------


## mrmando

They were made by the Fender custom shop. Only a few in existence. I think there's a photo of this one in the liner for "12 Jokes for Heavy Metal Mandolin."

----------


## Ted Eschliman

It's a thing of beauty....

----------


## Joel Glassman

Wow--nice set of "knobs" there :^)

----------


## delsbrother

OK, I'm asking nicely. Please don't snipe me. You know who you are..

----------


## pklima

Tekno-style Kent:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....35&rd=1

And, as promised earlier by the seller, the Tiny Moore book:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

and Niles Hokkanen books:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

----------


## delsbrother

Peter, you let the cat out of the bag! "Wish" me luck.

----------


## pklima

Best of luck!

I hope Kent didn't make fancier models with even more layers of binding...

----------


## delsbrother

Well, at least I wasn't sniped. I'm beginning to think I'm never gonna see one of these things (or that IF I finally get one, It'll be anticlimactic).

----------


## mrmando

Hm. Looks a little like a Tilgray, but those guys were from Prescott, Arizona, not Tennessee.

----------


## mrmando

It *is* a Tilgray -- heard back from the seller. Am I good or what?

----------


## Mandobar

you guys are a bad influence!

----------


## mikeomando

Every time I think I've seen 'em all, another one comes out of the blue. Anyone here every actually play a Tilgray? What're they like?

----------


## mrmando

Tilgray was a couple of old retired guys in Arizona doing something with their woodworking hobby. They always used really nice-looking woods, and I thought the wooden pickguards were a classy touch. They sold a few mandolins on eBay for really reasonable prices. I didn't get the impression that they were highly trained luthiers, but the workmanship looked pretty solid and serviceable. I can endorse the EMG Select pickup they used, but I never actually played one.

----------


## glauber

That's a gorgeous instrument.

----------


## Mandobar

i blame you guys- i bought that mandoblaster. i will be getting it tomorrow.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Sold.
How my heart weeps. Man, how I longed for that...

----------


## Lee

Mandobar, right out from under me. I was circling...

----------


## Mandobar

lee, i thought you had a mandoblaster (not a mandocaster.........although that finish on that mandocaster was cool)

ted, that was your color, man!

----------


## Ted Eschliman

I'm STILL in mourning.
_&lt;heads for the ashes & sackcloth...&gt;_

----------


## Mandobar

i can honestly say now from experience how addicting these mandos are. 

ted, i feel for you, buddy.

----------


## mikeomando

If it's the same guys, they had like three of those Fender 5 string custom jobs, Ted. You might email them and ask. They only had one in blue, if I remember correctly... I thought hard about buying one of them, last year, or the year before...

----------


## Lee

Sorry Mandobar, I was getting my Blasters and Casters mixed up.
I called Norman's Guitars on Friday to get some neck & scale dimensions of the Fender 5-string mandocaster on Ebay (to compare with others at home). Saturday morning I logged on and the ad had been pulled from Ebay and I mistakenly thought you bought it. 
Norman's gave me a $1500 buy-it-now price and I was on the cliff deciding whether to just go for it or fuss with the bidding process later in the day when it closed. Someone else took it away beofre I could pounce &lt;sob&gt; Whew, that was close.

----------


## Lee

Well, one thing I learned was the distance from the C to the E string on that 5-string Fender is 1-13/16 at the bridge. This is about 1/16" wider than my Schwab. If anything, I'd prefer them narrower still. Also, the guy measured the scale length at 14-1/8" which (if he was accurate) is slightly longer than the traditional Mandocaster.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

> Norman's gave me a $1500 buy-it-now price and I was on the cliff deciding whether to just go for it or fuss with the bidding process later in the day when it closed. Someone else took it away beofre I could pounce &lt;sob&gt; Whew, that was close.


Man, that'll teach me to play by the "rules." I've always thought it in bad form to buy or sell before an auction ended, but I guess all's fair in love and war. 
And Ebay. (I would have paid $1500 in a heartbeat...)
I did email them on Friday, and called on Saturday. No email response and when I called, the salesman's response was a hurried "Yeah, it sold" followed by an abrupt click of the phone. 
Guess it's a guitar store, and not an electric mandolin store. (No respect...)

----------


## Lee

I agree Ted it's bad form to privately sell before the auction is over. And I wouldn't attempt to buy if the seller were private. But anyone could have walked in off the street at Norman's and bought the mandocaster. It's not below me to call a store on the phone and try to arrange something off Ebay. 
But I'm curious, is that not proper etiquette?
Anybody gonna fess up to buying it.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Lee, the only thing I'm accusing you of is being smarter than me! 
Sure, it's against Ebay policy, but it's done all the time.
(I'd like to know who bought it, too....)

----------


## Mandobar

ted,

when i really want something i usually feel the seller out asking if he/she is going to let the auction go all the way. i don't know how many times i have gone down to the wire only to get an e-mail from ebay stating that my bid was cancelled because the item is no longer available.

----------


## Lee

Hey Mary, which MandoBlaster didja get? Mine's a silver 5-string. I'm not crazy about the strange-material body finish but it's functional. 

Awhile ago I met the mandolin player for Roy Clark's band and he was sportin' a custom Bruce Herron emando. Bruce is the man behind Blue Star. The neck seemed to be a stock Blue Star neck with some extra inlay. The body was a gorgeous chunk of carved wood, nicely stained and finished. Looked to be the same lipstick-tube pickup. I didn't get to play it but it felt great, good heft and balance. Anyone wanting a custom emando might consider Bruce.

----------


## Mandobar

i have the same one, lee.....as yours. #but mine has a birdseye maple neck and for the price it was hard to resist. #my other half bought it for me as a belated v-day gift.....awwwww....

----------


## Lee

You are truly fortunate!
He may have bought you this.

----------


## Mandobar

uh, ...............i don't think so, after 8 years i think he knows what he should and should not buy.

----------


## Christian McKee

Biggest problem I see is the lack of magnetic pickups  

Christian

----------


## mrmando

Hey, that emando.com site doesn't have this!

----------


## Lee

Whoa that's sharp! "7-3/16" scale. I wonder if that's a mis-print or just to the 12th fret?

----------


## mrmando

Maybe that's the radius...

----------


## delsbrother

Wot's the "hot hide" for?

----------


## jefflester

14 foot radius

----------


## mad dawg

> Whoa that's sharp! #"7-3/16" scale. I wonder if that's a mis-print or just to the 12th fret?


The seller posted this in a response to a similar question:

_"I`m sorry. I wrote this up so fast,I foregot to X2 The 7 3/16th is from the nut to the 12th. The figerboard is at 14 foot radius. "_

----------


## mad dawg

> 14 foot radius


Agreed  -- if that's accurate, that pretty much would mean that for all practical purposes it's a flat fretboard, eh?

----------


## Lee

He must mean 14 inch radius. Maybe the fumes from the hot hide glue are effecting him. Sure looks like he builds a nice emando though. I'm confused about the body being carved from one piece. Does this mean like a Rigel one-piece back & sides with a glued-on top?

----------


## delsbrother

Just like a tele thinline, I suppose. Rigels use tuned spruce plates - I think this is just a slab-o-hardwood. Is there any real benefit to the thinline design? I mean other than you're just making a lighter, more "responsive" instrument? Can you really tell on an emando? I dunno. Looks nice on those Ronos though..

----------


## pklima

The hollow body probably just makes it feed back easier. But it does look nice. The top and back could be from one piece of wood - cut apart before the back is hollowed out and then put back together. But it's more likely that the back is one piece and the top is one piece.

Btw the Wishnevsky doubleneck mandocello/guitar is back... guess the buyer backed out?

----------


## mrmando

What a find! No reserve, which should make it really interesting.

Here is a rare critter, if it's not a modification job. Seen one other pickup like that on a Vega electric. Has a vintage Switchcraft jack, like the National Silvo. Anyone know if the chickenheads are correct for the period?

----------


## delsbrother

> What a find! No reserve, which should make it really interesting.


I like, "_Ugly, yet functional_." 

That Vega is pretty cool - is it a cylinderback or just a flatback?

----------


## mrmando

The Vega's flat, thank goodness. I should hate to think they would do that to a cylinderback. Once on ebay there was a beautiful Bill Bussmann mandola into the top of which someone had cut a hole for a magnetic pickup!

Does anyone have an informed opinion on whether the Vega is a modification job? The eBay seller is asking for my advice.

----------


## Sellars

I don't know whether it has been spotted before, but a seller on the German Ebay site offers the 8 string version of the mandobird: 8-string mandobird

The German Ebay site is a cheap way alltogether to obtain a Mandobird.

----------


## glauber

> I don't know whether it has been spotted before, but a seller on the German Ebay site offers the 8 string version of the mandobird: 8-string mandobird
> 
> The German Ebay site is a cheap way alltogether to obtain a Mandobird.


I'm missing something. This one is 225 Euro; Elderly has them for $249 USD, new. Are the old ones better than the new ones?

----------


## delsbrother

Does Elderly actually have them in stock? If not you might be waiting a long time. If the German site has them on hand and can get one to you immediately, it would be worth a premium.. IOW, how much is your time worth..

If someone does finally land one of these things, please post your impressions! I haven't seen very many good reviews of 8 string electric tone..

----------


## Ted Eschliman

You're right about the time. We ordered five for my stores in January of 2004. We just got one of the five last week (14 months later...).
Darrel, I haven't had a chance to see it since it's at one of my branches 60 miles away. (I'm not really wild about 8 string electrics anyway; they're harder to play, and the double course goes out of tune when bending.) If I get a chance, I'll weigh in on it.

----------


## mrmando

This deserves its own thread...

----------


## pklima

If anybody REALLY wants a cheap e-mando:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....30&rd=1

It's not pretty but it's only $65 opening bid and $80 BIN and the body is koa. If the neck had more frets I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

----------


## glauber

It seems to be missing the neck on the guitar side and almost everything (except neck) on the mandolin side!

----------


## pklima

Forget the guitar neck! Leave the guitar side "empty" and have a very unique-looking and dirt-cheap emando. All you'd really need is a bridge, neck plate, tuners and maybe some minor bits of hardware. 

Gotta love these "left-handed cutaway on mando side, right-handed cutaway on guitar side" designs, though. And the guitar-width mando neck combined with what looks like four very narrowly spaced string holes in the body. And the knobs and switches randomly scattered all over.

----------


## Joel Glassman

&gt;If the neck had more frets I'd buy it in a heartbeat. 
I find playing above the 15th fret on an electric
mandolin generally sounds piercingly plinky 
(or plinkingly piercing). 
Do you play much on those frets?

----------


## pklima

Well, my current "e-mando" is a restrung electric bass tuned an octave below mandocello. So its upper frets are useful. Don't know if I'd use them on a real emando but I do like having at least 19 frets so I can take open-position stuff up an octave if I feel like it. Maybe with five strings (which would be a better fit for the wide neck) it wouldn't matter, but...

I just find that thing charmingly deformed but I doubt it would be a very functional instrument... at least on the mando side. And I'm not really interested in the guitar side.

----------


## mrmando

Kent strikes again!

----------


## mrmando

And the return of Mike Atkinson!

----------


## mikeomando

Anybody ever play an Atkinson? It sure looks nice...

----------


## pklima

Sure does look nice! I've never seen a single-coil installed in a humbucker-sized hole that looked this good.

----------


## mrmando

We've seen this before. It sold for $262.50 its first time out on eBay; now the new owner is trying to turn a profit, with the help of better photos.

----------


## delsbrother

Well, I snozed and lozed on that Kent auction. Argh. Oh well, God's way of preparing me for THIS.

Pentasystems 5 string emandocello:
 #



Question.. Will Mandohack bite?

----------


## pklima

Wow... anyone care to take guess what it will actually go for?

----------


## Ted Eschliman

> Question.. Will Mandohack bite?


Darrell, at the moment I'm pretty emando satisfied. I just picked up a 5-string E-Manndo from Jonathon Mann I'm pretty happy with... 
When things slow down a little for me, I hope to post some pictures and offer my blog on this critter.
I needed to beat Tim Bushyhead in getting one of these, but he's about to one-up me; he's getting a blue one custom made.

----------


## mikeomando

Ouch. I got outsniped on the penta systems emandocello. Was it anyone here who bought it? We'd love a report. I keep telling myself that I couldn't really afford it, but the tears won't stop coming...

----------


## nobleheart

I swear that I am neither a stocker nor competitor mandohack HAHAHA...They say that great minds think alike??? I am anxious for your review of your newly acquired Manndolin, and will be recieving mine in about 4-5 weeks...sooo exciting

----------


## pklima

I doubt an Eko is worth this kind of money but gotta love the "buttcrack" body shape.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....me=WDVW

----------


## hellindc

OK, it's not a mando. But for those who have trouble "keeping time," how about this ebay beauty?

http://i17.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/b5/05/df_0.JPG

----------


## glauber

> OK, it's not a mando. But for those who have trouble "keeping time," how about this ebay beauty?
> 
> http://i17.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/b5/05/df_0.JPG


It looks like a tiny guitar.

----------


## mrmando

> I doubt an Eko is worth this kind of money but gotta love the "buttcrack" body shape.


Maybe you could play "butt rock" on it...

----------


## delsbrother

Can't remember if this one's been on this thread before - that's a bad sign, isn't it?

In any case, it's breakin' my heart to post this.

There's also a minty-fresh MM68 for your perusal, as well as a Tekno-ready Conqueror. I always seem to get outbid on these, so I figure what the heck, post it here - besides, I like the look of the Kents better anyway.. yeah! 

Darrell

----------


## mrmando

The thing about the Reinhardt Cupid mandolin is that it's *not* a one-of-a-kind prototype ... unless he added a pickup and more knobs to the one I have pictured at emando.com.

----------


## mrmando

Heck, there's a Kay, a Godin, and a Mandoblaster as well.

Had a busy weekend -- actually played some e-mando gigs! Six performances of a musical version of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" in a school production directed by my wife. Played my Yanuziello 8-string straight into the Blues Jr. 

I took to heart one of Niles' comments about volume-knob effects and discovered I could get a good 8th-note pulse going by rolling the volume knob back and forth with my right hand and plucking an open string every so often with my left. The resulting echo-ey 8th notes were perfect for one of the songs that happens during the cave scene.

----------


## Keith Miller

double neck
Looks Ok , bit dear though
Keith

----------


## pklima

Is this Tho X. Bui? Whatever it is, it'd well worth the opening bid.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....63&rd=1

----------


## mrmando

yeah, that's our buddy Tho.

Figured Ponderosa pine, eh? Well, it's easy to get in Arizona.

----------


## mad dawg

Hey MrMando -- didn't Tho build the pignose emando?

----------


## delsbrother

WAYNE

----------


## mad dawg

Looks like Wayne may have invented the silent mandolin.

----------


## billkilpatrick

perfect for the emperor's ball ...

----------


## Mastersound

Hiya

Now you all know that my mandos are honest, economical, funny little guitars, and that I would never rip off a fellow mandolinist, but following a conversation today at work about the ridiculous descriptions and crazy prices people will pay on eBay I have put an item up on eBay for auction!

I thought my fellow Mandolin Cafe electric mandolin mates might enjoy following this auction to see how it progresses! 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7315764507

----------


## glauber

I can't believe you're letting that go for such a low price! With the original screw, even!

I heard these vintage saddles have incredible sustain. Definitely not a Pac-rim product!

----------


## pklima

> Hey MrMando -- didn't Tho build the pignose emando?


Tho is the pigmando guy but I think he may stick to doublenecks from now on - his previous one (a mando/tenor guitar with a weird body shape and a BIG knot in the middle of its pine body) went for over $400, and this one is over $400 already. It appears to be a market niche in need of filling...

----------


## mrmando

Any help with this? 

Seller says he bought it from a luthier but can't remember who ... it was supposed to be a prototype for the luthier's new line of instruments. (Yeesh, if I had a dollar for every time I've heard THAT, I could almost buy a latte.)

Looks like, given a thousand years, a sufficient supply of pear juice, and the right climatic conditions, this thing MIGHT have evolved into John Montgomery's ASR Minieball, but even that's a stretch.

----------


## mikeomando

Other than the zero fret, I don't see a resemblance to the ASR, FWIW. The ASR is a semi hollowbody, and this looks like a slab body. Anybody else have any ideas?

By the way, This could be the first time I've seen mrmando stumped. That certainly suggests that this is a one-off piece of ephemera.

----------


## mrmando

For the record, I'm stumped by Hieronymus' mini-P-bass "not a Knutson" mando, too...

But I have heard of Skyesound before. Kent Armstrong mando-humbucker is kewl, but why's the fretboard extension on the bass side?

----------


## delsbrother

It's for when you absolutely, positively need that low C#.

There's something about this tenor that makes me want to bid on it, even though it's a complete basketcase.

----------


## mad dawg

You might want to wear rubber soled shoes when playing that one.

----------


## jefflester

Carved Out F-Style 4-string

----------


## mrmando

Ah ... good ol' Allen Gerrell. Reviews of his previous work have been very discouraging. But he keeps at it...

----------


## mrmando

Rickenbacher Electro

One of the first emandos ever ... I'm verklempt! Talk amongst yourselves...

----------


## Moose

WOW!! - Hey, as far as I'm concerned..., you get "picture-of-the-day" award! - Looks like a luthier's special.. - need's-a-little-work! And those PU's!! -hee.., hee...

----------


## delsbrother

Wow, that horse's been rode hard and put away wet.

----------


## Christian McKee

Wait a sec, the ad says "SERIEL NUMBER PUTS IT AT 1963," Fender was making mando casters from at least '57, right? Am I missing something when you say 'one of the first?'

Christian

----------


## mrmando

The only thing you're missing is that the seller is a bad typist. I think he meant 1936. Or if he didn't, he should have. 

There is a pic of one of these in much better condition at emando.com. Still, this is only the second one I've seen. I would love to buy this & restore it, but can't really afford to.

----------


## delsbrother

WTF?

----------


## mrmando

Hm. Well, it's an Oldtown EM-7. My uneducated guess: You could buy one direct from Oldtown for a lot less. Not sure what makes Jag think his epithelial cells have ennobled this axe to the tune of $20K.

----------


## mrmando

THIS will mess with your head!

Putting a guitar pickup under the pickguard ... that's just wrong. The bridge (missing its cover) and Klusons do look right -- and that's about all that looks right. The seller shouldn't have used the term "SB-4" in the listing -- that's the short-lived repro that Fender UK made three years ago, and this thing looks more like an SB-4 than like a Mandocaster.

What do you figure this beast is worth, given the vivisection it's endured?

----------


## Christian McKee

I would think that at the range price the seller seems to be interested in, the buyer would be getting a good deal. I've played a '58 Mandocaster, and while I miss having two pickups, it sure is an amazingly playable instrument. I wonder about the tele pickup though, that just seems plain foolish, what with all the options that out there.

Christian

----------


## glauber

> I wonder about the tele pickup though, that just seems plain foolish, what with all the options that out there.


I wondered if that's why they hid it under the pickguard.

----------


## mikeomando

If someone is really interested in this mando, I'm in Chicago and could go check it out. I personally like the idea of a hidden pickup. Many emandos have their pickup way up close to the strings, where you can get pick click. This one looks nice and clean, assuming the pickup is giving enough output. $500 seems okay for a final price, though. Much more than that doesn't feel right, to me anyway.

----------


## mikeomando

Okay, I take some of it back. The angle of the pickup is the wrong way: making the lower end softer sounding and the higher end harder sounding. I don't like the way the pickup lines up with the strings, either. But the neck looks original, and the decal looks nice...

----------


## mrmando

The decal looks nice but of course it's not original. The description does admit that ...

As for the pickup angle, aren't all Mandocasters like that? That's the way the body was routed.

----------


## mikeomando

I don't know if they're all like that, but it makes sense if the body was routed like that. On the other hand, if you're going to hide the whole assembly, why not route out so the pickup is tilted the other way? Why not route out enough to line the pickup up under the strings a little better?

I just think of that orientation as backwards. See the orientation of the Stevens emandos. (on your own excellent site  )This makes a big difference, to me, anyway. It makes the high notes less harsh and cutting.

I was trying to find something I liked on it. Let's see, the color, the decal, and it's probably an original neck...

----------


## mrmando

> On the other hand, if you're going to hide the whole assembly, why not route out so the pickup is tilted the other way? Why not route out enough to line the pickup up under the strings a little better?


Are you KIDDING? That would DEVALUE this priceless VINTAGE instrument, silly!

----------


## Martin Jonas

Not sure if you folks here have seen this Tiny Moore emando on Ebay UK.

Martin

----------


## mrmando

What do you make of this?

I suppose you could tune it in fifths, but to me it looks more like an electric plectrum banjo custom-made for Prince.

----------


## delsbrother

Less Paul

Mad Dawg?

----------


## rzpooch

check out his link

http://www.malagoli.com.br/

----------


## mad dawg

That's not me, but that's a Malagoli. (But I'm awiating an order of mini strats and less pauls as I type. ;-)

----------


## jefflester

Some interesting finish cracking on the body.

San Remo on Ebay

----------


## mad dawg

> Some interesting finish cracking on the body.
> 
> San Remo on Ebay


Can that be right? A 1930's Japanese solid-body?

----------


## mrmando

1960s is more like it. Do people really think the Japanese were making western musical instruments prior to WWII?

----------


## mad dawg

Is this a Gibson, or a _Gip_son?

----------


## mad dawg

&lt;sigh&gt; If only I could get away with bidding on this (currently) low-priced mandocaster without getting killed by my wife. #

(I hope someone here wins it so I know it goes to a good home.)

----------


## mrmando

A one-off by Chris Forshage

And a Tekno-ready Kingston!

----------


## jmkatcher

How about <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-ELECTRIC-OCTAVE-MANDOLIN-MANDOLA-1970s-VINTAGE_W0QQitemZ7340397103QQcategoryZ10179Q
QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this</a>?

Almost certainly not a real Gibson product with that pickup and those knobs...

----------


## delsbrother

Yeah, looks just like that Kingston that was mentioned above..

How 'bout this one (can't seem to get the link to work; just search for St. George): 



Dig the double-string trees (and typical scroll damage). I think I have to wear my Fluevogs with this one!

----------


## jmkatcher

That looks a lot like a Carvin. Someone in Japan must have used one as a model.

----------


## Christian McKee

That thing is SWEET! It almost makes me forget my Warlock fantasies!

Christian

----------


## Ted Eschliman

> I think I have to wear my Fluevogs with this one!


Darrell, I hear penicillin will help clear up a severe case of Fluevog right away...

----------


## mikeomando

I had a fluevog made of wood once. Fooled absolutely no one. (with apologies to the heen brethren of Sam Bush).

----------


## mrmando

Well, that is the third time I have seen a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/St-George-8-String-Electric-Mandolin-Rare_W0QQitemZ7340352904QQcategoryZ10179QQssPageNa  meZ

WDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">St. George</a> on eBay.

It's the first time I've seen a decal on one, however. I've had one on the No Names page at emando for a couple of years. It does look remarkably like a souped-up Carvin. (If you want to see another souped-up Carvin, search for "Danie Powers" at emando.com ...)

But seriously, that St. George decal is crooked ... how can we be sure it's an actual brand name?

----------


## sharp

Not a mando...but interesting. #Anyone know what scale length it is?
item 7340303942

----------


## glauber

It's a trade secret!

----------


## mad dawg

> Not a mando...but interesting. #Anyone know what scale length it is?
> item 7340303942


I'll bet if anyone can answer your question, mrmando can.

----------


## mrmando

Yeah, I dunno for sure. Gotta be pretty close to a standard guitar, around 24 inches. You could think of it as a long-neck 5-string tenor, I guess.

----------


## mrmando

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Tiny-Moore-Roberts-Electric-Mandolin-MINT_W0QQitemZ7341480591QQcategoryZ623QQrdZ1QQcmdZ  Vie
wItem" target="_blank">Tiny</a>!

I love it when people crib content from emando.com for their auction item descriptions. I wish I could charge them for the privilege. Copyright ain't what it used to be ...

'Course I steal photos from eBay all the time, so I shouldn't complain.

----------


## mikeomando

Yo, mrmando, let's face it... You're an enabler.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Martin: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"
And for what it's worth, an _anagram_ of the above phrase: "Initiate effortless honest mimicry of tart."
_Just thought you'd like to know..._

----------


## jmkatcher

Anyone play a Tiny Moore/Roberts emando? It's gorgeous looking but the scale seems shorter than the norm.

----------


## mrmando

I haven't played one. The _scale_ looks OK to me but the _fretboard_ is a bit short ... only 18 frets (or 19, hard to tell).

----------


## Kirby161

still looks great. Also some of the electric vintage gibsons on there look good.

----------


## jefflester

They've been hawking that same 1966 EM-200 for $2269 for months now, can't get anybody to bite and won't lower the price.
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Gibson-Florentine-Electric-Mandolin-Vintage-EM200_W0QQitemZ7341583665QQcategoryZ10179
QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">EM-200</a>

----------


## mrmando

Here's a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-Body-Electric-Mandolin-Roger-Bacorn-8-string_W0QQitemZ7341811505QQcategoryZ10179QQrd
Z1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Bacorn</a>! (pant pant)

----------


## glauber

> They've been hawking that same 1966 EM-200 for $2269 for months now, can't get anybody to bite and won't lower the price.
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Gibson-Florentine-Electric-Mandolin-Vintage-EM200_W0QQitemZ7341583665QQcategoryZ10179
> 
> QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">EM-200</a>


That's a pretty thing, though, isn't it? Nice case and everything. Does it play as good as it looks?

Funny price; 2,269. Either a very precise job of estimation, or clever marketing.

----------


## jmkatcher

I don't know if the later EM-200s differ in any way, but mine certainly plays as well as it looks.

----------


## mrmando

Ooh, an <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Mann-8-string-Electric-Mandolin-with-New-Case_W0QQitemZ7343640380QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ
1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">8-string Mann</a>. Gets me all tingly...

----------


## jefflester

> Ooh, an <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Mann-8-string-Electric-Mandolin-with-New-Case_W0QQitemZ7343640380QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ
> 
> 
> 1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">8-string Mann</a>. Gets me all tingly...


You sure it's not a headache from trying to look at those pictures?

----------


## mrmando

Hey, the guy has a hand injury. That's why he can't hold the camera still. Give him a break...

----------


## mrmando

Here's one from <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-4-STRING-SOLIDBODY-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-w-EMG_W0QQitemZ7344085900QQcategoryZ10179QQssP
ageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">RL Customs</a> (new to me). Can't say as it appeals to me much, but YMMV.

----------


## Christian McKee

I like the body shape, could do with better upper-fret access, imho.

Christian

----------


## mrmando

Rick from RL Customs sent me this photo, which I like a lot better.

----------


## Christian McKee

Hot! Did he tell you anything about the electronics? I'm curious about the third knob, given that it looks like there's just the one pickup. Something in the saddles? Love the body.

Christian

----------


## mrmando

As a matter of fact, he described the pickup thusly: "an EMG Select humbucker with a EMG afterburner which gives it a 20db boost when you kick it in to active."

----------


## mrmando

Yipes, there are 3, count 'em, 3 EM-200s on eBay right now.

'Course, only one is getting any bids.

----------


## mad dawg

...and none of them are that '66 that guy has been trying to sell for $2269 in countless auctions over the past 3 months or so.

----------


## jmkatcher

Two are actually the better looking older models in seemingly original shape too, with the original case. Some lucky people are going to get nice instruments...

----------


## delsbrother

Violin-bodied Kent. 



Looks to be in great condition. Too bad I'm not in the market..

----------


## jmkatcher

Not eBay but interesting: Elderly Used E-Mando

----------


## sharp

Not eBay but interesting: Elderly Used E-Mando

==================================================  ========

Thats a Kentucky I believe.....

----------


## jmkatcher

> Thats a Kentucky I believe.....


You're right! It's a KM-300E. I didn't recognize it unmarked like it is.

----------


## mad dawg

It also looks like the inspiration for the 8-string Indian-made _Giv_son.

----------


## delsbrother

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Wave-Instruments-Mandola-with-Weber-hard-case_W0QQitemZ7346785546QQcategoryZ10179QQssP
ageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">You need an Old Wave emandola.</a>

----------


## mad dawg

No less than 2 double-cutaway 8-string Kingstons on auction now:

1) 7346895862

2) 7346579327

----------


## Spruce

Here's an interesting ebay emando story....

Recently I stuck a Hammertone Octave 12-String Octave Mandolin Guitar on ebay.

Just before the auction ended, I got an email from Tom Petty's soundman asking if I would deliver the mando-guitar to the TP concert at the Gorge if they bought it....

Duh....
Sure!

Bottom line is that last night I saw The Black Crowes and TP and the Heartbreakers at the Gorge 15th row center, and had a nice visit with the crew....
And delivered the Hammertone....

So-ooo, odd things do occur via ebay, and not all of them are bad...

----------


## mrmando

So Spruce, did his guitarist play that green Tony Revell e-mando?

----------


## Spruce

Yep.

Mike Cambell played it for one tune...

He's also the one who wound up with the Hammertone.....

----------


## mad dawg

Cool story Bruce.

(BTW, is the Revell that mini-semi-hollow-body Rickenbacker looking emando? Sweet axe if so!)

----------


## mad dawg

Sherwood solid-body two-point on UK eBay.


These used to be sold on Hobgoblin's web site, and I have long been intrigued by them. Anyone out there know how the tailepiece works?

----------


## mrmando

Photo of Mike Campbell with the Revell Baby Rick here.

----------


## mrmando

I think the string hooks on that Sherwood TP are just over the edge where you can't see them in the photo. Nothing mysterious really.

----------


## mad dawg

It's <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1966-Fender-Mandocaster-Mandolin-w-OHSC-EXC-NR_W0QQitemZ7349206416QQcategoryZ10179
QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">_BAAAaaack..._</a>

----------


## glauber

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Ovation-MM68-Acoustic-Electric-Mandolin-with-hard-case_W0QQitemZ7348596668QQcategoryZ11348
0QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Ovation MM68 with case</a>. Looks nice. Interesting sound sample. I asked the guy how the action was set and he thought i was asking about the reserve price.  Lots of new account bidders, i guess resellers hoping for a good deal. Going tomorrow, $415, reserve not met.

----------


## mad dawg

Bacorn 8-string Les Paul

----------


## jefflester

Custom Quilted Maple elec hollowbody

----------


## glauber

> Custom Quilted Maple elec hollowbody


"The tail piece is solid case brass in the shape of the F cleft music symbol."

Yeah, right

----------


## mrmando

Er ... sorry, Allen, that's a G-clef (better known as a treble clef).

----------


## glauber

He probably got confused between the G-clef and the F-holes.

----------


## jmkatcher

Not an e{bay,mando} but Cotten Music (cottenmusic.com) just posted a modified Rickenbacker emando on their site. Not my sort of thing, but thought others might be interested.

----------


## mrmando

Here's a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-MANDOLIN-CUSTOM-ELECTRIC-T-MASTERS-D-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ7358206316QQcategoryZ47064QQrdZ1Q
QcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">scary one</a>.

The pickup is hard to spot. It's in that ridiculous pickguard, between the soundhole and the bridge.

I bet it sounds like a chainsaw...

----------


## jmkatcher

It's both cheap and ugly! What more could one ask for in an e-mando?

----------


## mad dawg

> It's both cheap and ugly!...


If you throw in "dead-sounding with no sustain" to that description, you've described the perfect guitar for bottleneck. #

----------


## mad dawg

Interesting: this Samick "Guitar" has 8 strings in 4 courses, and a string scale of 13.7".

----------


## mrmando

Our old friend St. George is back for another run.

The seller is this pawn shop in Glendale, California ...

If I still lived in L.A. I would stop by there and check it out. Anyone here willing to do the honors?

----------


## mad dawg

$550 US for a mandocaster pickguard  


Speaking of mandocasters, is it just me, or have there been a lot more mandocasters than usual posted on eBay as of late?

----------


## glauber

> $550 US for a mandocaster pickguard


It says it's tortoise.

----------


## delsbrother

I'd rather save up for the $2600 Strat 'guard.

----------


## jefflester

"RL Customs" Quilted Maple 5-String 

This EM-200 was up for auction in Aug and didn't meet reserve at $1825:
EM-200

1969 Mandocaster

----------


## mad dawg

> $550 US for a mandocaster pickguard  ...


Interesting -- this auction was changed into a FENDER JAZZ BASS CONTROL PLATE for $11.99.

----------


## glauber

That's funny. Maybe the dude sold the pickguard outside of ebay and didn't want to pay the insertion price for another auction. That's pretty radical editing, but he could do it if the auction had no bids.

----------


## delsbrother

Marlow "Breadwinner" emando. Did I mention my birthday was coming up? I even like the color.

----------


## delsbrother

As usual... I love this guy's stuff. One day.. (unfortunately not today!)

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Wishnevsky-Four-String-Electric-Mandolin-Mandouker_W0QQitemZ7361729103QQcategoryZ10179QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Wishnevsky emando! Eyaaggghhh!</a>

----------


## Jim M.

This just showed up at Vintage Instruments, not Ebay, but this thread seems like a good place for it:

----------


## delsbrother

OK, I'm going out on a limb here.. Please experts let me know if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GIBSON-ELECTRIC-EM-150-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ7362867564QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ1  QQcmdZVie

wItem" target="_blank">THIS</a> isn't a Gibson.. Or at least it hasn't been in a very long time...



Hmm.. If linky no worky, item # is 7362867564.

----------


## Christian McKee

Didn't Salvador Dali do a painting called The Persistence of Mandolins at one point? Hee hee... What a cool looking thing!

C.

----------


## jefflester

> OK, I'm going out on a limb here.. Please experts let me know if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure ... isn't a Gibson.. Or at least it hasn't been in a very long time...


The link
I've found that trimming down ebay's URL until it's pretty much just the item number is the best way to get a good link.

I might buy that it was some sort of prototype if it weren't for the headstock. Hard to think Gibson would custom make that sort of godawful headstock instead of using some standard florentine (F-5 type) neck/headstock that they had laying around.

----------


## delsbrother

Sorry, but I couldn't let this slip by unnoticed. Check out his other items too (the bass looks kinda Shutt-ish).

----------


## mad dawg

> Sorry, but I couldn't let this slip by unnoticed...


I wonder if the CBOM crowd might get a little "horny" for that one.

----------


## Christian McKee

I waaaaaant. That would be so perfect for the Viking Mandolin Surf Band...

Christian

----------


## jefflester

Is this supposed to be a strap pin, or just something to impale yourself on?

----------


## glauber

Blue Ovation!



How did this happen? Fluorescent lights?

----------


## jefflester

Kentucky KM400E 4-string semi-hollowbody

Bruno Royal Artist 16" scale 8-string

----------


## mrmando

Gotta love <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/WESLEY-RED-SUNBURST-MAHOGANY-SERIES-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ7368173857QQcategoryZ2384QQ
rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a>.

----------


## mad dawg

> Gotta love <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/WESLEY-RED-SUNBURST-MAHOGANY-SERIES-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ7368173857QQcategoryZ2384QQ
> 
> rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a>.


Looks like he either added the wrong pics to his mando auction, or the wrong text to his bass auction.

----------


## mad dawg

Vox-inspired 16" scale 12-string Phantom octave guitar.

----------


## jefflester

> Originally Posted by  (mrmando @ Nov. 21 2005, 16:34)
> 
> Gotta love <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/WESLEY-RED-SUNBURST-MAHOGANY-SERIES-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ7368173857QQcategoryZ2384QQ
> 
> 
> rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a>.
> 
> 
> Looks like he either added the wrong pics to his mando auction, or the wrong text to his bass auction. #


Yeah, I saw that one, figured it was just a mistake.

----------


## glauber

> Gotta love <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/WESLEY-RED-SUNBURST-MAHOGANY-SERIES-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ7368173857QQcategoryZ2384QQ
> 
> rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a>.


A white sunburst 4-stringer!

----------


## Pedal Steel Mike

> Vox-inspired 16" scale 12-string Phantom octave guitar.


I have one of these, and it's really cool. Mine has the optional humbucking pickups Phantom made for it, and the volume and tone controls have been replaced with series/parallel switcvhes, to the instrument has 8 different tones, all of which sound great. 

I have mine strung in octaves like a regular 12 string. I have it tuned to C instead of E so I could get the octaves on the 3rd course. 

I don't know if Phantom is still in business.

----------


## John Rosett

did anybody notice the early 50's F-12 with bigsby pickup that just sold for under 3K? that's a little piece of history i would have liked to own.

----------


## jefflester

> I don't know if Phantom is still in business.


Yes, Phantom is still in business.

http://www.phantomguitars.com

----------


## mad dawg

> Originally Posted by  (mad dawg @ Nov. 21 2005, 16:50)
> 
> Vox-inspired 16" scale 12-string Phantom octave guitar.
> 
> 
> I have one of these, and it's really cool. Mine has the optional humbucking pickups Phantom made for it, and the volume and tone controls have been replaced with series/parallel switcvhes, to the instrument has 8 different tones, all of which sound great. 
> 
> I have mine strung in octaves like a regular 12 string. I have it tuned to C instead of E so I could get the octaves on the 3rd course. #
> 
> I don't know if Phantom is still in business.


Mike: have you ever tuned it to an open tuning and put a bottleneck to it? If so, did you like it, and how different did it sound to playing slide up the neck on one of your guitars?

----------


## mandocaster

> did anybody notice the early 50's F-12 with bigsby pickup that just sold for under 3K? that's a little piece of history i would have liked to own.


word...

I seriously salivated over that thing.

----------


## mrmando

> did anybody notice the early 50's F-12 with bigsby pickup that just sold for under 3K? that's a little piece of history i would have liked to own.


Screamin' deal. "Nudie," the Nashville tailor who made all the spangly suits for country stars, owned a Kay mandolin that had been re-necked by Paul Bigsby. Somebody tried to sell that axe on eBay for $12,500, and it didn't even have a pickup!

----------


## delsbrother

(The Other) Roberts

----------


## mmukav

"Posted on Nov. 24 2005, 23:12(The Other) Roberts"



      OH--MY!

----------


## mrmando

First Jazz 5 I've ever laid eyes on ... or second, maybe. First one with color photos. Sweet!

----------


## mrmando

Dig <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Mid-Missouri-Electric-Mandolin-EM-8-Immaculate_W0QQitemZ7369788998QQcategoryZ10179QQrd  Z1QQ

cmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this</a>

Gotta love the hyperbole: 



> It's the top of the line; no other electric mandolin out there can come close to the quality of a Mid-Missouri.


Really? I bet I can name a few.

----------


## mrmando

This had me puzzled at first. 

Thought at first it might be John Jordan, of electric violin fame. (He has built at least one e-mando.) But judging from the body shape and the fact that it's in Indiana, I'm guessing it's by Howard Jordan instead. This is the first of Howard's instruments I've seen with his name on the headstock.

----------


## mrmando

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-MANDOLA-60s-VINTAGE-MIJ-16-40cm_W0QQitemZ7370978283QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ
1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Kingston EM1</a>. Buy It Now for $175. It won't last!

----------


## mad dawg

Not a mandolin, but electric fiddle might interest someone here.

(The alignment of the G & D strings in the photo suggests it might need a nut job, however.  )

----------


## mrmando

> (The alignment of the G & D strings in the photo suggests it might need a nut job, however.  )


Or that it was BUILT by a nutjob.

There's a ton of cheap Asian-built e-fiddles on eBay, same as e-mandos...

Now <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Seymour-Duncan-5-string-electric-mandolin-pickup-N-O-S_W0QQitemZ7373683059QQcategoryZ41430
QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">THIS</a> is pretty cool.

----------


## delsbrother

Dude, I'm all over that. I'm trying to play my mini-Moz electric as a 5 string emandola/Srinivator but I'm not entirely entralled with the stock (guitar) pickup.

----------


## mrmando

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Kentucky-A-Electric-Mandolin-KM-300E-4-String-with-bag_W0QQitemZ7377372132QQcategoryZ10179
QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Kentucky</a> 4-string KM-300E ... not a scratch!

Decent price too, methinks.

----------


## glauber

7380942842




> electric octave mandolin tenor guitar 4 violin players


Could we maybe suggest a few more keywords?

----------


## delsbrother

Mmmmmm... Figured Fir.

----------


## mrmando

Here's one.

----------


## glauber

> &lt;a href="http://" target="_blank"&gt;Here's one&lt;/a&gt;.


http:// -&gt; very Zen

----------


## mrmando

Oops. Trying again:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/FRANKENSTEIN-Electric-Mandolin-Solid-body-COOL_W0QQitemZ7382551353QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ1QQ
cmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Franken-F 4-string</a>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-4-string-solid-body-electric-mandolin_W0QQitemZ7382263387QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ1  QQcm
dZViewItem" target="_blank">Andrew Jerman 4-string</a>

----------


## jefflester

> First Jazz 5 I've ever laid eyes on ... or second, maybe. First one with color photos. Sweet!


Back for another shot, didn't make reserve last time at $610:
Jazz 5

----------


## jefflester

Headless Octave Tenor whatever....

----------


## Ted Eschliman

What I _really_ want in my mando is a "down-home sound and feel."

Just trying to figure what kind of home that might be...

----------


## glauber

> What I _really_ want in my mando is a "down-home sound and feel."
> 
> Just trying to figure what kind of home that might be...


I especially like: 


> The inlain on each unite may various

----------


## wichitamando

> The inlain on each unite may various


I think that is Latin for "highest quality available".

----------


## mrmando

Oh no, it's the Redbone!

----------


## Pedal Steel Mike

Avoid <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/GALVESTON-SOLID-BODY-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-W-PICKUPS_W0QQitemZ7387674451QQcategoryZ10179QQrdZ1

QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">THIS ONE</a> and the merchant who sells them like the plague. I made the mistake of biuing one, and it was beyond terrible. The neck is misfretted and there is no way it can be made to play in tune without major surgury.

I took this _thing_ (I cannot call in an instrument) to 2 respected lithiers, and was told the cost of the repairs would be between $700 and $1,000.

I contanted the seller, who basically told me to do something to myself that's anatomically impossible, and then left nagative feedback on me on E-Bay (the only one Ive ever received.) I subsequently learned he has done this to about a dozen people, and there have been numorous complaints about him.

----------


## Unseen122

Just by looking at that I can tell that the Frets are uneven.

----------


## glauber

That guy has some pretty "interesting" negative feedback. He's a feisty one...

----------


## mrmando

I always steer people away from the Galvestons. They're hideous.

----------


## jefflester

Jack Chase 5-string acoustic/electric

Not a solidbody, but redwood/myrtle, McIntyre pickup, Novax fretboard. 
Looks like the one pictured on emando.com.

----------


## mrmando

It *IS* the one pictured on emando.com! Jack made only one...

The previous owner, Torrey Hency, got this from Jack to replace the Bacorn 5-string that now belongs to moi.

----------


## jefflester

Hullah solidbody 8-string

----------


## delsbrother

(The first) Roberts.

----------


## delsbrother

_Is that really blonde hair?
Why don't you play fair?
You could [have a] Mayfair!_

----------


## mrmando

Ein Kingston und ein Schwab...

----------


## mrmando

A Flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyying V with V strings...

----------


## glauber

> A Flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyying V with V strings...


Neat! Looks like an Alembic bass. There's a Grateful Dead connection too.

----------


## michaell

That's a really beautiful Flying V!

----------


## jefflester

No Name #1
No Name #2
No Name #3 (Bob Barry)
Eko Doubleneck
Smokey Mountain

----------


## Christian McKee

So, I bought that flying V a few posts back. First time I was stricken with a serious case of MAS  Mrmando, if you're ever down to Portland, let me know if you want to meet up and play it, photograph it, whatever. 

The instrument arrived yesterday, and promptly suggested a name to me, I call it The Striper, though I couldn't exactly say why. Summary: it's *lovely*. I've been able to confirm that it was made in the mid-seventies by Michael Dolan, who now apparently runs a guitar shop in (I think) Santa Rosa. The laminate work is really nice, there's lovely w/b/w binding on the fretboard, and the electronics are rock solid. It doesn't need any work as far as playability is concerned, although I'm considering replacing the brass nut with something else, there seem to be some minor issues with slippage there. I'm also not entirely convinced about the semi-flat GHS strings that are on it right now, I'm gonna play around with guages and materials a bit. 

All in all, best impulse buy ever!

Christian

----------


## delsbrother

OK, how 'bout.. #<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/BEAUTIFUL-UNIQUE-HANDCRAFTED-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-8-STRING_W0QQitemZ7395734566QQcategoryZ1017
9QQrdZ1QQc" target="_blank">a Telemando with a semihollow body made of matchsticks!</a>

----------


## mikeomando

"For our matchless friends..."

----------


## celtic_knut

Whoever buys that thing will soon tire of their friends always asking for a match.

----------


## mikeomando

Hey Christian, I keep thinking about that flying Veee. I kept wondering if it played as good as it looks. How's the intonation of the C string? Do the women crowd around you and try and get your attention?

----------


## mad dawg

A sweet cream Ryder Tele...

----------


## Christian McKee

Yes, it plays as good as it looks. Maybe better, given the fact that you'd think a body like that would be uncomfortable, and it's not at all. Buying a custom instrument off the web is certainly rolling the dice, and this time they turned up 11. 
The intonation is right on, the only problem I've found so far is when playing two octaves of a C# (frets 1 and 6,) the lower note is a bit sharp. Still, I'm going to have the nut replaced as soon as I can bear to be away from it for a week, and that may help, who knows. And the active EMG single-coil pickups are awesome, that's something I'll bear in mind for any future instruments.

Christian

----------


## mrmando

> Mrmando, if you're ever down to Portland, let me know if you want to meet up and play it, photograph it, whatever.


Ah nuts! Just got back from Portland, in fact. Had a gig Saturday night, upstairs at Kells. Brought along the new Rigel Comet. 

Got really sick after the gig and spent most of Sunday flat on my back. I have returned to Seattle and am still recovering. Thanks for doing the research on the V.

----------


## Christian McKee

This research is an on-going project... How about you send me an IM next time you're playing in town? I'm always looking for good music, and I'll bring some people out to support anyone else who digs electrics!

Christian

----------


## mrmando

Ouch. One has to wonder whether it was insured...

----------


## mikeomando

Hey, uh, apropos of nothing, uh, how hard is it to repair a busted headstock on an electric instrument? Just, uh, sort of wondrin'...

----------


## Magnus Geijer

One also has to wonder how a mando with a broken-off headstock qualifies as Condition 3/5.
I'd hate to see what a 2 or a 1 would be.

----------


## jefflester

A new Wishnevsky



Looks like a Klingon fighter to me.

----------


## jmkatcher

Not eBay, but that Sucek 8-string electric in the Cafe classifieds looks terrific and at a great price. No connection, but I'd buy it if I already didn't have an electric 8-string.

----------


## Joel Glassman

jefflester #LOL! :^)

----------


## glauber

I have no interest on this one (economic or otherwise), but it looks clean and the price is right IMHO:

*Red MM68 Ovation*

I've seen that email address somewhere. Cafe member, maybe? The usual caveats apply.

----------


## johnsmusic

Good price but the old electronics. J

----------


## jefflester

Stew Mac 5-string with A-bender
Epson with DeArmond pickup
Beat-Up Bruno project

----------


## glauber

> Good price but the old electronics. J


That's what i have too. I have the new electronics in my Korean Ovation, and the old electronics in my MM68. Mostly you lose the ability to shift the midrange slider, and a preset button. I never used those features anyway. The volume knob looks funny, but i actually like it better: easier to find in the heat of action, and you won't grab the wrong slider by mistake.

----------


## delsbrother

Can't believe I missed this one..

Voxxxxxy!

Dig the tape on the headstock!

----------


## mrmando

I had a bid on that one, but just a lowball. I suspect Eastern European origin.

----------


## celtic_knut

A silent mandolin...

----------


## wichitamando

I bet you could play some sweet air mandolin on that thing!

----------


## delsbrother

Ovation MCello

Little put off by the top bellying tho..

----------


## glauber

> Ovation MCello
> 
> Little put off by the top bellying tho..


Agreed. That could indicate that the bridge is about to come out and may be pulling the top lacquer with it. I've seen this happen with a Korean Ovation, and it looked a lot like what's described (but not shown in the pictures).

----------


## Joel Glassman

Beautiful mini Les paul guitar.
According to the seller, the scale length is
15 inches...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....TQ:US:1

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Peter Pan's long lost mandolin...

----------


## delsbrother

No offense (and DANG! That's a nice looking emando!) but I never really thought about this thread being like the classifieds.. Come to think of it, I wonder how many of the previous posts in this thread were actually made by eBay sellers? I had thought it was mainly fans pointing stuff out to other fans.. Might be wrong there though.

Here's an ambidextrous Kay. - or perhaps someone who really, really, wants to protect that top from pick scratches.. It seems like a nice enough utility axe. Might be worth the price just for the DeArmond.. But what are the two holes at the first fret for?

ps I even like the little flowers!

----------


## mrmando

Yeah, my understanding is that stuff you have for sale goes in the classifieds, not here in the discussion threads ... but sometimes people simply say "I have such-and-such in the classifieds right now," and that doesn't seem to upset anyone. I'm not policing this one, but if I were I'd probably delete the full description above and just put in a link to the classified ad. Andre also has this axe on Craig's List, as I noted in the Craig's List thread. I have no financial interest in it!

----------


## glauber

I agree. I don't see a problem if a Cafe member who contributes to the discussions mentions he or she has something for sale, but we should use common sense and keep the details in the classifieds. eBay sellers posting links here who are not Cafe participants should be treated rudely.

Also agree, that's a beautiful axe.

On that Kay, i don't get it when, so often, eBay sellers say an instrument "plays exquisitely". As in "exquisite pain"?  Can't i have something that plays "normally", instead? Interesting about the holes. Maybe he was trying to put dots there, for ornamentation? Or maybe better to hang on the wall.

----------


## mrmando

A Kay with holes in the fretboard "plays exquisitely"? That's probably code for "I have no idea how to play this thing."

----------


## delsbrother

CUSTOM tenor guitar!

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Double-neck Fender Cugtom Shop mandocaster/stratocaster

----------


## jefflester

Errington &lt; that's a link

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Here's a pic of an Errington with a string-through-body design that I saved from an older eBay auction. I wonder if this older one was an aftermarket modification?

----------


## mrmando

Well, I have a photo of another of those through-body ones. Nigel's been at this a while. He took 3 years off when he had a kid, then retooled and got back to building. A few modifications would have been inevitable along the way. Note the differing pickguard shapes too.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

A Tucciarelli Flying V...

----------


## delsbrother

Neat! Is that another thing you can do with the other half of the p-bass pickup? Or is it the emando consensus that you only really need one (at least for this scale instrument)?

----------


## delsbrother

Kent looking for beach party..

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

A _way_ cool electric Oud...

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

An interesting new offering from Alvarez...

----------


## Ted Eschliman

If I buy this, I could get my deposit back for the tattoo I was saving up for: 
E-mando w/original artwork.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Stratocaster-Style-Octave-Mandolin-Bouzuki_W0QQitemZ7421050286QQihZ016QQcategoryZ10
179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Interesting short-scale guitar to eOM conversion here...</a>

Part of the description reads _" I customized a Fender Duo Sonic into an octave mandolin. This thing is amazing. It has a deep tone yet has that mandolin sound. I have run it through processors and got incredible sounds. Here are some specifics: the serial # is MN310056 which translates to being made in Mexico in 1991. I installed Fender lace pickups (a red bridge and blue neck pickup... $150 improvement! ) so the sounds is completely clean. It has a 24 inch scale length. "_

----------


## mrmando

5 Kentucky electrics for cheap, by the same seller. Supwifdat?

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

I think that guy is associated with Saga, and he always some sort of used or B stock Saga instruments for sale in quantity on eBay -- click on his "other listing" and you'll see what I mean.

(BTW, I once purchased a B-stock KM-250S from him for $80, and am quite happy with it as a traveller/beater. His pre and post sale communications are lame, and he took a few too many days to ship out the instrument for my liking, but it was a great value, and for the life of me I can't find anything wrong with it.)

----------


## delsbrother

If this thing was actually original and in good shape, I would be all over it.. Unfortunately (IMO) it isn't and it's not.

----------


## delsbrother

&lt;sigh&gt; Petr Klima would've loved this one...



Kinda Bigsby-ish! 

..for the record, I have lived in LA. But never heard of TrueTone or Jersey Girl.. ?? 

[Edit] But of course, emando.com has! Wow, any NAMMites get a chance to play one of these funky monkeys?

----------


## jmkatcher

I've heard of JerseyGirl. They're a small Japanese maker of beautifully crafted, but quite idiosyncratic electric guitars. They make attractive pedals too, with wooden cases and hardware. Haven't played either though.

----------


## mrmando

They have a whole series of doublenecks like that one, several with mandophonic 2nd necks. Wonder what it would take to get them to build a stand-alone emando?

----------


## delsbrother

_The Horror.... The Horror...._

----------


## mrmando

Love that headstock, but I knew I shouldn't have left the woodburning kit where little Ralphie could get to it...

----------


## Ted Eschliman

From the seller, "The instrument does have some issues..."
Not including the soundholes that looks like a circumcision gone awry.

----------


## Christian McKee

That's just plain gross and uncalled for. The mandolin, I mean. The rest of it is all true. 

Christian

----------


## mrmando

Wow, check out this Tucciarelli ...
I've corresponded with the seller. My Bacorn used to be his.

----------


## mrmando

Return of the Sorina...

It's the same one already pictured at emando.com. Gibson decals and all...

----------


## delsbrother

Pointy.

----------


## mrmando

Bet you could use that to signal for the Caped Crusader...

----------


## delsbrother

Check out this pickup!

----------


## glauber

A nice looking Batwing



I wonder how much the guy thinks it's going for. Why make the bids private?

----------


## mrmando

> I wonder how much the guy thinks it's going for. Why make the bids private?


I can tell you how much he thinks it's going for. Before he put up the auction, he sent me that exact photo and asked what it was worth; I told him $250-350 assuming it worked and was in good repair. He even quoted me in the description...

----------


## glauber

I thought "modestly collectible" was an interesting choice of words, not usually seen on eBay. I'll be watching this one. If it weren't for my car throwing me a surprise expense this month, i might go for it.

----------


## Christian McKee

Anyone remember what the pickup configuration was for these? The look suggests single coil, but I could believe some kind of mini-humbucker, too.

Christian

----------


## mrmando

1956 Fender blondie!
Kinda beat up, but that might make the price reasonable. And you can always upgrade the pickguard.

And here's a vintage Vantage (I just like saying that).

----------


## clem

Re: '56 Blondie

You can count on the fact that the price won't be reasonable. The seller (Chicago Music Exchange) expects FULL high blue book (and more) for their precious, rare, vintage instruments. I suspect the reserve is north of $3K.  

Clem

----------


## mrmando

Oh well...

----------


## delsbrother

You know, I've heard if you stare at this ad for fifteen seconds, and then look at a blank wall, you see a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

----------


## Christian McKee

THAT! Is the ugliest eBay auction photo ever. Item, background, the whole thing. Ugh.

Christian

----------


## Keith Miller

real fancy inlay

----------


## Mastersound

What is it about inlays? I guess inlays are necessary on banjos to take the audience's attention away from the sound, but there's no excuse on anything else. If you look on eBay for fretboards you'll see some of the ugliest creations imaginable. I don't even like MOTS pickguards... I guess that's why one of my mates calls me "Vanilla".

----------


## thistle3585

Shouldn't the strings go under the the tailpiece cover instead of over it? There looks to be a slot in it for them to feed through.

----------


## bouzoukipedestrian32

I know about all of the fancy inlay ####. I don't like it. The F-style mando is already fancy enough, let alone having a tree of life rooting its way on the frets. I don't need a tree of life. i just want a mellow mandolin, maybe a 1924 F-5. oooh la la...

haha... I like the distraction from the banjos sound. May I use that at dinner parties for conversation starters?

----------


## bouzoukipedestrian32

Whoa, I didnt say what you think the #### is for. I said it staring with a c and then an r and then an a and p.i dont curse.

----------


## mandroid

hey thats what Mr Tsai does, ... inlay, obviously.
Ive seen other stuff (web pix) he puts on acoustics.
you want Dragons?, they really do dragons over there..

----------


## mrmando

> Whoa, I didnt say what you think the #### is for. I said it staring with a c and then an r and then an a and p.i dont curse.


Well, some language is inappropriate even if it isn't "cursing" by whatever definition you use.

A guy on the Rigel thread managed to find a synonym for #### that got through the filter ... but his post was removed and you can bet the filter will grab that word the next time anyone uses it. 

The enforced civility may take some getting used to, but it does seem to make this forum more of a welcoming environment for everybody.

----------


## delsbrother

I protest! There's no point in having a thread on eBay emandos if you can't use the word ****.

----------


## glauber

Oh, the subtle shades of meaning between **** and ####!

----------


## Christian McKee

Proud board member here, and I gotta say that I find this "enforced civility" creepy. If someone steps across the line, the rest of us will say so. Personally, I think we're grown up enough to not rely on other people to protect us from scary words. 

Now, to the subject of instrument inlay: There are some people that do it very well (I really like some of the Breedlove custom work,) but if it looks like it could be sold at Peir 1 Imports (see above,) it's time to re-think your design.  

Christian

----------


## bouzoukipedestrian32

sorry if I said it. didn't think about people getting mad. Im still civilized! I won't say it anymore. i promise.

----------


## delsbrother

If you leave your tele in a rat-infested cellar for too long, it ends up looking like this. Just remember, DON'T COPY!


EDIT: Better pix

----------


## mrmando

Ah, the return of the mighty Bilcock. Gotta wonder about that bridge ... intonation must be a #####. Or perhaps a *****.

----------


## glauber

> If you leave your tele in a rat-infested cellar for too long, it ends up looking like this. Just remember, DON'T COPY!





> The design was patented


By Batman, of course.

----------


## mrmando

Unbelievabubble. This isn't the first time I've seen one of these puppies on eBay, but the others were TRASHED. This one ... my goodness, mighty nice.

----------


## clem

> Unbelievabubble. This isn't the first time I've seen one of these puppies on eBay, but the others were TRASHED. This one ... my goodness, mighty nice.


Actually, I think this was the same one that was up about a month ago. I bid on it, but got sniped at the end and I believe it was by this seller (using a different handle as a buyer). Whatever, it is TOO COOL and in "under the bed" condition. FYI, it went for more than $2K last time. Only time will tell.  
Clem

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Martin or Clem: I am not familiar with this one -- is it a solid body, or hollow body sans soundholes?

----------


## mrmando

Wow, that must mean I missed it before. The word "electric" must not have been in the original ad title ... that's what I search for. 

Believe it's hollow sans soundholes. 

Seller is a big-time collector. Has been selling a lot of late ... several Gilchrists (including Art Stern's "classical F"), Gibson cello, the '27 Fern sold at Skinner a couple years back.

----------


## delsbrother

Neat Kent-ish looking two-point.

----------


## delsbrother

I dunno, could this be tuned in fifths?

----------


## wichitamando

Chop chords would be a booger...

----------


## BradB

> Neat Kent-ish looking two-point.


I had one of those for awhile. I believe the brand name was Kingston. It was made in Japan in the 60s. The pickup looks like a bass pickup.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Martin's been holding out--keeping <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Fender-Mandocaster-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ230024008313QQihZ013QQcategoryZ1  0179
QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a> to himself!

----------


## mrmando

> Martin's been holding out--keeping <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Fender-Mandocaster-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ230024008313QQihZ013QQcategoryZ1  0179
> 
> 
> QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this one</a> to himself!


I'd have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you pesky kids!

[edit] Sniped up to $1412 at the last second ... and reserve still wasn't met!

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Not convinced it was worth a lot more than that. Pretty beat up & no case...

----------


## clem

And no serial number!?!?! They all had a serial number on the original neck plate.

Clem

----------


## mrmando

Didn't look that beat up to me, but lack of case was kind of a bummer. If, however, the neck plate wasn't original, that's another problem re: collectibility.

It may well relist, unless the reserve was $1500 and the seller decides $1412 is close enough and offers it to the high bidder. 

The first time it listed, the seller called it a "Stratolin," which suggests he doesn't know too much about them. I hoped this would translate into a low reserve, but no such luck.

----------


## jefflester

A no name that Martin has a picture of on emando.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Solid-body-elect...mZ250027872095

A Gerry Collyard:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Handmad....5658682

The mandocaster is back from last week and there's also an EM-200.

----------


## jmkatcher

That EM200 might be a refinish. Unless Gibson had a really off day, that sunburst is much cruder than either my older one or the others I've seen.

----------


## mrmando

Well, right now there's 3 EM200s:

Uno
Dos
Tres

I guess it's the burst on Dos that doesn't look quite right.

Also several EM150s up right now.

----------


## jmkatcher

Tres, I think, not Dos. The other two seem to have much smoother bursts, matching my old '54. I wonder why there's such a flood though. They are great instruments.

----------


## mrmando

> Tres, I think, not Dos.


Right. Sorry. Gee, my Spanish is rusty.

I remember once a few years ago when there were eight of these puppies for sale around the country. A couple of months ago Greg Boyd's had one, and they've probably still got it. That makes four...

----------


## jmkatcher

I think of EM200s as instruments where the people who can play them don't want them, and the people who could want them can't play them.

----------


## Lee

Hmm, nice price these are fetching these days. Mine's got an orange lined case. If I had photo's, I'd list it for sale. Sounds great with TI's!!

----------


## delsbrother

Missed Mini Moz.

----------


## mrmando

> Missed Mini Moz.


That dude's selling off quite the collection ... the John Morton resophonic tricone tenor he had up last week was some serious eye candy. Sniff ... sigh ... 

Naw, I've just acquired the fiddle of my dreams AND a Bussmann mandola AND (probably) a Steve Andersen mandocello, so don't cry for me, Argentina.

----------


## mrmando

Holy cow, here's something you don't see every day.

----------


## thistle3585

What is the story behind Buckdancers. I have looked on their site several times for emandos but could never get anywhere. Do they not make them anymore?

----------


## jefflester

> Holy cow, here's something you don't see every day.


I wonder if it comes with an operating manual? :-)

----------


## delsbrother

Did he just rip the whole MIDI unit out of a Godin? If so, there's this..

----------


## delsbrother

No, it really _is_ a ukulele!

..or an emandola..

----------


## mrmando

Haven't seen one of those Tombos for a while. Cool, eh? Make a nice mandola at that scale length.

----------


## jefflester

I think this has been up before in the not-so-distant past:
Bacorn

----------


## delsbrother

You mean they made more than one of these???

----------


## mrmando

I've seen at least 3, maybe 4, of the St. Georges on eBay now. This one may have to take its place alongside Blondie...

----------


## mrmando

And just when you thought you'd seen everything...

----------


## delsbrother

There were a couple of weirdo Carvin emando-doublenecks at Guitar Center Hollywood a few months ago..

----------


## mrmando

Wow. Here's another early '30s National in great shape, with an interesting provenance. 

And I'm gaga over this Epiphone, but can anyone confirm that this is factory work and the electronics weren't added later by a well-meaning vivisectionist?

----------


## glauber

> And just when you thought you'd seen everything...


So... that's a mandobass?  

You can never have enough knobs, right?

----------


## delsbrother

Decisions, decisions..

----------


## delsbrother

Cheap Monteleone. OK, not a mandolin. But certainly ####.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

That body shape would make for a cool emando.

----------


## Keith Miller

looks interesting this one

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKENBACKER-5002v58-MANDOLIN-in-beautiful-Fireglo_W0QQitemZ290041353731QQihZ019QQcategory
Z41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">rickenbacker</a>

----------


## kyblue

Wow! That Rickenbacker is cool looking. I guess it's good that it's on the other side of the pond, another reason to not seriously consider it.

Paula

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

If you want to hear just how cool that Rick can sound, follow this link, click on "Watch it now", and select "Wicked Twisted Road". _Reckless Kelly's_ mandolinist/fiddler plays one of these Ricks, and to my ears it sort of sounds a little like a capo'd Tele, with a touch of a Rick 12-string's jingle-jangly sound (a la _The Birds_) thrown in.

----------


## kyblue

Jim,

Thanks!

I say that somewhat sarcastically. I love the song and the band (at least those three); I hate that I've found something else to want.

Oh, MAS. What a wicked, twisted road!!!

Paula

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Oh, MAS. #What a wicked, twisted road!!!


LOL!

BTW, in case you also suffer from CDAS, they have a new double-CD live set w/ a DVD (_"Reckless Kelly Was Here"_), and the audio and video both which feature Wicked Twisted Road, as well as several other tunes with the Rick.

----------


## jefflester

Hondo solidbody 8-string F

"INCLUDED IN THIS AUCTION IS THE ADAPTER WIRE FOR THE AMPLIFIER"

Woo hoo!

----------


## delsbrother

_Improvise. Adapt. Overcome._

New Jazzmando shirt slogan?

----------


## delsbrother

No Reserve Bacorn.

----------


## jefflester

Bud Ryan built 5-string (not listed at emando?). With a guitar, ta boot. :-)

Bud Ryan solid 5-string

----------


## mrmando

This is a new builder to me, too. Looks interesting.

----------


## mrmando

Yowza.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

> Yowza.


I own (and revere!) an older sister to this Jazzbo (reviewed on my website). This is an incredible instrument--well worth the price! Paul's instruments are a treat to eye and ear, and are a true pleasure to play.

----------


## jefflester

That Jazzbo auction could use some better (closeup) pictures.

----------


## hotclub

I've got an older digital camera that doesn't focus very close, but I've posted a few new pics... Better?

----------


## Kid Charlemagne

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-MADE-LES-PAUL-STYLE-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-FANCY_W0QQitemZ190054815247QQihZ009QQcategory
Z10179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Good God, this thing is hideous!</a>

The maker says he's close to his 250-instrument mark, and suggests that he "ought" to be charging at least $1200, but doesn't because no one on Ebay bids what anything is worth. Meanwhile, he's made the neck out of an old piece of cherry, scavenged an old P-bass pickup, and used a fretboard purchased off Ebay (by the looks of it, one of those pre-inlaid deals).

Personally, looks to me like the shipping charge pretty much covers what that instrument is worth.

Disabled vet or not, it looks like this thing was designed by a 4-year old with crayons.

----------


## mrmando

Ah yes, Mr. Allen Gerrell ... the topic of his instruments has surfaced many times before. Do you wonder why he charges a 20% restocking fee? Do you?

----------


## delsbrother

GD Armstrong e-CBOM

Love the tulip shape - like early Ricks!

----------


## jefflester

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-WITH-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-NECK_W0QQitemZ190057949229QQihZ009QQcategoryZ10
179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Doubleneck Tennessee</a>


<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/No-Reserve-Handmade-Solidbody-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ130055681364QQihZ003QQcategoryZ1  0
179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">No Name 4-string</a>

----------


## thistle3585

I built the bottom 4 string emando about two years ago. It was the second or third one I had built. I sold it on ebay to the current seller a year or more ago. It had a silver plastic pickup ring at one time. 

So far, I've seen two of my instruments come up on ebay. Is that a good thing or bad thing?

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Nice work, Thistle -- I really like the body shape, finish, and headstock shape. Do you have a web site?

----------


## thistle3585

Thanks Jim. I don't think that one is a good representation of my work now. Its clearly an early build. No, I don't have a website. I have thought about it, but just haven't found the time. For now, I have just been listing them on ebay, and occasionally selling or trading them in my area.

Andrew

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

What's your eBay ID? (To keep an eye out via my favorite sellers list.)

----------


## delsbrother

Good Lord!

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Good Lord!


Wonder if the owner drives one of these?

----------


## thistle3585

Jim, my ID is xroadswood. Incidentally, on the red one. I'm half tempted to buy it back just for the hardware and pickup. That alone is worth $120.00.

----------


## mrmando

Well, whaddaya know? Here's another one of Andrew's. This is a later build, correct?

Love that tricked-out J. Reynold. Those are rare ... only the second one I've ever seen.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Hey Andrew/Thistle -- I see you are from Columbus. I was born and bred in another SEC Conference town: Connersville (home of mediocre sports, except for that one team a generation that manages to win the state  :Wink: .

----------


## thistle3585

Well, that one team has a better chance now that they switched to class ball. That really ruined high school basketball in Indiana. Although, they still do a class championship amongst the four class champions, but its still not the same.  

And yes, Martin, I am cleaning out the stables to finance some more equipment. By the way, did you find a package sitting on your front step last week?

----------


## mrmando

I did! Thanks! Andrew sent me a couple of his 4-string bridges. Dunno what I'm going to do with them yet.

----------


## Django Fret

Ninth String E-mando

Wonder who will find this under the tree?

----------


## Mike Handley

"Wonder who will find this under the tree?"

Most likely someone who has been very naughty!

----------


## delsbrother

Dale would be amazed! There IS a ninth string!

----------


## thistle3585

I like the fact that an instrument made in 1985 is considered vintage. I noticed all his other items he sells are "vintage" also.

----------


## mrmando

That's a DeArmond pickup, of course, not whatever he calls it in the description. I get a kick out of the flattened tailpiece and the octave string on the D course. All this instrument needs is a Parsons-White B-bender.

No way it's worth $599.

----------


## jefflester

Lefty Redwood topped

----------


## jefflester

> That's a DeArmond pickup, of course, not whatever he calls it in the description.


_"De Amona H.N. Rowe & co Toledo USA"_ - he just couldn't read it well enough to come up with "De Armond." The DeArmond pickups were manufactured by the H.N. Rowe Company in Toledo and were sometimes (early on?) known as Rowe-DeArmond pickups.

----------


## mrmando

Well, he was close. 

The top on the lefty looks like leftover pizza.

----------


## Keith Miller

No mando but its about all that is missing )<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-CUSTOM-QUINT-NECK-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-WITH-HARD-CASE_W0QQitemZ190052361184QQihZ009QQcatego
ryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Why ??</a>

----------


## mrmando

Here's a 5-string by Stephen Reynolds. Know anything about him?

----------


## wichitamando

I've never heard of him. He apparently makes a really good looking mando though.

----------


## delsbrother

(Nearly) Headless.

----------


## FlawLaw

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Schwab-5-string-Deluxe-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ270074057582QQihZ017QQcategoryZ1  0179QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2700740  57582" target="_blank">Nice looking Schwab</a>

----------


## John Hill

Interesting:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-Handmade-in-TN-1-of-a-kind_W0QQitemZ250069085984QQihZ015QQcategoryZ2384Q
QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/ELECTRI....iewItem</a>

John

----------


## delsbrother

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Acoustic-MANDOLIN-Bakelite-Knob-ELECTRIC-PICKUP_W0QQitemZ250069719786QQihZ015QQcat
egoryZ10179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Kind of a fixer-upper...</a>

----------


## delsbrother

What was the consensus on <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1940S-EPIPHONE-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-RARE_W0QQitemZ300066885243QQihZ020QQcategoryZ1017
9QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">this thing?</a>

----------


## mrmando

I have a hard time believing that pickup on the Epiphone to be original factory work...

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Kind of odd knob placement as well.

----------


## jefflester

Some people will pay 10's of thousands of dollars for knob placement like that.

GIBSON SPF-5 (1938) at Elderly
(Well maybe not, since no one has actually bought it yet)


It does look pretty similar (pickup and knobs) to the Epiphone electric banjo that seller also has:
Epiphone Elec banjo

----------


## Joel Glassman

&gt;Kind of a fixer-upper... 

Looks like the player lost his flatpick and decided to use a icepick...

----------


## delsbrother

There can be only one...

----------


## Kid Charlemagne

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws...._widget

Another by this fellow.

And <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDMADE-SOLID-WOOD-ACOUSTIC-MANDOLIN-ONE-OF-A-KIND_W0QQitemZ190081650115QQihZ009QQcategor
yZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">another</a>.

I really get a kick out of some of the common themes in his auctions.

1) VET!!!!!

2) He does this as his only living / He has to make ends meet / He will die of starvation if you don't buy his "instruments"

3) Hand made = expectation of poor fit and finish. We all know those really nice mandolins were built by robots. Lynn Dudenbot and the like.

4) VET!!!!!

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws...._widget
> 
> Another by this fellow.
> 
> And <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDMADE-SOLID-WOOD-ACOUSTIC-MANDOLIN-ONE-OF-A-KIND_W0QQitemZ190081650115QQihZ009QQcategor
> 
> yZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">another</a>.
> 
> I really get a kick out of some of the common themes in his auctions.
> ...


He should have added that his children created his plans using crayons.

----------


## MandoSquirrel

"The making of this instrument took me 3 1/2 months to make"

The making of the instrument itself, hardly any time at all to slap stuff together.

----------


## michaell

I've never seen eight-on-a side before...

----------


## delsbrother

I'm a fan of funky, aesthetically challenged styling (especially on emandos), but he's kind of a little _too_ proud of his lack of craftsmanship for my taste.

Plus, how much must they reek of cigarettes that he has to actually _warn_ you about it? Kind of scary to think about.

----------


## jk245

> It does look pretty similar (pickup and knobs) to the Epiphone electric banjo that seller also has:
> Epiphone Elec banjo


This guy is a virtual music junk yard.
As per his ebay store, he is
Michael's Music
Freeport, Long Island, NY

On his site he says that he is a "Licensed and Bonded second hand dealer in the State of New York." 

I never before heard this strange statement.
New York State has strong laws pertaining to something called "pawn brokers". 
He appears to make an outright purchase but not a loan.

----------


## mrmando

> I've never seen eight-on-a side before...


Bob Brain from the UK did an 8-on-a-side emando. But yes, they are rare, as indeed they should be.

----------


## mrmando

> 2) He does this as his only living / He has to make ends meet / He will die of starvation if you don't buy his "instruments"


Allen comes in for a lot of criticism here. No doubt his stuff is poorly made, but at least all the caveats in his item descriptions give you a reasonable idea of what to expect. 

It looks like he spends part of his VA benefits on wood & parts and then tries to recoup the cost by selling the instruments. I guess I don't see the harm in his having a hobby. It's a lot better than what my alcoholic uncle did with _his_ VA benefits.

----------


## jk245

> Originally Posted by  (Kid Charlemagne @ Feb. 11 2007, 05:47)
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws...._widget
> 
> Another by this fellow.
> And <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDMADE-SOLID-WOOD-ACOUSTIC-MANDOLIN-ONE-OF-A-KIND_W0QQitemZ190081650115QQihZ009QQcategor
> 
> yZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">another</a>.
> I really get a kick out of some of the common themes in his auctions.
> ...



He says on the ebay listing:
"This mandolin is all solid woods. The top is all hand carved with a good arch to it. It is one solid piece of redwood."

Is this a California coastal redwood or a high Sierra redwood. It makes a difference in sound. I remember this when I dropped my dish on our redwood picnic table. 
It seems like a very soft wood for a mando.

----------


## Kid Charlemagne

> Originally Posted by  (Kid Charlemagne @ Feb. 11 2007, 08:47)
> 
> 2) He does this as his only living / He has to make ends meet / He will die of starvation if you don't buy his "instruments"
> 
> 
> Allen comes in for a lot of criticism here. No doubt his stuff is poorly made, but at least all the caveats in his item descriptions give you a reasonable idea of what to expect. 
> 
> It looks like he spends part of his VA benefits on wood & parts and then tries to recoup the cost by selling the instruments. I guess I don't see the harm in his having a hobby. It's a lot better than what my alcoholic uncle did with _his_ VA benefits.


True enough, it's not as if the photographs don't let you know exactly what you're getting in for.

I just think that the descriptions are vastly overblown from what the instruments, so to speak, are. If you were provided with a photo of a nicer instrument and that description (aside from the "hand made, so bad fit and finish" hogwash), you'd chalk it up to a builder who wasn't perhaps the greatest of writers, but could build a really nice mandolin.

Combined with the photographs of instruments that appear to be severely aesthetically challenged, and the warning that the maker is a smoker (??), it just looks sad.

Seriously, how can someone look at the shape of that "Les Paul-inspired" thing and not recognize the horrible problems of appearance alone? And the worst part is that is the second instrument of his that I've seen with that exact shape, which means that his template is what's really screwy.

Yeesh. _Caveat emptor_ never got such a workout as it has since Ebay made it possible for almost anyone to sell their handmade "instruments" online.

----------


## thistle3585

I would say that his description has evolved over time in response to questions and comments about his instrument. I agree with Martin. I think he is trying to be genuine in his description. More so than most of these guys comparing their instrument to a Gibson.
Personally, I'm glad to see his instruments on ebay. It makes mine that more attractive and easier to sell.

Andrew

----------


## delsbrother

...And yet, I still crave a Wishnevsky.

----------


## mrmando

Yeah, what happened to Steve? He was pretty up front about his stuff without making all the excuses/apologies that Allen does.

----------


## delsbrother

I dunno...

Speaking of mandos only I could love, here's a Carvin emando. Bunch of these around LA nowadays; but they're priced to the heavens.

----------


## clem

> Speaking of mandos only I could love, here's a Carvin emando. Bunch of these around LA nowadays; but they're priced to the heavens.


Not just you my friend, I love me some Carvin e-mando.:laugh: 
Clem

----------


## Mastersound

I'm with Andrew. It's easier for us to sell ours if other people's mandos look a bit agricultural or if they have Galveston on the headstock!

My eBay descriptions tend to evolve and become long winded too. By the time you've answered the same question 20 times you figure you might as well just include the info in the listing. You still get the tossers who go to the trouble to tell you that what you have for sale couldn't possibly be a mandolin becuse it only has 4 strings and doesn't look like something some famous dead bluegrass guy would have played, but I have a standard reply ready for cutting and pasting. ;-)

----------


## thistle3585

I've found that the more information I put in the more questions I get. I used to rate my finishes, because that was one area I recognized I struggled, but eventually gave up because people wanted very detailed photos of any finish issues, and then they would threaten to send it back. The last three I listed just the specs and haven't had anything but compliments. I think that some builders are self critical and are concerned about misrepresenting an item. Sometimes it comes across cheesy. 

Its an ever evolving process, and each one is better than the last which is why the price goes up each time.

----------


## mrmando

Is that a guitar on your mandolin, or are you just happy to see me?

----------


## MandoSquirrel

Wow, what an oddity!

----------


## mrmando

My guess: Builder already had an electric archtop guitar and didn't want to bother removing all the electronics to install them in the mandolin. Solution was to cut off the guitar neck, bolt the instruments together, mount the guitar's pickup on the mando (leaving the other electronics intact inside the guitar), and voila!

----------


## jefflester

A couple from the same store in Newberg, OR:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/5-String-Electric-Mandolin-Humbucker-Luthier-Built_W0QQitemZ150095661779QQihZ005QQcategory
Z10179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">RL Customs</a>





<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Electric-Mandolin-w-Case-GD-Armstrong-Luthier-Built_W0QQitemZ150095664365QQihZ005QQcategor
yZ10179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">GD Armstrong</a>

----------


## delsbrother

Five String Bacorn

----------


## delsbrother

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Double-Electric-Guitar-Mandolin-Very-Cool-Rare_W0QQitemZ220089524961QQcategoryZ119
094" target="_blank">Wacky doubleneck.</a>

----------


## Joel Glassman

And shoes to wear with your wacky doubleneck:
http://www.daddyos.com/retro/ldyshoe.jpg

----------


## mrmando

Sorta Jaguarish. Looks like the headstock is roughly as long as the fretboard...

I don't think I've had the pleasure before. Anyone recognize it? Japanese-looking sunburst and hardware.

----------


## Daniel Nestlerode

eesh.  If I bought it, I would take it to someone and have the headstock reduced. 

Daniel

----------


## Christian McKee

I have to admit that while I think it's pretty funny looking, I'm curious about the electronics package, for sure.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Perhaps a benefit of the headstock being nearly as big as the body: it serves as a counterbalance for the weight of the solid body.  :Wink:

----------


## mikeomando

Eight on a side, we hardly knew ye. Thank God...

----------


## mrmando

You'd be likely to get you some major sus-tain with that kind of mass in the headstock. You could strum a chord and go out for coffee.

----------


## delsbrother

Kinda Ovation/Steve Klein-ish e-Cittern. Just don't put too much pressure on that cutaway!

----------


## MandoSquirrel

"humbuckers wierd like a Les Paul with a Fender 3 way toggel. There is also a Fishman transducer pickup mounted in the bridge with it's own volume control and seperate input"

...so, does he think Les Pauls are weird, or did he mean "wired"? More interesting, the Fishman has "it's own volume control and seperate input" rather than Output; what does one plug INto the instrument?

----------


## mrmando

That cittern is at a local shop that always seems to dig up some weird stuff. Will try to get in there and play it.

----------


## MandoSquirrel

Actually, from the looks of it,if I had the $ and any reason(or excuse) to have such a thing, I might find that one tempting!

----------


## jefflester

Kentucky KM-300

----------


## mrmando

I wonder if the trapeze tailpiece helps this thing out in any way? (It's not original; they had a stock Gibson-style 2-piece tailpiece.)

----------


## delsbrother

OK guys, I think I have a winner here. While there are many strange e-mando/guit/lyr/dulci-whatevers on their site, BEHOLD the...

Banana Electric *Harp* Cittern (?)


I want it... But shipping + Euro exchange = way too expensive for what it is. 


ps Love the scroll on the "stem" end.

----------


## mikeomando

Why do I check this thread every day? Because it brings me joy. Thank you, delsbrother.

----------


## mrmando

Holy freakin' beans! Where has Cassandra Elk been all my life? She gets a one-way ticket to the Emando Hall of Sh/Fame!

----------


## Ted Eschliman

"Form follows function" sagt der Instrumentenbauer, aber hier hab´ ich alles außer Acht gelassen und drauflos gebaut. 

"Form follows function" says the instrument builder, but I ignored that completely and just built it."

Yup...

----------


## mrmando

Here's her Web site, but no citterns there, just guitars. I guess eBay is good enough for 8-string one-offs.

----------


## jefflester

> I guess eBay is good enough for 8-string one-offs.


Though she sure has a lot of them in her Ebay store store, many of them less radical and look like modified mini-guitars. I like the "Mockin`-dola".

----------


## mrmando

Couple of interesting Fender-related auctions here and here.

I wonder whether the painter chose her colors arbitrarily? Very few blue ones were made.

----------


## delsbrother

Cooooool Dano shorthorn!

----------


## jefflester

Handley - auction about to close

----------


## jefflester

Tennessee ? doubleneck

----------


## mrmando

Peavey e-mando here is almost certainly the former property of Cafe member Jim Nollman. Probably the only extant e-mando actually used to communicate with whales.

----------


## holdenzdad

Definitely looks like it - I traded Jim for it a couple months ago - Jim was upfront about the string spacing - when I got it, it wasn't a good fit - I sold it locally - seems like they are fishing with that price.

----------


## mrmando

Fishing, eh? Maybe if they catch something, they can feed the whales with it...

----------


## holdenzdad

Thanks for the chuckle!

----------


## delsbrother

OK, it doesn't have a pickup, but it should!

ps Good to know it came from a _highly educated_ previous owner...

----------


## wichitamando

The back on that is gorgeous!

----------


## jmkatcher

It's sort of Rigel G110ish.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Not one, but two mandocasters just listed:

1966 -- I think this is the same one that keeps popping up with an starting price of $2K.

1957 -- Their starting price for this one is $3K, so I guess they are counting on some Lawrence Welk fan paying a premiuim for it. (Apparently it was once owned by Neil LeVang of the LWO.  )

----------


## mrmando

If you buy the LeVang here in the Classifieds, it's $3.5K. Hm... 

A '57 in good condition might go for $3K regardless of who owned it. This one has a crumbling tuner button and the case is beat up, but the instrument looks good otherwise in the photo.

----------


## Joel Glassman

I was expecting a not-so-great design on the Peavey mando, but
the body looks rather nice...

----------


## delsbrother

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Wishnevsky-Five-String-Electric-Mandolin-Uke-Thing_W0QQitemZ150118781482QQihZ005QQcategory
Z4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Eyaggghh!</a>

----------


## thistle3585

If Paul wins that I don't think the airline is going to let him carry that on when he goes back to Thailand. I want to see its case.

----------


## PCypert

I don't know how I'll get that thing back or if I'll ever even try. As it is I'll be coming back to Thailand from my summer visit with a Zouk and a new mandolin if all goes as planned. This thing will get me flagged for sure  But for 11 bucks I had to try. lol

Paul

----------


## Jim M.

Be the first on your block to own a Goth-Metal 'zouk:
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Gothic-Metal-bouzouki-octave-mandolin-mandola_W0QQitemZ300106812730QQihZ020QQcategoryZ10  17
9QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">electro zouk</a>

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Paul, you could poke an eye out with that thing. I hope it comes with safety goggles.

----------


## mrmando

Any ideas about this one? 

It looks like the builder knew his/her stuff...

----------


## mrmando

Well, it's gone now, and I didn't win it. I thought, judging from the pickup placement, that it could just possibly have been built by Joe Glaser. In which case someone got a screamin' deal. But of course I have no proof.

----------


## delsbrother

I had to bid on this CUATRON.

----------


## mrmando

What's funny is it says "Ovation" in the description. Maybe the seller needs new reading glasses.

Not a bad price for an MM68 ... wonder what the reserve is?

----------


## delsbrother

Great price on a sweet little BC Rich Pentabass. 


Perfect for _Spinal Tapping_...

----------


## pklima

http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-....iewItem

Whatever a mandelon is it sure ain't pretty.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-....iewItem
> 
> Whatever a mandelon is it sure ain't pretty.


I didn't know Dr. Frankenstein built mandolins?

----------


## Tom C

Qoute: delsbrother" Great price on a sweet little BC Rich Pentabass. Perfect for Spinal Tapping..."

If you are a prety small person.......
It's a 9 Miniature Replica Model Guitar

----------


## mrmando

> http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-....iewItem
> 
> Whatever a mandelon is it sure ain't pretty.


5-string neck is definitely from a StewMac kit. Makes you wonder what they did with the rest of the kit. Strap looks like a dog leash, which might or might not be appropriate.

Niles baby, this one's for you!

----------


## delsbrother

> Qoute: delsbrother" Great price on a sweet little BC Rich Pentabass. Perfect for Spinal Tapping..."
> 
> If you are a prety small person.......
> It's a 9 Miniature Replica Model Guitar


Tom, that's what I meant by "little". I guess I should've said _Stonehenging._


The Tap

----------


## wichitamando

Never heard of a Contessa, but this is kind of cool. I like the soundholes.

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1972-Contessa-Klira-Framus-German-electric-mandolin_W0QQitemZ300115468704QQihZ020QQcategor

yZ10179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">1972 Contessa</a>

----------


## jmkatcher

I wish I had the money for this.

----------


## mrmando

Holy St. George...

Rono baritone reso (yeah, I bought it)

McHugh copy of ASR Minieball ... interesting story on this one

Update on the Rono auction: it's a fraud. Listing says the instrument's in Bethel, CT, and shipping is free. Now I'm being asked to send money to Shreveport, LA, and add $30 for shipping. Google reveals that Rono himself posted the same description and photos on Craig's List a few days ago. So what I'm looking at is copy & photos nicked from CL, posted using a hijacked eBay account, methinks.

----------


## mrmando

Here there be Alvarez. 

Und ein EM-200.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Looks like a company called Alden is importing the Tele-inspired mandocaster into the UK, and they offer more colors than Eastman currently does for the US:

Butterscotch

Seafoam green

Red

I emailed Eastman these links yesterday, asking them if they will be importing any of them into the US. I'm glad I haven't puchased one yet, as I hope they consider importing the Red or Seafoam color. (I can't make up my mind regarding which of these two I like better.  )

----------


## mrmando

Ooh. Me like the Seafoam. Only Alden I've seen before was a sunburst. These are PacRim built, then?

----------


## jmkatcher

They're just like the Eastwoods, only in different colors.

----------


## jefflester

> Und ein EM-200.


Seems like most of the recent ones (last year or two) have been in very good shape. Curious to see where this one goes since it's a little beat up and not completely original. That gouge on the top bass side near the tailpiece and the scrapes near the bridge look a little nasty. I may drive down and have a look at it. The reserve is higher than $1200. :-)

----------


## jefflester

> Originally Posted by  (mrmando @ June 21 2007, 00:21)
> 
> Und ein EM-200.
> 
> 
> Seems like most of the recent ones (last year or two) have been in very good shape. Curious to see where this one goes since it's a little beat up and not completely original. That gouge on the top bass side near the tailpiece and the scrapes near the bridge look a little nasty. I may drive down and have a look at it. The reserve is higher than $1200. :-)


This one's got a different (original?) pickguard. It wraps around the pickup, but it's not the curving pickguard of later years. Maybe this was an interim design between the pickguard not wrapping around and the curved one.

----------


## thistle3585

Great photos. I've never seen a shot of the bridge like that before. Do they intonate worth a darn? Doesn't seem to be compensated at all.

Andrew

----------


## jefflester

> Originally Posted by  (mrmando @ June 21 2007, 00:21)
> 
> Und ein EM-200.
> 
> 
> Seems like most of the recent ones (last year or two) have been in very good shape. Curious to see where this one goes since it's a little beat up and not completely original. That gouge on the top bass side near the tailpiece and the scrapes near the bridge look a little nasty. I may drive down and have a look at it. The reserve is higher than $1200. :-)


It went up to $1556 but reserve not met. I haven't managed to make it down there. From the condition I think the reserve was too high.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Anyone ever see one of these before? The description suggests it may be a vintage Japanese or Italian instrument, but it looks rather crude in the closeups, expecially regarding the pickup installation, bridge, pickguard, and fretboard.

----------


## Christian McKee

That looks just like the Russian/Soviet no names that are pictured on emando.com in the "no names" section. 

What we need is a 60 year old electric mandolinist from St. Petersburg...

Christian

----------


## jefflester

No mention in the description of whether those tuners actually work. The screws look completely disintegrated or corroded over.

----------


## delsbrother

*sniff sniff* One of those (we decided it was an eDomra, IIRC) was what started this thread, many moons ago...

----------


## mrmando

Yep. This seller is fairly knowledgeable about instruments, so I'm puzzled as to why he'd suggest it was "ready to go" when the tuning gears are such a mess.

----------


## thistle3585

> *sniff sniff* One of those (we decided it was an eDomra, IIRC) was what started this thread, many moons ago...


You know, if we posted the photos instead of the links we sure would have a nice electric archive with pricing to boot. Then we could look back and say, "Boy, remember when that edomra went for $8.00 and now they're going for $16.00. If only I had gotten it then."

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Originally Posted by  (delsbrother @ June 28 2007, 16:59)
> 
> *sniff sniff* One of those (we decided it was an eDomra, IIRC) was what started this thread, many moons ago... 
> 
> 
> You know, if we posted the photos instead of the links we sure would have a nice electric archive with pricing to boot. #Then we could look back and say, "Boy, remember when that edomra went for $8.00 and now they're going for $16.00. #If only I had gotten it then."


Good idea -- moving forward, I'll post pics with my auction links, starting now. (Hmmmm, I wonder if we should follow up with the final price of the auction for archival/reference purposes?)

----------


## mrmando

Well, the seller says the tuners still work despite the rust, and is insisting that this is a lefty even though it's strung righty. I have seen four of these beasts on eBay (assuming some of them weren't duplicates) and they all have the knobs in the same place. Don't know that it's so much lefty setup as it is bad design.

----------


## mrmando

The infamous Sorina doubleneck. One of the coolest of the Asian factory electrics. This is at least the 3rd time on eBay for this instrument; seller is the guy who bought it the first time. (Same seller as the e-domra.) I think his kid played it in a rock band for a year or so. Guess it didn't sell the second time it was up.

Also a cool '56 blonde Mandocaster with slab body. Might actually sell even though the starting bid is on the high side.

----------


## 12 fret

The listing for the Sorina says its a copy of a Gibson. Anybody seen an even remotely similar Gibson?

----------


## mrmando

No. Imaginative fellow, that seller. Just because some joker stuck a couple of Gibson decals on that instrument (they were there before he bought it) doesn't make it a Gibson copy.

Update: Looks like eBay canceled his auction (again) for making too much of the Gibson decals. Some guys never learn.

----------


## delsbrother

Lefty Kent!

----------


## mrmando

Nine frets? I guess that's all some people need. It's not fretless, but it's half fretless!

And the infamous Sorina finally returns. I predict: if eBay doesn't pull this ad again because the seller insists on calling it a "Gibson model," then the seller himself will pull it when he realizes he forgot to set a reserve price.

----------


## mrmando

> Lefty Kent!


Righty Kent!

A mirror-image pair. Except for the mods on the righty. The seller doesn't mention it, but that's not an original bridge.

----------


## delsbrother

Longer scale length = reduced string tension?

----------


## mrmando

Um, no. In fact, quite the opposite, all other things being equal. If you don't change the gauge of the string or the pitch to which it is being tuned, but you add an inch to the scale length, then there will be MORE tension on the string when it is brought to pitch.

That's why you want a set of light-gauge strings if you're going to try to tune one of these Kents as a standard mandolin.

----------


## delsbrother

Yeah, I was responding to the "prose" in the ad... My fingertips certainly agree with your statements!

----------


## mrmando

Oh...
Gotcha.
You have one of these, don'tcha Darrell?

----------


## delsbrother

Yeah, I got a white one awhile back. Real cheese slicer at standeard pitch; positively _grunge-inducing_ at emandola tuning. The one in the ad has a nicely flamed back, though...

One of these days I'm going to have to post some pix in the "groupings" thread. With my recent purchase of a pancake mandola, I now have enough instruments to have both electric and acoustic mandolin quartets! I don't know if that's something to be proud of... 

Now I need a multitrack recorder.

----------


## mrmando

I figure the Kent 744 would be an ideal instrument for Yank Rachell tuning...

----------


## delsbrother

Strat Style e-OM, CHEAP!

I've seen this one up many times with no takers. Not sure if it's the distance/shipping, or the mini guitar neck, or (for me) what looks like too wide string spacing... Or the fact as mentioned above I have too many instruments I don't play enough... But FWIW never seen a three pickup emando in this scale length. Wouldn't be hard to swap in a five way switch, too. I wonder how many polepieces are under there.

----------


## delsbrother

OK Martin, whattdyaknow about this one?

----------


## mrmando

I know what's in the eBay ad, and not a thing more. What a fantastic crazy instrument. I don't know why, but I find stuff like that very appealing. 

I know the gentleman who bought the Bell&Head Strat-style e-OM from Germany, and I asked him to let me know what he thinks of it when it arrives.

----------


## delsbrother

I think emando.com ought purchase and re-release those albums! I'd buy one, at least!

----------


## Christian McKee

That's pretty cool! By coincidence, I was the first of five generations in my family to be born somewhere other than Placerville. Who knew there was a regional electric mandolin tradition? I've got email pending to some family members to see if I can dig anything else up on this guy.

Christian

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

A new <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-WITH-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-NECK_W0QQitemZ190131571750QQihZ009QQcategoryZ10

179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Tennessee double-neck</a>

----------


## Kid Charlemagne

> A new <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-WITH-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-NECK_W0QQitemZ190131571750QQihZ009QQcategoryZ10
> 
> 
> 
> 179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Tennessee double-neck</a>


Sometimes I think makers just completely eschew any sense of aesthetics or style when they build these things.

I'm sure there are folks out there who appreciate instruments that are that ugly, but I can't for the life of me imagine that there are enough of them to make it worthwhile. It would seem that if you could build one of those, you could probably manage a better design that would do the same thing and not look like two necks stuck on a melted guitar.

----------


## Martin Jonas

> I know the gentleman who bought the Bell&Head Strat-style e-OM from Germany, and I asked him to let me know what he thinks of it when it arrives.


I'm not that gentleman, but I've also just bought one of them -- at less than half the price of the one linked in the previous post, I'm pleased to say. Unlike the other one, this one has a "Cassandra Elk" logo on the headstock.

Link

I'll have this sent to my parents in Germany (I'm in the UK), who live very close to the seller, so I'll only get it when I visit them in September. I'll report what I think.

I suspect that it's basically a modified mini guitar, but I'll see whether the pickups have been changed from six-pole to four-pole. It's so little money, I thought it's worthwhile to satisfy my curiosity.

From the seller's other item descriptions, it seems that he or she is involved in the rather weird but incredibly popular music genre of German Medieval (which is rather a mis-nomer, as it's really a crossover of goth metal and Fairport Convention-style electric folk-rock), so the eight-stringers are intended as gothy electric versions of folk instruments. Seems they have some professionals in that genre playing their instruments, so I would hope there is some sort of quality control and setup involved.

Martin

----------


## delsbrother

Wow, I didn't make the connection with the Elk and her instruments. Whodathunkit, TEKNO actually alive and well in Germany.

----------


## Django Fret

Interesting old Framus Electric Mandolin

----------


## delsbrother

That Framus mando is COOL!

Check out the PICKUP on this baby!

----------


## Martin Jonas

> Wow, I didn't make the connection with the Elk and her instruments. Whodathunkit, TEKNO actually alive and well in Germany.


Having communicated with "Cassandra Elk", I can now say that it's a "he", actually -- an ex-pat Brit living in Germany.

There's an interview with him (in German) here, mostly about the strange mandola/waldzither/dulcimer hybrid he's built, and he has a homepage here (also in German only). Looks like the more conventional instruments are modified Tele or Strat copies (which was sort of obvious anyway) and the more homemade-looking ones are from reclaimed waste timber.

Incidentally, for those who are curious, here are a few Youtube clips from this rather pantomime genre (these bands have loads more clips on Youtube, if you search for them, and there are dozens more bands like it):

Subway To Sally
Subway To Sally 2
Schandmaul

Martin

----------


## mrmando

> Having communicated with "Cassandra Elk", I can now say that it's a "he", actually -- an ex-pat Brit living in Germany.


Would that be Stu Bilcock, then?

----------


## delsbrother

MartinJ, I hate to make generalizations because I can't speak the language, but I get nervous when I see skinheads shout-singing in German... Especially when it's translated as:

_Blood blood thiefs are drinking Blood
Robbery murdering and attacks are good
High from the Gallow you hear it
High from the Gallow you hear it
Robbery murdering and attacks are good_

In short:

Goth chick on eviolin w/leather boots = good
Topless male piper = not so good
Skinhead guys in furs = yikes.

Is this genre ultra right-wing/racist? If so I'm not quite so sure I want to look into it*.  I certainly hope not; any genre that can at least tangentially be linked to a banana shaped harp-e-cittern has to have some redeeming qualities...

TEKNO = LOVE #

*then again, a lot of speed metal in this country is full of racist #### as well...

----------


## Martin Jonas

> Is this genre ultra right-wing/racist? If so I'm not quite so sure I want to look into it*.  I certainly hope not; any genre that can at least tangentially be linked to a banana shaped harp-e-cittern has to have some redeeming qualities...
> 
> TEKNO = LOVE 
> 
> *then again, a lot of speed metal in this country is full of racist #### as well...


This scene has really come up in the last ten years or so, and I haven't lived in Germany since 1993, so I'm probably not the right person to ask about the sociography of their fans. In the songs I've linked, and in the (few) other songs I've heard from these particular bands, there are no racist or nationalist connotations -- the particular song you've translated is a mock-ancient take-off of murder ballads and the like, nothing more sinister than that (the song is called "Julia and the Robbers" and this lyric fragment seems to be the robber's chorus), and the unison chanting seems fairly untypical of the genre (I haven't seen it in any other clips). I find the genre dubious on musical grounds, as I don't think the synthethis between the folk elements and the metal/goth elements is particularly successful, but not on idealogical grounds. It's fun in small doses, but I wouldn't listen to an entire album.

I can't vouch for the entire genre, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if there is some fringe overlap with racist speed metal groups, but I as far as I can tell from some web searches (as I say, I don't live in Germany) there is no particular association in the media or blog coverage of this music with racist lyrics or with neo-nazi supporters, in contrast to the goth metal scene, which does have these associations. The Youtube clips are concert footage transmitted by the public TV broadcasters (Germany's equivalent of the BBC), which wouldn't happen if they were thought to be racist or right wing. Also, the audience one sees in these clips is not a skinhead or goth audience, but fairly mainstream German kids (these bands are top-ten album chart acts!). So, I think (and hope) that you've misinterpreted the connotations. However, in the end I know barely more about them than you do, except that I have the advantage of being a native German speaker.

Mr Mando: yes, "Cassandra Elk" is Stu Bilcock.

Martin

----------


## delsbrother

Thanks, MartinJ. I apologize for being so stereotypical.

----------


## Martin Jonas

No problem. Having just looked at the clips again, what strikes me is that this is fundamentally _happy_ music -- think Spinal Tap meets A Mighty Wind -- and that the bands and the audience are having good fun. Silly, yes, sinister, no. There are MySpace pages with blurbs in English:

Schandmaul (musically the more interesting one, really, but without mando)
Subway To Sally

As far as the visual image is concerned, maybe this clip is less disturbing (if more off-topic in this thread):

Schandmaul unplugged (with string section)

To bring this back to mando-related stuff, here is Cassandra Elk's "Subway To Sally" signature model 8-string cittern. 

Martin

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> ...To bring this back to mando-related stuff, here is Cassandra Elk's "Subway To Sally" signature model 8-string cittern. 
> 
> Martin


That reminded me of this one-of-a-kind emando built by this guy in Australia...

----------


## mrmando

Obviously Ingo Hampf of S2S deserves a page on emando.com. I already have a page for his Kreuchwig tripleneck...

What's the red thing on the Elk photo?

Hardly anything is one-of-a-kind except the Beswick, and who knows? Another of those might turn up someday.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Hardly anything is one-of-a-kind except the Beswick, and who knows? Another of those might turn up someday.


True enough -- thanks to the internet, one-of-a-kind status for anything interesting is likely to be short-lived. (However, on opccassion we've all seen some b*tt-ugly handmade instruments on eBay, that are unlikely to be copied by anyone else.  :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

> (However, on opccassion we've all seen some b*tt-ugly handmade instruments on eBay, that are unlikely to be copied by anyone else.


Except by the guy who made the first one!

----------


## Martin Jonas

> What's the red thing on the Elk photo?


I suspect it might be a backstage pass -- from the Elk web site I gather that this was an early prototype which the band signed for the maker when he visited them backstage after a gig on their "unplugged" tour, where they were playing it. The versions currently on sale (at the Ebay link in my previous message) look rather sleeker. He also refers to "lots of hidden secrets inside the body", whatever that means (maybe a resonator of some kind). It's also designed to be alternatively played standing up like a guitar or mandola, or flat on a table like a dulcimer or zither.

Martin

----------


## mrmando

So Martin, did you catch the maker's real name? When these instruments first appeared on eBay, they were credited to Joe Buckler and Stewart Bilcock:

http://www.emando.com/builders/Buckler_Bilcock.htm

----------


## Martin Jonas

A man of many names, clearly. The e-mails I got were sent from an e-mail adress starting with "cassandraelk@...", had "Joe Buckler" in the "From:" field and were signed by "Stuart Bilcock". Subsequent e-mails were signed "Stu". I think Bilcock is the actual maker: his name appears in the postal address given by Ebay and, probably more reliably, as the responsible person in the legalese disclaimer on the Elk web page (under German law, all web page owners are well-advised to have a disclaimer like this with the address of a traceable real person). Everything on the web page and the Ebay listing is written in the singular "I", not plural "we", so I think there's only one actual builder. No idea where the name "Joe Buckler" fits in. Maybe another pseudonym just like "Cassandra Elk".

Martin

----------


## Martin Jonas

> Obviously Ingo Hampf of S2S deserves a page on emando.com. I already have a page for his Kreuchwig tripleneck...


Looks like he plays that Kreuchwig tripleneck in this clip. Some nice close-ups. Quite a beast!

Martin

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Originally Posted by  (jimmacd @ July 28 2007, 16:29)
> 
> (However, on opccassion we've all seen some b*tt-ugly handmade instruments on eBay, that are unlikely to be copied by anyone else. 
> 
> 
> Except by the guy who made the first one!


LOL!

----------


## delsbrother

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/FRAMUS-ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-W-CASE-STRINGS-COOL_W0QQitemZ250149176163QQcmdZViewItem?
hash=item250149176163" target="_blank">Another Framus Catseye.</a>

----------


## Django Fret

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-KENT-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-1960S-VERY-KOOL_W0QQitemZ200136700613QQihZ010QQcategoryZ101

79QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">60"s Kent</a>

----------


## mrmando

All right, which one of you turkeys outbid me on the Kent?

That would look nice next to Blondie.

----------


## delsbrother

Not me. That looks just like mine, tho. Wait a minute, better check under my bed...

----------


## mrmando

Ooooooh... a minty fresh '56 Mandocaster. 

A certain dealer has one of these that isn't nearly this nice, and wants more than this for it. I'm just sayin'.

Also a cool '58 burst in good shape, but unfortunately caseless.

----------


## Ted Eschliman

Intriguing: <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Jazz-Mandola-Prototype-Benedetto-jazz-pickup-case_W0QQitemZ160146051325QQihZ006QQcategoryZ
10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Jazz Mandola Prototype</a>.

----------


## Ken Sager

They saw you coming, Ted!

----------


## mrmando

Well, I finally slew the E-MAS dragon with this St. George.

The last one to sell had a busted headstock and the electronics were toast, and it went for more than this! 

Someone's listed one a couple of times starting at $500, and of course it didn't get any bids.

----------


## mikeomando

Congrats on the St. George, mrmando. I thought seriously about bidding on it, but then decided to pay the rent. Another foolish decision.
I saw 4 mandocasters on the wall of a huge guitar store here in Chicago last week. They had a 50's one that looks just like the one on Ebay. They were asking $7000. I held it in my hands. It didn't feel like $7000.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Did it feel like $3198?

----------


## KNP String Band Mando

The morgan monroe dola is sweet looking, except for the headstock that says Morgan Monroe, and isnt the headstock backwards(big scroll on bass side)?? weird.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Did it feel like $3198? #


Correction: did it feel like $2,799? (The price dropped on the eBay blonde  :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

Alex Gregory, who's a bit of a fanatic about Mandocasters, says the '58s and '59s are more desirable. I guess those are the only two years where you get a contour body and a maple neck. Apparently the slab-body instruments, like the blonde on eBay, aren't as comfortable to play.

----------


## mikeomando

I think it was either a '56 or a '58. Old strings, out of tune, looks like the one that is now $2799 on Ebay, except it is more 'distressed'. I tried to tune it, and the neck was maple and chunky, for lack of a better word. Thick and rounded. It has that vintage mojo, which is worth it for some people, but maybe not so much for me. I think a vintage mandocaster probably won't sell for $2800, but I've been wrong before. Ask anyone...

----------


## mikeomando

And, of course, somebody bought it for $2799 after my last post. If it's a cafe member, post a review. That's the most I've seen a mandocaster go for.

----------


## mrmando

Well, St. George galloped up to my door today. 

The seller had simply wrapped the case in bubble wrap, taped some butcher paper around that, and taken it to the post office. He did make a halfhearted attempt to cushion the headstock by sticking an old FedEx bubble mailer around it. But there was still plenty of room for the headstock to move around in the case. The bubble mailer did a nice job of catching the headstock scroll when it broke off. 

Note: This is after I sent the seller a link to Frank Ford's page on packing guitars for shipment, which he completely ignored. 

No insurance tag on the package, but it wouldn't matter, because this is 100% the seller's fault. Dang. That's two instruments shipped to me in a week with damage (the other one is obviously the result of rough handling by UPS, and we already have a claim going). 

What would you guys do, in my shoes?

----------


## delsbrother

Wow, what a shame. Personally I'd ask for a refund and send it back. Or ask for money back from them for the repair. But if s/he was so clueless before I don't know how they'd respond. If you like it (and you say you're happy with the price) then I'd say glue it back on and give them negative feedback. If you used PayPal I think there's a way to get a little money back, but I'm not sure if you have to give up the mando.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

That's a bummer, and I'm with DB on this: I would work with the seller for a refund if you want to return it, or for a partial refund to cover repairs if you want to keep it -- and escalate to Paypal and eBay if the seller is uncooperative. (Note: from previous experience, even if it was shipped insured, there is a risk that the shipper might not honor the insurance claim due to the ###### job of packing the instrument.)

----------


## mrmando

Well, seller says it's his first time shipping an instrument, and that the Postal Service actually advised him to pack it this way. (Now if only he'd bothered to insure it, he'd have a claim!) Says he didn't see the link about packing that I sent him. Silly me, I shoulda made sure he'd seen it before I paid. 

Asked for a photo and a repair estimate, and seems willing to give back some dough, so I'll probably keep the instrument and go that route. Seller did threaten to reciprocate any negative feedback he got -- which is bogus; my part in the transaction was fulfilled when I sent the money. 

Lesson 1: Never assume your seller knows what he's doing. Lesson 2: Never assume the Postal Service or a shipping company knows how to pack instruments. I bought a mandolin from a certain Cafe member; said member dropped it off at some mom & pop packaging place to be shipped to me; the packaging place found a box a little bigger than the case, stuck the case in it, and sent it via UPS with NO PACKING MATERIAL OR CUSHIONING OF ANY KIND. Fortunately the mandolin survived. 

I'm bidding on another nice instrument that as of this writing is an astronomical deal, thousands below its value, and I get the impression the seller isn't experienced with handling instruments. If I win, you can bet this seller is going to get detailed shipping instructions from me, and must indicate that he/she has read them, before I fork over a dime.

----------


## jefflester

Pretty wine red Old Town

----------


## Keith Miller

this on ebay UK

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-electro-acoustic-electric-MANDOLIN-with-hard-case_W0QQitemZ190144300110QQihZ009QQcate
goryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Amazing mandolin</a>

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> this on ebay UK
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-electro-acoustic-electric-MANDOLIN-with-hard-case_W0QQitemZ190144300110QQihZ009QQcate
> 
> 
> 
> goryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Amazing mandolin</a>


I've seen one of these before, also on UK eBay, about two years ago I think. (In the same green/blue color as the one on Martin's web site in the inactive builders section.)

----------


## jim simpson

Check out this Ebay mandolin/guitar/Item number: 190122413863
The seller has a lot of dual instrument combos:

----------


## Martin Jonas

1962 Mandocaster in white.

Martin

----------


## Martin Jonas

> this on ebay UK
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-electro-acoustic-electric-MANDOLIN-with-hard-case_W0QQitemZ190144300110QQihZ009QQcate
> 
> goryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Amazing mandolin</a>


I put in what I thought was a low-ball bid, and won it. So, this is going to come my way. I don't really have an idea of whether it's going to be nice, as all I know about it is what the seller says, and Martin's page on Amazing at Emando.com. Unfortunately, using a word like "Amazing" as your brand name is spectacularly Google-unfriendly: the term "Amazing Musical Instrument Company" gives only one useful hit (a not entirely favourable review of their violin) and any suitably wider search terms such as "Amazing Musical Instrument" or "Amazing mandolin" gives hundreds of thousands.

However, I do like the looks rather a lot, and I think that this colour looks much classier than the green in the Emando picture. I also like the concept: basically a solid-body acoustic mandolin. I figure that a decent piezo pickup costs around 100 Pounds in the UK, so the price I paid for a well-made (judging from the photos) instrument with a (hopefully) decent pickup and hard case can't be bad.

Martin

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Be sure to give us a review once your receive it Martin -- I for one am jealous, as that is a wicked looking little axe.

----------


## tannisroot

Here's one: #_&lt;inappropriate posting deleted by moderator&gt;_

----------


## mrmando

Geez, tannisroot, that's another posting violation. Get a clue. You're not supposed to post links to your own auction.

----------


## mrmando

In other news, once a year or so, the rare National Silvo comes out to bask in the sun on eBay. 

There's also one for sale at Sylvan Music in Santa Cruz, which is where I got mine. I wonder who their source is? 

NFI in either, natch.

----------


## delsbrother

That's a neat case - does yours look like that, Martin? I wonder if all the "pear shaped" instruments came in triangular cases like that (but with different neck lengths). I've always seen these thrown in banjo cases.

----------


## mrmando

Yes, in fact, that is the original case and I have one just like it. But the first Silvo I saw in person did live in a banjo case.

I used to have a Triolian mando (traded it for the Silvo) and now I can't remember if it had the original case or not. My Triolian tenor (not a pear shape) came in a cheap, disintegrating chipboard number.

----------


## John Hill

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Rouge-Double-neck-Mandolin-Guitar_W0QQitemZ220147579101QQihZ012QQcategoryZ414  23QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Now here's a winner!</a>

----------


## mrmando

Ah yes, the Michael Bolt-On signature model.

----------


## Martin Jonas

I've just received the two Ebay e-mandos I mentioned above, i.e. the Cassandra Elk strat-type octave e-mando and the Amazing solid body piezo thingy.

I'll post some photos in the pictures section later, but first impressions are:

Cassandra Elk:

Considering the price, this is surprisingly well-made and setup. Clearly, all the components are stock parts with some minimal customisation, but they seem well-chosen and go together well. The neck is a mini guitar neck, with a recut guitar nut. It's unfinished and really smooth and comfy, radiussed fretboard, nice low action, truss rod. The bridge is a modified bass bridge, taking ball-end strings. No idea about the pickups: the black plastic cover won't come off easily, so I can't see whether it's six-pole, four-pole or blade. Volume is pretty balanced across the four courses, though, maybe just a touch too quiet on the lowest course, which may be because of the heavy gauge .056" strings rather than the pickups. It's debatable whether having three pickups really works: the neck and centre pickups sound identical to me, so although there is a proper five-way switch, four of the positions sound almost the same and only the use of the bridge pickup is significantly different. It is a nice fat tone, though, and through my cheapo 15W Orange practice amp sounds pretty powerful to me whether clean or distorted. I suspect that Mr Bilcock installed the pickups himself, rather than just using the entire mini-Strat body with all the stock electronics: the white cover plate is clearly home-cut and has slightly rough edges that one wouldn't see on a factory instrument.

The biggest problem with this instrument is the neck width: it's a guitar neck and has a guitar neck width, which is somewhat uncomfortable for people used to typical OM/zouk necks. It's not the widest guitar neck ever, and it's not too much of an imposition, but not ideal. Understandable, though: narrowing that neck would throw all of the standard components used in assembly out of balance and would require much more extensive (and expensive) modifications.

All in all, for the price I paid (99 Euro), this is amazing value and great fun! I've seen them offered at Ebay UK and US for a good deal more than twice that price, and then it gets a bit more marginal. Still, there's not much competition in the eight-string electric OM market, so this is probably the default choice.

Amazing:

I've only just unpacked this and haven't plugged it in yet. First impressions: nicely made instrument, very sleek if perhaps a bit redder than in the Ebay photos. Korian nut, radiussed ebony fretboard, standard adjustable rosewood bridge. The tailpiece takes loop-end strings, which surprises me as I thought it would take ball-ends. There's a stamped serial number (257) and a transfer-printed logo. Haven't opened the pickup cavity yet, where there may be a label, too. Looks pretty immaculate, anyway -- I haven't plugged it in yet, so can't say anything about the tone. As it's a piezo, it may take well to playing through my Pandora PX4A acoustic effects box -- let's see.

Martin

----------


## delsbrother

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the reviews. Just from the pix on the auction that string spacing between courses on the Elk looked a little wide to me. Now that you've confirmed it (and since you've said you don't really experience the "in-between" tones associated with a 3 pickup instrument) I'll know to steer clear of these.

Meanwhile back on the 'Bay, for some reason I found <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Crafter-M75-E-Mandolin-acoustic-electric-round-hole-BAG_W0QQitemZ330165330074QQihZ014QQcat



egoryZ10179" target="_blank">this one</a> strangely attractive.

----------


## mrmando

yipes, don't bid on that second one. she needs it more than you do.

----------


## Christian McKee

Well _that_ was unexpected. I did find myself reading the seller's statement very carefully to make sure I know what I'd be bidding on...

Christian

----------


## delsbrother

> yipes, don't bid on that second one. she needs it more than you do.


Yeah, I think this thread is as much about how people use eBay as it is about emandos. Sorry if I offended anyone with that second link. I removed it - you'll just have to find it yourselves!

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC-8-AND-10-STRING-NECK-MANDOLIN_W0QQitemZ190135942046QQihZ009QQcategor
yZ10179" target="_blank">Here's another one (or is that two)</a> to redeem myself.

----------


## Martin Jonas

> Thanks for the reviews. Just from the pix on the auction that string spacing between courses on the Elk looked a little wide to me. Now that you've confirmed it (and since you've said you don't really experience the "in-between" tones associated with a 3 pickup instrument) I'll know to steer clear of these.


It is pretty wide, but one gets used to it. Nut width is 41mm (1-11/16") and string spacing is 33mm (1-3/8").

Having experimented a bit with my amp and that five-way switch, I would now say that there is a distinct difference between the neck and centre pickups after all, so the switch does give you some tonal variety.

I've posted some photos of the Elk and the Amazing here

Martin

----------


## mrmando

DjangoFret, some folks might find your post offensive. Darrell already deleted his link to this same auction. 

Just because some eBayer has bad taste doesn't mean we have to drag it into this thread.

I mean, if I never see another Fender FM-52E in my life, it'll be too soon.

----------


## Django Fret

> DjangoFret, some folks might find your post offensive. Darrell already deleted his link to this same auction. 
> 
> Just because some eBayer has bad taste doesn't mean we have to drag it into this thread.
> 
> I mean, if I never see another Fender FM-52E in my life, it'll be too soon.


In that case, consider it deleted.

----------


## Keith Miller

electro harp mando. from the bay

----------


## Django Fret

Here is a newer, four-string <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Left-Handed-Ryder-Electric-Octave-Mandolin-EOM-44_W0QQitemZ250166173840QQihZ015QQcategoryZ


2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Left Handed Ryder</a>

----------


## jefflester

> DjangoFret, some folks might find your post offensive. Darrell already deleted his link to this same auction. 
> 
> Just because some eBayer has bad taste doesn't mean we have to drag it into this thread.
> 
> I mean, if I never see another Fender FM-52E in my life, it'll be too soon.


Maybe it should go in the women with mandolins picture thread?

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Originally Posted by  (mrmando @ Sep. 15 2007, 13:19)
> 
> DjangoFret, some folks might find your post offensive. Darrell already deleted his link to this same auction. 
> 
> Just because some eBayer has bad taste doesn't mean we have to drag it into this thread.
> 
> I mean, if I never see another Fender FM-52E in my life, it'll be too soon. 
> 
> 
> Maybe it should go in the women with mandolins picture thread? #


I suspect the objection was more about the picture's _plywood_ content. #

----------


## Django Fret

> I mean, if I never see another Fender FM-52E in my life, it'll be too soon.


Maybe it should go in the women with mandolins picture thread? #[/quote]
I suspect the objection was more about the picture's _plywood_ content. #[/QUOTE]
I'm just glad it wasn't a Crafter mandolin!

----------


## delsbrother

Tell us what you really think about your latest ebay emando purchase.

----------


## mrmando

What gets me is that there's actually a bid on it.

You could hang it on a wall and say it's from Picasso's Late Frustrated Period.

----------


## ilovemyF9

Ouchhhhh! I would not touch it for .25 cents. Or better still maybe I should buy it and do the old Brooklyn, NY street trick. Your on the corner and as a car passes you, you knock on the side of the car and give out a BIG, "Oh S@#$!!!"OHHHHH OWWWW Oh the Pain , wait, if you are in Brooklyn it would be more like " EHHH da pain, Jesus H. Christmas DA pain." Then you bring out this baby and say' Jez look at what you did to my NEW EXPENSIVE Mandolin. It is in 2 pieces. Its all broken. Then you lay on the big Oscar Winning acting role. You go up and down the corner, DAAAA PAIN, DAAAA PAIN." Now you tell the poor person, "oh, man if you give a $100 I will forget about and get my Mandolin Fixed" Let me/us know how much you got out of the poor soul........??? 

(ALL IN JEST, OF COURSE....)

----------


## delsbrother

Why this thread is here.

----------


## mikeomando

Another reason why this thread is here.
NFI, which is a shame whenever 10 large is in play...

----------


## Antlurz

> _Now you tell the poor person, "oh, man if you give a $100 I will forget about and get my Mandolin Fixed" Let me/us know how much you got out of the poor soul........???_


$700. It was going really good till I picked the same taxi twice.  

Ron

----------


## ilovemyF9

Hey up, Ron- 700 Large. Nice work old-boy!! Yeah, those Taxi cabs can sure look alike. Oh well, better luck next time....

----------


## Turner Burner

> Pretty wine red Old Town


hey i bought this one! i sent it back to doug for a check up, and to install some custom split block fret inlay. it's a beauty ...

btw, this is the second Old Town that I've got and really enjoy them. Doug does great work - look him up at www.oldtown-mandolins.com .

Turner

----------


## delsbrother

Definitely not a Celloblaster.

Nor is this.

Hey, they might actually sound good! But they sure aren't much to look at...

IIRC Joel Eckhaus was thinking about building similar tenor conversion necks for bolt on guitars like Strats. Anyone ever try one?

----------


## Django Fret

Another <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Wishnevsky-Eight-String-Electric-Octave-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ150169163688QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4

713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Wishevsky Eight String Electric Octave</a>

----------


## delsbrother

Well, THAT'S typical!

----------


## Django Fret

A couple of Carvins: one with and one without guitar attached.

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1961-VINTAGE-CARVIN-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-MANDOLIN-DOUBLENECK_W0QQitemZ220161629911QQihZ012QQcat
egoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">with</a>

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1960-VINTAGE-CARVIN-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-BIGSBY-STYLE-RARE_W0QQitemZ220161625871QQihZ012QQcat
egoryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">without</a>

----------


## delsbrother

That guy has a LOT of nice stuff in his store (on Sunset in Hollywood's "Guitar Row"). I once went in and he had 4-5 Weissenborns on his wall... I haven't heard very many nice things about him though - especially from the steel guitar community. I've gone in several times looking at ukes (he has a nice selection of the old plastic Maccaferris), and his staff hasn't been especially friendly. YMMV. FWIW, he has several Carvins for sale, as does Guitar Center a couple of doors down from him.

----------


## mrmando

Whoa...

A re-necked Mary Kay Mandocaster...

----------


## MandoSquirrel

Wonder how intonation & whatnot are, 2 strings coming off one saddle position like that? Interesting alternative to the classic Fender single stringer.

----------


## Martin Jonas

That bridge looks terrible, and the neck clashes badly with the mandocaster aesthetics. I suspect people will take issue with the seller's assertion that the four-string configuration "has limited usability" compared to the eight-string.

Martin

----------


## clem

More like "butchered" Mandocaster! There are plenty of examples from which to craft a reasonable replacement neck, as opposed to slapping on a mediocre 8 string neck that was clearly made for something else and trying to pass it off as an "improvement."

IMHO, it would sell faster with no neck.

----------


## MandoSquirrel

I agree; this instrument was clearly not designed for the paired string format, & should have something more like Fender's 12 string guitar style neck & headstock if it's to have pairs. And many consider the 4 or 5 string electric mando *More* useful/versatile, but it is nice to try to keep that paired string sound.

----------


## jefflester

Fender Custom Shop doubleneck.

----------


## mandroid

strings spaced wider than a guitar is kind of unwieldy, as is the old tele [bass?]bridge which makes setting intonation weird too.

----------


## EdSherry

I WANT that Fender doubleneck! (Just not $5200 worth ...)

----------


## mandelect

Another Tele style emando - UK based.
Mandotel 5 string

----------


## Django Fret

Time is running out to grab this one:

One of a Kind

----------


## mrmando

The Tele is by Dave Farmiloe. The one-of-a-kind (thank goodness) is our ol' buddy Allen Gerrell.

----------


## mandroid

reminds me of an electric guitar , a solid body, had its own 
prop strut than folded out to be a built in stand.
anyone remember which one that was?


I'm thinking a Hoboken N.J. era Guild

----------


## mrmando

Here's another '56 Mary Kay slab-body <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1956-FENDER-ELECTRIC-MANDOLIN-VINTAGE-MANDOCASTER_W0QQitemZ230189014899QQihZ013QQcategor  yZ
118989QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Mandocaster</a> for what is probably a [cough cough] record asking price...

----------


## clem

> reminds me of an electric guitar , a solid body, had its own 
> prop strut than folded out to be a built in stand.
> anyone remember which one that was?
> 
> 
> I'm thinking a Hoboken N.J. era Guild


That would be correct. Guild Thunderbird, I believe S-200?

----------


## Christian McKee

Martin, [cough, cough] indeed on that price. I was thinking more along the lines of "ha, ha." More power to the seller, I suppose, if he can get it, but I'd be surprised. Personally, I think 10k is a little much for just about any mass production electric instrument, especially one like this with pretty limited appeal.  

Christian

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

A '56 blonde mandocaster, with an opening bid of only $10K. #(Could he have the year wrong on this one? I thought the contoured body started with the '58's.)

----------


## jefflester

> A '56 blonde mandocaster, with an opening bid of only $10K. #(Could he have the year wrong on this one? I thought the contoured body started with the '58's.)


Is there an echo in here?

----------


## clem

It isn't a '56; it is hugely overpriced and there is an ech...

It isn't a '56; it is hugely overpriced and there is an eh...

It isn't a '56; it is hugely overpriced and there is...

It isn't a '56; it is hugely overpriced and ...

It isn't a '56; it is ...

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

In case anyone didn't see it, here is '56 blonde mandocaster that might be a tad overpriced given that it isn't really a '56 and wasn't owned by anyone famous.  :Wink:

----------


## mrmando

Whoops, I didn't look at all the pictures. Yes, with the contour body it's probably a '58 or '59. Actually more desirable than a '56, but still ...

----------


## jefflester

A more reasonably priced "leet" (check that serial number) mandocaster
The instrument looks to be in better shape than the chorus stomp box.

----------


## Kid Charlemagne

EDIT: never mind.

----------


## Django Fret

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Rickenbacker-electric-mandolin-MapleGlo-Gold-Perfect_W0QQitemZ140178383275QQihZ004QQcatego

ryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">MapleGlo Rickenbacker</a>

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

I am not too crazy about the looks of those Rick emandos, but I _love_ their twangy-jangly sound. Too bad they don't make them look more like their guitars, instead of like a short lap-steel.

----------


## Django Fret

Here is another one, <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/St-George-Electric-Solidbody-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ180180707551QQihZ008QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPag

eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">By George!</a>

(St. George that is and in what looks like nice condition!)

----------


## EdSherry

Blue Star Mandoblaster:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Beautiful-Blue-Solid-Body-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ230194304203QQihZ013QQcategoryZ1  0179Q
QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Beautif....iewItem</a>

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

A sweet looking Tourtellotte Mandocaster clone (at first glance, I thought the auction listing referred to it as a "_Tourette's_ Mandocaster")

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

I wasnt' aware of it until this auction, but Eastwood is now making lefty mandocasters.

----------


## delsbrother

Well, I did start this thread about it...

And if you SHOP NOW you can get a demo model on sale! I know others disagree, but I prefer these Eastwoods to Bluestars (in the better-than-mandobird-but-sub-$1K range). YMMV.

Oh, and if you're in the giving mood, you could always get me one of these sets (so I can match my avatar)!

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Del Vecchio reso eCavaco

----------


## mrmando

And here, not to be outdone, is a Tucciarelli Flying V.

----------


## delsbrother

Aw, Jim, that's so cute! I want a DelVechhio Dynamico Tenor, but this one might warrant a bid. Too bad it's kinda trashed. I wonder how it compares to a National uke.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> And here, not to be outdone, is a Tucciarelli Flying V.


Dagnabit -- I just asked my wife for that one for Xmas, so I was hoping that listing would _fly_ under all of your radars.

----------


## delsbrother

If live near NJ (and you act real fast) you can bid on this early Schecter Celloblaster. I can't deal with his shipping requirements, but I'd love to have one of these too.

----------


## delsbrother

So, does Joel Eckhaus get a cut of this sale?


The Importance of Being Nato

----------


## mrmando

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

----------


## mrmando

Here's a reply to my e-mail asking for more pictures: 



> Hello. Thanks for asking about this Mandolin. This one is already being sold,but I have 3 more being made,and it takes about 2 weeks for these to be made. After they are finished I will have them posted on Ebay with more detailed pictures.
> Thanks. Carmen


Uh-huh. Ye olde bait and switch.

----------


## Christian McKee

I don't get it - doesn't that constitute fraud of one form or another?

Christian

----------


## mrmando

On the contrary, Christian, I think you do "get it." I forwarded that e-mail on to eBay. If the product has been sold, Miss Carmen should close her listing. 

If I had more money than time I would drive over to Yakima (2-3 hrs., unless there's snow in the passes) and see if she actually has an instrument.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

I asked them specifcally about where it was made, what the neck widths were on each neck, if they could send me some closeup pics of the bridges and pickups, and a few more miscellaneous questions, none of which they really answered in this reply:




> Hello. Thanks for asking about this Mandolin. I have these custom made for me from a company in China,and a company in AU. This Mandolin is already in the process of being purchased, but I am having 3 more made,and it takes about 2 weeks to have them made from scratch. Once they are finished, I will have them relised on Ebay. If you have a specific color other than this one that you might be interested please let me know. I will also put more deatailed pics up on the next one. 
> Thanks. And have a Merry Christmas. 
> 
> Oh. There is no specific name brand for the Mandolins because they are custom made to whatever I want to brand them as. I was thinking of naming the guitars after me. I realy dont know if i should leave them with no name or not. I would like to have them custamized for the customer's request,but that means I would have to have the company make it,and then ship the item to me,and then I ship it to the customer. I dont think the customers would be willing to wait 2 weeks for this. 
> Once again. Thank you, any ideas would be appreciated as well.


Following Martin's lead, I also just forwarded the email to eBay's fraud unit.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

This is funny -- in response to Carmen's "request" in the above email about ideas for naming her mandolins, I replied and suggested she should name them "Earnest", to which she replied: 




> It is funny that you pick that name, because there is a guy named Earnest that makes double neck Mandolins too. I sent hem an message before to ask some questions, but his E-mail was not working right.

----------


## mrmando

I think we're dealing with a hijacked account here. The account holder sold only clothing until a couple of days ago, when all of a sudden it started listing instruments.

----------


## delsbrother

Here's something else to contemplate... 

What would you call this thing - a fretless emandobass?

----------


## mrmando

Carmen, the guy who's selling the Earnest knockoff, sent me a "pro forma invoice" from Weifang Huihao Musical Instrument
Co. in China, showing that they are indeed shipping him three doubleneck mandolins. I think Weifang Huihao also makes the weird "Tennessee" electric guitar/mando doublenecks one now sees on eBay. Another Weifang Huihao dealer, Tropical Moon Music, is also using the Earnest photo, so I don't know who originally stole it. Apparently Carmen is convinced that Earnest is also a seller of Chinese knockoffs!  I predict that when Carmen actually gets his instruments, they'll look more like this.

----------


## EdSherry

A "Kingston Teisco":

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KINGSTON-TEISCO-ELECTRIC-SOLID-BODY-MANDOLIN-60s_W0QQitemZ300186916158QQihZ020QQcateg
oryZ119094QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KI....iewItem</a>

----------


## EdSherry

And another Japanese no-name:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Solid-Body-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ140195285140QQihZ004QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPage
NameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage....iewItem</a>

----------


## EdSherry

What purports to be a "reissue" of the Fender MandoCaster (I hadn't known they made any, and judging strictly by the photos, the work doesn't strike me as Fender quality -- but hey, the price is right!):

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-Electric-Mandolin-MANDOCASTER-Reissue-RARE_W0QQitemZ110212097558QQihZ001QQcategoryZ
10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-....iewItem</a>

----------


## EdSherry

Finally, a Silvertone:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-60s-Silvertone-ELECTRIC-Mandolin-by-Kay-MINT_W0QQitemZ110212366474QQihZ001QQcatego
ryZ119027QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage....iewItem</a>

----------


## mrmando

> And another Japanese no-name:
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Solid-Body-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ140195285140QQihZ004QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPage
> 
> 
> NameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage....iewItem</a>


It's identical to a San Remo, for whatever that's worth. 



> What purports to be a "reissue" of the Fender MandoCaster (I hadn't known they made any, and judging strictly by the photos, the work doesn't strike me as Fender quality -- but hey, the price is right!):


Another seafoam-green SB-4! 

The last one sold for $1K to Jim Bevan, who already owns Mandocasters from '56, '57, and '65. I have asked Jim for a report on the SB-4 when he gets it. But, as I've said elsewhere, I believe this is an import that never saw the inside of the Fender custom shop. 



> Finally, a Silvertone:


That's what I say to myself after long hours of searching for one! Nice photos, although personally speaking, that's where I keep toothbrushes, not mandolins. But to each his own...

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Here is a discussion on a different Seafoam SB-4 _and_ an SB-8, both of which recently sold on eBay US and eBay UK respectively...

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

I have an Epiphone Mandobird VIII. While not the best sounding instrument, it is great fun to play especially using special effects on an amp. The action is excellent, easy on the fingers. My son has decided it's his so I recently ebay-purchased an Eastman Mandocaster. It should arrive tomorrow, again an inexpensive e-mando that I hope to have a lot of fun with. I just moved an Ovation MCS148 and an Ovation MM68 on Ebay (taking a loss on the MCS148 but making up for it on the MM68 - I wasn't pleased with the acoustic sound of either and the Mandobird was more fun to play electrically. I also ebay-sold a Strad-o-line (German-sold, Dutch Made Octave-Mandolin with a modified guitar neck. I never got used to the wider neck when transitioning from a bouzouki or mandolin. Well 'tis the season and sometime tomorrow another Ebay purchase will arrive - an Ovation MC868. I may have bitten off more than I can chew on this one. I assume it is tuned CCGGDDAA, so i can see myself playing it with a capo. My current instrument-of-choice is a Johnson MA-550 which I usually play with a capo on the 5th fret - a sliding capo that makes key-changes a snap. I really love this instrument, regardless of the bad press it gets on Mando sites. I used to have a Morgan-Monroe OM F-style, but it just didn't compare to the Johnson and one of them had to go. I resurerected my bouzouki-playing about two years ago picking up one of those Chinese half-moon 'zouks. The action, tonality, and sound sucked but it gave me back my passion and interest and now my house looks like a music shop. I would appreciate any tips/suggestions on playing the Ovation Mandocello - MC868. I mostly play folk/celtic style music. BTW I live in Irvine in So. Cal. Any mando sessions happening down this way?

----------


## jefflester

> A "Kingston Teisco":
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KINGSTON-TEISCO-ELECTRIC-SOLID-BODY-MANDOLIN-60s_W0QQitemZ300186916158QQihZ020QQcateg
> 
> oryZ119094QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KI....iewItem</a>


Looks like if a stiff breeze came up it might topple into the water.

----------


## delsbrother

It _makes your ears bleed._

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> A "Kingston Teisco":
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KINGSTON-TEISCO-ELECTRIC-SOLID-BODY-MANDOLIN-60s_W0QQitemZ300186916158QQihZ020QQcateg
> 
> oryZ119094QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-KI....iewItem</a>


I love that mandoguitar-inspired body shape. (I'll bet it would look in good in that SB-4's seafoam green  :Wink:

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Hey Martin -- what's the skinny on this Carvin? The seller says it sounds nice and "twangy"; might it yield a "capoed 12-string" sound similar to the Rick emando Cody Braun uses?

----------


## Christian McKee

I can't find any detailed information about the AP-4 pickup, which is reportedly installed in this thing, but it looks a lot like a P-90. Those little guys are twang kings with enough clarity and bite for even the most selective of telecaster players. This might have the sound you're looking for...

Christian

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

Thanks Christian

----------


## delsbrother

Jim, as I've mentioned before, there are several Carvins in stores along Hollywood's "Guitar Row" (on Sunset Blvd). I think one of them, Vintage Gear, has about 3-4 in various configurations. Don't remember how much they're going for, though. If you're seriously interested, you should make a trip down. Just don't forget your leather pants.

Carvin museum page

Edit: Never seen a sunburst one before, though!

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Jim, as I've mentioned before, there are several Carvins in stores along Hollywood's "Guitar Row" (on Sunset Blvd). I think one of them, Vintage Gear, has about 3-4 in various configurations. Don't remember how much they're going for, though. If you're seriously interested, you should make a trip down. Just don't forget your leather pants...


LOL! Will leather _chaps_ be OK?

----------


## delsbrother

Well, it is Hollywood, so I suppose they'd fit in too. #

----------


## mrmando

The Carvin in question appears to be from the mid-'60s. One sees the earlier ones more often, interestingly.

----------


## Mike Herlihy

> What purports to be a "reissue" of the Fender MandoCaster (I hadn't known they made any, and judging strictly by the photos, the work doesn't strike me as Fender quality -- but hey, the price is right!):
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-Electric-Mandolin-MANDOCASTER-Reissue-RARE_W0QQitemZ110212097558QQihZ001QQcategoryZ
> 
> 10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-....iewItem</a>


Fender did a limited re-issue on the Mandocaster. Mandolin Brothers listed one a couple of years back.

----------


## delsbrother

> I can't find any detailed information about the AP-4 pickup, which is reportedly installed in this thing, but it looks a lot like a P-90. #*Those little guys are twang kings with enough clarity and bite for even the most selective of telecaster players.* #This might have the sound you're looking for...
> 
> Christian


Christian, are you talking about Carvins in particular, AP-4s, or P-90s in the bolded quote?

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## delsbrother

> Well 'tis the season and sometime tomorrow another Ebay purchase will arrive - an Ovation MC868...
> 
> ...BTW I live in Irvine in So. Cal.


Waitaminute - there are THREE of these things in Orange County? Who knew?

----------


## mrmando

Ladies and gentlemen, a red Mandocaster. 

1956-57 slab body with the later tortoise pickguard and rosewood fretboard? Weird. Maybe the specs had changed by the time the body got back from its custom finish job. I'd love to know what date is written inside the neck joint. This would be a rare bird; John Kruth owns the only other red Mandocaster I know about.

----------


## Christian McKee

> Christian, are you talking about Carvins in particular, AP-4s, or P-90s in the bolded quote?


I was thinking of P-90's there, which is a bit odd in retrospect, since Telecasters didn't have P-90's in them. #Either way, they're great for that twangy, biting electric country sound. #A friend of mine plays a G&L thinline tele clone with P-90s that sounds like God's Own Telecaster. #

Christian

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## Jim MacDaniel

> Ladies and gentlemen, a red Mandocaster. 
> 
> 1956-57 slab body with the later tortoise pickguard and rosewood fretboard? Weird. Maybe the specs had changed by the time the body got back from its custom finish job. I'd love to know what date is written inside the neck joint. This would be a rare bird; John Kruth owns the only other red Mandocaster I know about.


Wow -- I don't think the refinisher could have picked a color that clashed more with the pickguard. (My eyes are still spinning in their sockets.  )

----------


## mrmando

I don't think it's a simple refin. That pickguard doesn't belong with that body, no matter what color the body is. Wasn't the contour body introduced before the tortoise pickguard? I.e., didn't all slab-body Mandocasters originally have the anodized pickguard?

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## Jim MacDaniel

You are right -- so the previous owner or refinisher "upgraded" the pickguard.  

I can't tell for sure from the pic below (I don't own the CD), but it looks like Kruth's has a black pickguard? (Or maybe it is a trick of the light on an anodized pickguard) Also, were the maple fretboards also only on the slabs?

----------


## mrmando

It might be the anodized pickguard with some oxidation on it ... note the pick-worn spot on the treble side. I think the maple fretboards go through '59 or '60. It looks like Kruth's has the contour body.

Anyway, they do exist in other custom colors. I've seen examples in Shoreline Gold and Lake Placid Blue.

... or, looking at the eBay ad again, maybe this one does have the contour body. It's hard to tell from the photos.

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## delsbrother

Pimp My Mandobird

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## MandoBen

Have you seen this one yet? The Battle-Axe: 

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Wishbass-Custom-Electric-Mandolin-4-String-emando_W0QQitemZ140199039171QQihZ004QQcategoryZ
10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Wishbas....iewItem</a>

----------


## Geoff B

Interesting battle-axe. #Here is my interpretation:

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## Ted Eschliman

> Pimp My Mandobird


If I could find shoes to match, I'm there!...

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## Martin Jonas

That Vietnamese Mandobird is interesting. I wonder if they took a plain Mandobird and "improved" it, or whether they copied it from ground up. If the former, I would think they have problems with the profit margin. I also wonder whether they really have it tuned to uke tuning...

Martin

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## Jim MacDaniel

Or, I wonder if they bought it from direct the same factory that builds the EPI. (Does the EPI come with gold colored hardware?)

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## jefflester

The standard Mandobird does not have gold hardware, definitely has a different neck (not blonde like the Tsai), a different backside plate, and it also looks to me like angling of the knobs is a little different and the headstock shape is different. Different Pickup maybe also. So it doesn't seem like an improved stock Mandobird, rather a copy.

(I don't remember if the neck is always the same color as the body like this gold flake, but this was the only pic I found Googling that showed the backside)

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## mrmando

> Wow -- I don't think the refinisher could have picked a color that clashed more with the pickguard. (My eyes are still spinning in their sockets.  )


Well, you could always throw this on it.

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## delsbrother

I like the story George Gruhn tells in his Homespun Vintage Guitar video. IIRC he had gone into a shop where someone was refinishing a Gibson doubleneck from sunburst to white, much to Gruhn's horror. The finish guy (with gun in hand) said something like, "What's the matter George, I can put the original finish back on if you'd like."

Note to Jim, went to Hollywood GC yesterday and they only had one Carvin guit-mando doubleneck left - $3500. Didn't have time to check out Vintage Gear though, they had the most Carvins before. Next time I go I'll try to take some pix.

Darrell

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## Jim MacDaniel

Thanks Darrell -- if they've still got some in stock, it might be a good excuse to fly down and visit my customer in Brea.

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## Jim MacDaniel

> Originally Posted by  (jimmacd @ Jan. 14 2008, 12:30)
> 
> Wow -- I don't think the refinisher could have picked a color that clashed more with the pickguard. (My eyes are still spinning in their sockets.  )
> 
> 
> Well, you could always throw this on it.


That would work nicely. 

You know, I think I agree with you that the body does indeed appear to be countoured (check out the slightly curved light-reflection on the back), which would explain the red pickguard and rosewood &#92;fretboard -- and which would make it at least a '59, right? (There's a '58 burst on eBay now with a maple fretboard.)

So the question is, is a refinished '59 (or later) really worth their asking price?

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## mrmando

I think if it's a refin, then no, it isn't worth $2.5K. If it can somehow be established that the red job is a _factory-applied custom_ finish, then yes.

...

Duh...

The eBay ad _says_ it's a refin. I didn't notice that before. 

And it has the "Original Contour Body" decal on the headstock. Which should remove all doubt on _that_ question. That decal was added in mid-'59. It has the pre-'65 Fender logo, so this instrument was made between 1959 and 1965.

...Actually, I see the seller has found the neck date: 1/62.

The refin should reduce the collector value by a significant margin, and since it's from a later, less-collectible period to begin with ... 

the real value is likely to be no more than half of what they're asking for a starting bid. 

I would actually love to own this instrument, but a refin should make it more affordable, not less.

Note that the seller's OTHER Mandocaster has the post-1965 logo and the Contour Body decal, placing it between '65 and '70. Again, not worth near what they're asking for it.

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## mrmando

The red Mandocaster auction just ended with no bidders. Seller's MO seems to be to start high and if the item doesn't sell, drop the starting bid by $300 and relist (judging from the SRV Strat and Vox bass auctions that ended earlier). Could get interesting if that goes on long enough.

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## delsbrother

Yet another Celloblaster. 

This one is only an hour's drive from my house (but my Maestro-fund is dry at the moment)! Someone here please get it! If it goes for $199 I'm going to puke.

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## groveland

These things seem to go up for sale at exactly the wrong times. #This one was the style I want - I was all set up for late-night bidding wars, and then my wife, bless her heart, reminded me of priorities. #It went for cheap, too! Alas. I await the next one.

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## mrmando

[gloat]Well, I looked at it, but ended up with this instead.[/gloat]

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## delsbrother

Nice snag! Definitely looking forward to the review.









#######!

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## Ted Eschliman

Oh you DOG, Martin!
Alright, how much d'ya want for it?...

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## mrmando

We'll see. I might decide to flip it to one of you fellas, or keep it. I have a boatload of 8-string electrics and two 5-strings at the moment, but no 4-strings, so there might be a place for this one.

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## Jim MacDaniel

Nicely done Martin -- at that price it's still a great deal even if you have to upgrade the pickup. (And at that price, even my wife would have been OK with me buying it  :Wink:

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## mrmando

Well, if MY wife says anything about it, I'll just tell her Jim's wife said it was OK. 

Two weeks ago one of those puppies went via Buy It Now for $299. It was listed for all of 17 minutes. (We've been tracking them in another thread, but we missed that one.) Fella in Arkansas got $650 apiece for three of them in Buy It Now auctions that were up &lt;24 hours. And of the ones that have gone in a full-term auction, $798 has been the lowest price (just closed about 4-5 minutes ago).

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## mrmando

...Anyway, if I do keep it I won't have any qualms about customizing or upgrading it.

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## delsbrother

OK, now that I finally have <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Schecter-Glossy-5-String-Baritone-Guitar-VG-Shape_W0QQitemZ180204757965QQihZ008QQcategoryZ



121166" target="_blank">this one</a> in my hands (after a truly strange shipping experience), and the sting has worn off watching a nicer one go for cheap (within driving distance of my house), up pops this pointy one (below), within WALKING distance from my house. Of course it's wacky looking in white pearl and suitably trashed. But hey, what do you want for 99 cents? This would've been great to stumble upon in a local pawn shop, though. It's probably spent a hard life playing OC EMO-metal until now.



Note the 10th/22nd fret markers - I think when these were still called CB models they had these markers, but when they adopted the "A5-X" and "C5-X" monikers (two pickups) they changed to 9th fret markers. I wonder if you could swap necks back and forth? Now I really want to find a red or walnut C5-X to find out.

As for my CB-2000, its pretty banged up but playable. Not really a fine guitar - just your basic MIK Strat clone, with a crude little 5 string humbucker. In all-black it's kind of Eddie Peabody meets Metallica with a little Frankenkramer thrown in...

I need to find suitable strings for it, as it came with the upper 5 of a 7 string baritone set installed. The old Celloblaster websites speak of huge strings and treacherous truss rod adjustment, so wish me luck!

Or perhaps... at 26.5" scale... e-mandole?

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## Martin Jonas

Here is an Errington solid-body eight-string on Ebay UK.

Martin

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## Jim MacDaniel

Here is someone who either hasn't been following the SB-4 discussion thread and doesn't know how to use eBay's closed auction seach function, or hopes both are true about his potential buyers...

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## jefflester

> Here is someone who either hasn't been following the SB-4 discussion thread and doesn't know how to use eBay's closed auction seach function, or hopes both are true about his potential buyers...


It appears flip it fast bought one for $855 fairly early in the game (after the first one sold for $1000) and is now trying to make back that money (plus more). Good luck. :-)

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## mrmando

Mitch is a Cafe member, so he can read that thread any time he wants. He has bought at least two of these instruments. In a capitalist society, you can't blame a guy for trying to make some dough. He's listed this instrument twice now for $1,495. That establishes a perceived value among bidders who might have missed the earlier spate of Mandocaster reissues. Down the line he may list it in a no-reserve auction and still make a little money on it ... or it'll end up being a loss leader.

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## Jim MacDaniel

If all else fails, he can wait a while and try to sell it again for that amount after sellers all work through their current/temporary inventories. That way he may be able to seel it to someone who regrets missing out on getting one of these today.

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## Django Fret

Here is a sixties-era <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1965ish-Sanremo-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ200198953283QQihZ010QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPageNam

eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Sanremo</a>

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## keith_rowan

i saw that yesterday and thought it looked pretty cool.. anyone got any info?

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## Django Fret

Who would have thought that a 10-string mandolin banjo would need to be amplified?

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## delsbrother

Pimp my Galveston.

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## Jim MacDaniel

> Pimp my Galveston.


Dag! -- I would have bought it if he covered the _back_ in inlay as well (esp. with a rabbit playing cricket  )

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## keith_rowan

a whole bunch of mandocasters on ebay.uk
<a href="http://search.ebay.co.uk/mandocaster_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQcatrefZC6QQdfspZ32QQf  romZR10QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ32QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1
QQga10244Z10425QQlredZmandocasterQQsabfmtsZ1QQsaca  tZQ2d1QQsaobfmtsZinsifQQsaprchiZQQsaprcl
oZ" target="_blank">http://search.ebay.co.uk/mandoca....aprcloZ</a>

goin for around 300 us

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## mrmando

Those are Aldens -- the same instrument and same price as the Eastwood Mandocaster, with some different finish options.

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## jefflester

Funky 10-string banjo-mando with Fishman

More pics here.

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## Django Fret

Here is a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-1960s-Electric-Mandolin-perfect-mini-guitar_W0QQitemZ330211484044QQihZ014QQcatego

ryZ10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">1960's Electric Mandolin </a> "perfect mini guitar".

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## Link

Oh, I bought that one.

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## Link

I think it's a Bruno from Teisco. Think it was worth the almost-$400?

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## mrmando

Yes, either a Bruno or a Conqueror. Are there any unexplained screw holes in the bass horn, or any evidence that a nameplate was once stuck there?

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## Link

Yeah, there's stuff that the guy assumed was sticker residue on the bass horn.

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## Link

So, how rare are those? Was it worth the money? This is my first mandolin (although I've played the viola for many years), so I can't really judge.

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## jefflester

Seems like a bit of an odd choice for a first mandolin.

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## Link

Why?

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## mrmando

Conquerors have a "Conqueror" nameplate on the bass horn, but other than that they look just like a Bruno. So you probably have a Conqueror missing its nameplate. 

Most people go acoustic when they buy a first mandolin, but what the hey. I wouldn't pay _more_ than $400 for one of these, but it's not really a bad price. eBay has kind of redefined what is "rare" any more. I think over the course of a given year, you will find one of these instruments on eBay about half the time.

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## Django Fret

Link, I wouldn't worry as long as you are happy with it, and it probably won't be the last mandolin you buy! 

You could always bid on this <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/E-F-Elliott-Custom-Electric-Mandolin-Dixie-Chicks_W0QQitemZ120224564611QQihZ002QQcategoryZ

10179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">E.F. Elliott</a>...

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## delsbrother

Is that being sold BY Elliott?

----------


## Django Fret

> Is that being sold BY Elliott?


Looks like that to me according to the listing description:

"A Cool little Custom Solid Body Electric Mandolin, made in Oklahoma USA by Luthier E.F.Elliott.

This little mando is exactly like the one I built and sold to multi-Grammy award winning Fiddle/Mandolinist Martie Maquire of the Dixie Chicks back in 2000."

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## Link

Actually, mrmando, I think that I bought a Brunothey have a nameplate on the bass horn, while the Conquerer has one on the headstock.

Also, when you say, "one of these instruments," do you mean this particular model? I somewhat doubt they're on there half the time...

Now, what I really wanted was that San Remo.

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## delsbrother

I have a feeling all of these (Bruno, Conquerer, Kent, Kingston etc.) came out of the same factory in Japan. Link, what's the scale on yours? Some are longer than others. My Kent is almost mandola scaled, and I keep it tuned as one (CGDA).

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## Link

I don't have it yet, so I can't really tell you. I could determine the scale length with some algebra, but I can't find my tape measure. But I do know that it's 29.5" long.

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## Ted Eschliman

I'm glad to see Ed back in the mando business again. He interned with Semi Mosely and built for Ernie Ball for awhile. I had a red PRS-ish looking 8-string (wish I still had) about the same time Martie starting slinging her Elliott. "Surfguitarguy" was the handle he used when I bought mine off Ebay from him seven years ago.



Only thing I didn't like about about it: 9th fret marker. (Grrr...)

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## mrmando

Yes, that's Ed. He built this one a while ago; I don't know if this means he intends to build more, or if this is a one-off.

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## mrmando

Link, let's say there is a Bruno, Conqueror, Kingston, Kent or other such Japanese solidbody on eBay half the time. That would encompass several different body styles.

Conqueror, Bruno and Kingston all came from the Nagoya Music Factory. I have photos of both Conquerors and Brunos with nameplates on the bass horn, so I guess we haven't really narrowed Link's purchase down to either of those brands.

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## mrmando

Here's a Ross Teigen e-mando. Love the design, especially the F-holes through the body, like those old Ampeg basses.

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## delsbrother

Sooo..... When does the Fender make it to the signature line?

----------


## mrmando

Look! It fits!

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## Christian McKee

That Teigen is an interesting looking thing, can't say I'm in love with the design but it could grow on me over time. On a functional leve, with a true solid body like that, doesn't it seem like you'd just be losing sustain and resonance though? 

Christian

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## mrmando

You just might, unless the F holes are cut in such a way as to enhance the body's tonal properties. 

On the other hand, you could stick a sandwich in there in case you get hungry during the gig.

----------


## John Hill

Does the world really need a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PRO-QUADRUPLE-NECK-BASS-MANDOLIN-BANJO-AND-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ190200249835QQcmdZViewItem?
hash=item190200249835" target="_blank">quadruple neck</a> instrument with an _electric_ banjo?

----------


## mrmando

But Mom, all the other one-man electric bluegrass bands are playing them! 

How about a 1951 Epiphone with a Bartolini?

----------


## John Rosett

Yeah, I love that Epiphone mandolin. I've never seen one before, and a google search turned up nothing. It does look alot like the blonde one on your website, although I bet the fleabay one is later, since both the knobs are on the same side. It'd look really cool with a 4-string version of the vintage Epiphone pickup.

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> Does the world really need a <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PRO-QUADRUPLE-NECK-BASS-MANDOLIN-BANJO-AND-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ190200249835QQcmdZViewItem?
> 
> hash=item190200249835" target="_blank">quadruple neck</a> instrument with an _electric_ banjo?


Maybe not the _world_, but _Durga_ could probably make good use of it.

----------


## Mike Herlihy

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/rare-2004-Rickenbacker-5002V58-MANDOLIN-in-mapleglo_W0QQitemZ150222188843QQihZ005QQcategor
yZ41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Rickenbacker 5002V58 MANDOLIN</a>

Nice looking mando. How do they sound?

----------


## crazymandolinist

Those pics are fantastic. It's a real shame no one's going to see them once the auction ends.

----------


## crazymandolinist

> So, does Joel Eckhaus get a cut of this sale?
> 
> 
> The Importance of Being Nato


Hey I wonder if any doubleneck anything players have thought of having two output jacks so you can put both instrument on different amps, say an acoustic amp and a distorted amp?

----------


## mrmando

The latest from Antonio Tsai is surely worth a look...

----------


## mrmando

> Hey I wonder if any doubleneck anything players have thought of having two output jacks so you can put both instrument on different amps, say an acoustic amp and a distorted amp?


You don't need two output jacks, just a stereo jack and a Y cable or splitter. I briefly owned a Rono (single neck) that was set up this way.

----------


## John L

> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/rare-2004-Rickenbacker-5002V58-MANDOLIN-in-mapleglo_W0QQitemZ150222188843QQihZ005QQcategor
> 
> yZ41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Rickenbacker 5002V58 MANDOLIN</a>
> 
> Nice looking mando. How do they sound?


I would like to a Rickenbacker shaped more like their guitars - I don't like the looks of this one at all (but to each their own!).

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/rare-2004-Rickenbacker-5002V58-MANDOLIN-in-mapleglo_W0QQitemZ150222188843QQihZ005QQcategor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yZ41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Rickenbacker 5002V58 MANDOLIN</a>
> 
> Nice looking mando. How do they sound?


Kind of like Roger McGuinn with a capo; check out this link for a sample: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wpUXrDrUfDM (_Wicked Twisted Road_, live, by Reckless Kelly)

----------


## Mike Herlihy

> Originally Posted by  (mherlihy @ Mar. 06 2008, 00:29)
> 
> <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/rare-2004-Rickenbacker-5002V58-MANDOLIN-in-mapleglo_W0QQitemZ150222188843QQihZ005QQcategor
> 
> 
> yZ41439QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Rickenbacker 5002V58 MANDOLIN</a>
> 
> Nice looking mando. How do they sound?
> 
> ...


Like this?

----------


## jefflester

No, like the Tony Revell that gets mentioned everytime the Rickenbacker subject comes up.

----------


## Mike Herlihy

> No, like the Tony Revell that gets mentioned everytime the Rickenbacker subject comes up.


ahh, sweet axe!

----------


## crazymandolinist

> Originally Posted by  (crazymandolinist @ Mar. 06 2008, 10:12)
> 
> Hey I wonder if any doubleneck anything players have thought of having two output jacks so you can put both instrument on different amps, say an acoustic amp and a distorted amp? #
> 
> 
> You don't need two output jacks, just a stereo jack and a Y cable or splitter. I briefly owned a Rono (single neck) that was set up this way.


That wouldn't do it, you'd just have two amps playin at the same time I'm talking about seperate outputs so you could say break into mando right after you play a distorted guitar or something. Let's use an sg doubleneck for example. There's only one output jack, so if you wanted to do an acoustic bit on the twelve string and then do a solo on the six string with gain, you couldn't do it without immediately stomping on a pedal. With two seperate output jacks, you would get two different sounds. Basically just two siamese twin instruments.

----------


## mrmando

So you want to add a neck to the instrument and run a second cable just so you don't have to stomp a pedal? 

I wonder whether the magnetic pickups would catch any vibration from the acoustic neck if you had both necks hot at the same time. Or what if you happened to brush against your electric strings while playing your acoustic solo?

----------


## mandroid

A mix of magnetic and piezo work. since both are 2 contact wired they can share a ground , and use TRS jack and an Inset splitter to divide the output processing, back to 2 TR.. and need only 3 conductors,

----------


## mrmando

Right, if you've got a splitter on board the instrument, you don't even need the stereo jack. You'd still want an A/B box to switch amps at the same time you switch pickups. You could probably move a splitter switch and stomp on a box in the same amount of time it would take you to move your left hand from one neck to the other.

Not saying there aren't good reasons to build doublenecks, but I'm not convinced that running different pickup systems is, by itself, one of those reasons. That can be done on a single neck. However, I like the 8/5 or 8/4 doubleneck concept, because double and single courses feel and play differently. It would be cool to have switchable pickup systems on each neck.

----------


## mandroid

Oh you were on a multiple neck thing.
I was coming from a dual parallel source on the same instrument, single neck.. 

 any how, use MIDI cable and you got 5 connections. 

A Roland GK cable and you got 13.

 several other DIN/standard mini plug connections, those 2 are so common that the cables are fairly low cost.

my RMC acoustic gold/polydrive 2 set uses an 8 connector set and cable. that allows 6 signals + 2 spares, #7 in my setup is the magnetic pickup,

. . . . . Now, back to our regular programming.

----------


## crazymandolinist

> So you want to add a neck to the instrument and run a second cable just so you don't have to stomp a pedal? 
> 
> I wonder whether the magnetic pickups would catch any vibration from the acoustic neck if you had both necks hot at the same time. Or what if you happened to brush against your electric strings while playing your acoustic solo?


It's only an alternative to having two instruments strapped to ya. That's it. It only works if you know what yer doing. I fyou want to further discuss this topic let's do a different thread plz, this one's long enough already.

----------


## Django Fret

Returning to the thread topic, here is a four-string Brazilian <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/4-String-Electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ300205020192QQihZ020QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPageNameZWDVWQ

QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Malagoli</a>

----------


## Jim MacDaniel

It's baaaaa-_aaaaaack_: the "50's mandocaster" made in '61, and refinished to red in somtime in the 70's, 80's, or 90's: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....&ih=010

(This time OB = $1500)

----------


## Jaco5

Does anybody know where I might find some chord charts for 5 string mando? jazz oriented. Thanks.

----------


## mandroid

Jaco5,
You combine Tenor Banjo and Mandola chord relationships and the mandolin ones , 
or just shift all the Names down a 4th, from what you know on Mandolin.

----------


## Django Fret

An interesting Kent Model 886 from the 60's.

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## Jim MacDaniel

I wonder if Sir Paul has one of those, now that he plays mandolin?

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## Christian McKee

I like the look of that thing! Looks like there might be some position issues with the pickup poles under courses G and D, but nothing too serious. Anyone know what the pricing on this is likely to be?

Christian

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## jk245

> The latest from Antonio Tsai is surely worth a look...


this one is a keeper!

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## delsbrother

Well, I wouldn't mind if my Mandobird looked like this:



Of course I don't think they make that dress in my size...

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## crazymandolinist

That violin shaped thing is really something, real imaginative and the design really works.

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## Jim MacDaniel

> Well, I wouldn't mind if my Mandobird looked like this:
> 
> 
> 
> Of course I don't think they make that dress in my size...


You are probably correct about that, as that _is_ a mandobird; KT Tunstall just happens to be exceptionally short -- which means the dress size must be something like 4T  :Wink:

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## delsbrother

Gordon Smith on eBay UK

Hey, while I'm at it, is there such a thing as eBay Japan, or not? Anyone? Link?

All I can find is stuff like this, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

Oh, and then there's this:

Almost ripe...

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## Jim MacDaniel

Looks like the Alden Mandocasters have finally arrived in the US, this one in transluscent blue.

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## jefflester

5 string Tele style by Kenny Blackwell

Poor pics, though.

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## jefflester

> Here's a Ross Teigen e-mando. Love the design, especially the F-holes through the body, like those old Ampeg basses.


The Teigen is up again.

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## mrmando

> 5 string Tele style by Kenny Blackwell


Do you think this is THE Kenny Blackwell? 

SoCal mandolinist; studied with Jethro Burns; has played with Richard Greene and the Laurel Canyon Ramblers. Plays a dark-finish Flatiron with block inlays. Looks like Sam Bush's evil twin.

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## jefflester

> Originally Posted by  (jefflester @ Mar. 27 2008, 17:26)
> 
> 5 string Tele style by Kenny Blackwell
> 
> 
> Do you think this is THE Kenny Blackwell? 
> 
> SoCal mandolinist; studied with Jethro Burns; has played with Richard Greene and the Laurel Canyon Ramblers. Plays a dark-finish Flatiron with block inlays. Looks like Sam Bush's evil twin.


Very well could be, he's worked repairs at the Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor in the Valley for years (I don't know if he still does).

I found this reference from '98, which just so happens to be a promo for the concert where I first saw Nickel Creek.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/WHERE+T....3833585

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## Django Fret

A 12-string <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammertone-Electric-Mando-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ200211731577QQihZ010QQcategoryZ1  0179QQssPageNa
meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">Hammertone</a>...

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## Jim MacDaniel

Martin -- looks like you are getting closer to owning that refinished "Cherry Electric", as the opening price just dropped again to $1200 in its most recent listing...

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## Christian McKee

I once heard Buddy Miller play an instrument much like that Hammertone while backing Shawn Colvin. He's a guy who knows how to get really purely beautiful sounds out of an electric instrument. It was *gorgeous*. 


Christian

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## mrmando

> Martin -- looks like you are getting closer to owning that refinished "Cherry Electric", as the opening price just dropped again to $1200 in its most recent listing...


Yes, it's tempting, isn't it? I would happily give up the seafoam green FM-984 in exchange for this one.

P.S. Closed at $1200 with no bids ... come on, man, just a little lower ... or how about saving yourself some listing fees? Do a real auction and start it at a buck.

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## mrmando

Pentabass!

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## delsbrother

This post will cement my place in emando geekery (as if it was ever in doubt), so bear with me. Believe it or not, I've actually done research on this!

I used to think that that shape was unique to BC Rich Pentasystem models, but after delving deeper into BC Rich fan sites (!) I learned these instruments were based on an existing body shape called the <span style='color:red'>*Ignitor:*</span>



I think these were offered in 6 and 7 string versions; both in neck-thru ("Made in the USA") and bolt-on ("Imports"). The two BC Rich Pentasystem instruments I've seen in person had (massive) bolt on neck joints, so I thought if I could just find a bolt-on Ignitor in a pawn shop I would be a neck away from Pentasystem glory (plus I'd get things like "better" pickups, electronics, trem, etc.). 

Unfortunately even metalheads thought Ignitors were ugly (and of course, they thought Pentasystem was stupid), so while there are _slightly_ more Ignitors out there to be had, they are still very rare. Those that do exist are considered a curiosity by BC Rich fans, so they're usually snapped up by collectors.

BTW, for those willing to wait, you can still custom order an Ignitor from the BC Rich Custom Shop - prices start at $2799 (the one pictured is well north of $3K with options). Unfortunately, they won't make them with Pentasystem necks anymore (I asked).  

Now after all that... That Pentabass is cool!  There are a bunch of BC Rich fans who lust after an Ignitor Bass, and that's not a bad price, considering how much the custom shop charges.

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## delsbrother

Another early Schecter Celloblaster

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## Martin Jonas

I've just thrown a bid at this, but didn't hit the reserve, so if anybody else wants to have a go in the next two hours, be my guest:

Tony Revel Rickenbacker bodyshape

Martin

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## Christian McKee

> I've just thrown a bid at this, but didn't hit the reserve, so if anybody else wants to have a go in the next two hours, be my guest:
> 
> Tony Revel Rickenbacker bodyshape


It's lovely, but considering the seller's reluctance to post, 'standing a little petrol money' to the USA would be a bit out of my reach  :Wink: 

Christian

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## mrmando

Well, Martin (Jonas), would you be willing to pick this up and post it if one of us crazy Yanks were to buy it?

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## jefflester

Wow! Adding the pic for preservation porpoises.

Shropshire is a long ways away from the few people I know in the UK, but looks to be relatively close to martinjonas.

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## mrmando

Grr. Outbid at the last second. Reserve was 375 pounds and it sold at 411. That's dirt cheap. If I were selling it in the States I would be asking $2,000.

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## Martin Jonas

> Well, Martin (Jonas), would you be willing to pick this up and post it if one of us crazy Yanks were to buy it?


Didn't see that in time -- I've only just come back to my computer with the auction already over. The seller is about 50 miles from me, so I would have taken up his offer of petrol money.

I also agree with (the other) Martin that the winning bid is dirt cheap, and maybe if I'd known the reserve was only 20 Pounds above my bid I would have upped a bit. That I didn't isn't because I thought it wasn't worth it, but because it would have been a bit of an indulgence for me to buy it. Although I haven't heard it, it seems to me fairly similar to my Amazing in concept and pickup configuration. The Revel probably has wider tonal variety and more professionally conceived electrics, but while both are sharp-looking, I personally think the Amazing is even sleeker than the Revel.

So, well-done to the lucky winner and I hope he has a great time with it!

Martin

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## delsbrother

Hadn't seen one of these doublenecks #before, but then again I don't get this far afield often...



Working my way West...

There's got to be an interesting story behind this alumin*I*um-necked SG



Finally, a neat rhino-horned Eccleshall.

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## Martin Jonas

I've been looking at that Eccleshall and may well throw a bid at it, if it stays low. Let's see. Somewhat peculiar configuration of the polepieces: six polepieces in two bunches of three for an eight-string?

Martin

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## Ken Olmstead

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Jonathan-Mann-acoustic-electric-Mandolin_W0QQitemZ140235665675QQihZ004QQcategoryZ1  0179QQss
PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">I'm in love!!</a>

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## Jim MacDaniel

> Hadn't seen one of these doublenecks #before, but then again I don't get this far afield often...


The mandolin neck's headstock looks a little like a Carvin headstock -- any chance this was made in the same factory?

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## delsbrother

You mean the same factory that's making these things?



I guess maybe. How do you say "Tennessee" in Italian? 

You know, those other mandolin-guitar doublenecks* look more like actual Carvins, but they haven't exactly gotten favorable reviews. 

Back in the day (ehrm, the '70s) you could actually buy Carvin mando necks and pickups from them (they were the forerunner of the kit-supply house). Those are the only parts that are difficult to make nowadays. I wonder what happened to all of those parts!

*BTW the US importer I linked to above is famous for finding images of instruments on the Internet (e.g. Joel Eckhaus' Earnest, Mike Doolin's Harp Guitars) and sending them off (without licensing) to Asia for mass (re)production. So while I show those images for your amusement, I'm not actually recommending you buy from them...

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## Cliff D

Potentially very economical: 4 people in the band all play the one instrument simultaneously! Can't wait to see the video demo!

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## Martin Jonas

Has anybody come across these Tele-styled 8-strings (well, actually Tele/Strat hybrid-styled)? Branded "Hutchins", which means nothing to me (and isn't listed on Emando.com). Looks fairly generic Asian, in which case it's probably overpriced compared to the Alden Mandocaster or the Mandobird (not that you can get a Mandobird easily in the UK).

Martin

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## Cliff D

It may have Hutchins on the headstock, but thats the Alden/Eastwood. I think the angle of the headstock was changed (see the discussion in "Secret weapon of the vikings" thread) but the pick ups, pattern of the pick-guard (& that not so clever bridge!) give it away.

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## Bret Roberts

Well I have now joined the emando ranks !!!

Many thanks to delsbrothers for pointing this one out on ebay.

Gibson SG lookalike

Thinking I should do a repaint, What do you all think?

All in all, not to bad of a deal (I hope)

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## Martin Jonas

Congratulations, B-MAN. #I threw a lowball bid at that one, too, but it wasn't the second-highest, there was another bidder between us. #I'm pretty sure it's something some kid or machine shop apprentice knocked up as a combined hobby project and CNC practice piece, making the aluminium neck and the somewhat chunky aluminium bridge and tailpiece himself. #Nevertheless, as long as he got the fretting and the neck profile right, it should be a great fun knockabout, especially at this bargain basement price. #

You'll have to see whether it needs a repaint once you get it; I suspect it isn't that bad. #What I was planning to do is completely rewire the electrics. #We know that at least one pot was wired up incorrectly, and I don't see any shielding or star grounding in the picture, so I suspect it can be improved, possibly also with new pots/caps depending on whether the existing ones are any good. #There's lots of space for the wiring, so rewiring properly will be quite easy. #Whether the pickup is good quality isn't clear from the description and photos -- I was going to try to identify it and then decide whether to stick with it or to get another humbucker. #Full-size rail humbuckers are somewhat rare, so sticking with it for the time being (unless it's dismal) is probably OK. #If you're feeling up to a modest rewiring job, and if the pickup has all four wires so that you can tap the two coils separate, you may consider adding a five-way switch to change between in-series-in-phase, parallel, in-series-out-of-phase, single coil A and single coil B. #That gives you five different sounds out of that one single humbucker. #Two of them may well be unimpressive or redundant (out-of-phase is usually too low in signal, and the two single coils are likely to be similar to each other), but that still leaves three distinctly different tones. #Slightly easier would be to just add a Les-Paul style toggle switching between humbucker and single coil tone, and that's probably just as useful in practical terms.

Good luck, and let us know how you're getting on!

Martin

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## Bret Roberts

Thanks for all that information.

I have a friend who is really into all the electric so will show him your post.

I will not get it till the end of June, had to have it sent to my Daughter in the Uk as posting it to Luxembourg was just to much. 

Have to say I'm really looking forward to messing around with this.

Thanks again for all the info

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## Tom C

Those strings look so far apart at the tailpiece. Just like the old bat harmonys.

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## delsbrother

The pickup looks a lot like the one in my (Korean) Schecter Celloblaster. 

As for the repaint, how could you improve on BLACK? Especially on a mando that's so _Metal._

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## Christian McKee

G

R

O

A

N.

Christian

P.S. Catch me after a few beers, and I might admit that I wish I had come up with it first...

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## Martin Jonas

Rather annoying weekend on Ebay for me: I had my eye on the previously-posted Eccleshall, if it stayed low. Well, it didn't -- the winning bid is fair market value, I'd think, but no huge bargain. The same seller also had this Sherwood, with the auction ending a few minutes after the one for the Eccleshall. For a long time, the two stayed around 40 Pounds with little between them. Right at the end, the Eccleshall shot up, but the Sherwood didn't -- it ended at 48.89 Pounds ($100). Now, it's clearly not as classy as the Eccleshall, but at that price it's a huge bargain. "Sherwood" was Hobgoblin's house brand for UK luthier-made mandolins (contrasting with "Ashbury", their brand for Asian factory models). I know that the acoustic ones at least were made by David Freshwater, and I suspect this one was, too. If so, that price is a joke. Well, I meant to watch both auctions and switch to the Sherwood if the Eccleshall got too high. I forgot, so somebody else picked it up. Sigh.

Then, I was also quite keen on this auction, for a 4-string Fender Mandocaster neck and body (no pickup, electronics bridge or tailpiece), and actually managed to put in what I thought was a pretty generous bid. Somebody else bid higher, so no luck. Would have been an attractive project -- free choice of customised pickups and electronics with none of the tedious neck/body building.

Martin

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## mrmando

Interesting -- evidence that not all the FM-984 rejects landed on the U.S. side of the pond.

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## delsbrother

You know, that Pentabass keeps popping back up after not getting any bids. I dug around a little bit and I think the seller is this guy (or someone related to him). If I'm reading correctly, it's the guy who currently "owns" Pentasystem, right? That would explain how he has the first-ever prototype... Anyhow, if you scroll down the linked page there are several pictures of other Pentabasses, should you swing that way.  

Still don't understand why all the photos are backwards in the auction, unless that's some kind of code...

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## mrmando

No, he's one of Alex's former business partners. He's not the guy who bought Pentasystem.

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## jefflester

The double cutaway acoustic-electric Mann from 2 weeks ago has been relisted.

Kingston

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## Buzz

I realize this has become something of an electric mando thread, but would you guys mind taking a look at this ebay Mando listing? I know it's a lower end, solid wood A style. Curious if you see any red flags. I need a lower end mando for traveling and other high-risk environments. Thanks for your help! 

Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....43179

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## Ken Olmstead

> The double cutaway acoustic-electric Mann from 2 weeks ago has been relisted.
> 
> Kingston


That Mann is really cool. Hard to buy it when I know I could have a new EM-8 made for the same money. I really do like this one though! $750 would probably cause me to fold.... I wish I knew more about how it played and sounded. I don't think Mann currently makes these which leads me to believe he likes his new designs better. Anybody (other that the seller) ever play this model??

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## Ken Olmstead

Actually, I was wrong. Johnathan still lists his 2 point, flat back at $1400 without the pickup. So he would probably make the Jazz model for about $1600. Hmmmmm....

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## jefflester

> I realize this has become something of an electric mando thread, but would you guys mind taking a look at this ebay Mando listing? #I know it's a lower end, solid wood A style. #Curious if you see any red flags. #I need a lower end mando for traveling and other high-risk environments. #Thanks for your help! #
> 
> Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....6743179


This has always been an electric mando thread (title is "More ebay _emandos_").

That Kentucky looks good to me.

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## Buzz

Thanks Jeff - my bad on the title.

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## Jim MacDaniel

It's hard to tell from the photo, but is that one of those 16" scale Kingstons? (I emailed the seller to be sure, but would a "yes" make it a long-scale emando, or a short-scale e'dola?  :Wink:

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## delsbrother

My 16" Kent came tuned as a mandolin, but your fingers will like it better as a mandola. At least mine did.

Well, that didn't take long.

So, did Bo know Mandocello?

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## mrmando

The seller and, it would seem, the builder of the Bo Diddley mandocello is apparently Shawn Spencer, formerly of Bardsong Instruments. What can one say about Shawn without getting into trouble? I never dealt with him directly, but let's just say he does not have a stellar reputation. I am tempted by the instrument because it looks cool and has, for all I know, an authentic Diddley autograph ... but then again, considering the source, it might be more hassle than it's worth. Looks like it was customized with a Magic Marker. Don't expect a finely crafted instrument; Shawn always worked fast & cheap.

I'm also curious about this StewMac in Cleveland. I think I know who this seller is too; he's a heck of a swing fiddler and was in a band with Seth Rosen if I'm not mistaken.

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## Django Fret

Picture of said Stew Mac...

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## Jim MacDaniel

> It's hard to tell from the photo, but is that one of those 16" scale Kingstons? (I emailed the seller to be sure, but would a "yes" make it a long-scale emando, or a short-scale e'dola?


The seller advised it is 17" from nut to bridge.

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## Jim MacDaniel

There are several of these <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-neck-Electric-Guitar-and-Mandolin-new_W0QQitemZ200229914763QQihZ010QQcategoryZ2384Q
QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">emando/guitar double-necks</a> listed at eBay at this time with a $250 USD buy-it-now price. (A tempting price, but this could be an example of "you get what you pay for"?)

----------


## John L

Any comments on the StewMac? Are they kit mandos? If so, this one looks like it was was well built. Not sure about the starting price...

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## mrmando

Hi John. I don't think this one's a kit mando. It has the headstock decal and is probably one of the ones built by Don MacRostie and sold through StewMac as a completed instrument. These are rare; the price back in the mid-80s was $500-600 IIRC; and it has the Parsons-White string bender; so I don't think the asking price of $900 is out of whack at all. I haven't encountered more than 2 or 3 of these in the whole time I've been chasing electric mandolins. 

I had one of the kit StewMacs in stock for a while (no bender, no sunburst, no decal) and sold it for $600. The one on eBay is a significant upgrade from that.

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## John L

> Hi John. I don't think this one's a kit mando. It has the headstock decal and is probably one of the ones built by Don MacRostie and sold through StewMac as a completed instrument. These are rare; the price back in the mid-80s was $500-600 IIRC; and it has the Parsons-White string bender; so I don't think the asking price of $900 is out of whack at all. I haven't encountered more than 2 or 3 of these in the whole time I've been chasing electric mandolins. 
> 
> I had one of the kit StewMacs in stock for a while (no bender, no sunburst, no decal) and sold it for $600. The one on eBay is a significant upgrade from that.


Thanks for the info.! I didn't know StewMac sold completed instruments. I guess that is why I hang out here - love to learn. 

The bender looks interesting - what do you know about that? Has anyone else built a mando with the bender? Is it hard to use? Is it even useful?

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## mzuch

This one looks interesting, a 1986 from Jeff Harrison of Unicorn, despite the out-of-focus listing photos. Is anyone familiar with his e-mando work? Impressions?

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## jefflester

Nice birdseye.

Adding picture for posterity.

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## Scott Tichenor

Ted and I had a discussion about this thread and decided to close it and to have these posted in the future in a more current thread in the eBay section. In the process I moved some of the more recent posts into the other one so the are no longer a part of this older thread.

----------

