# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  Eastwood  airline mandola

## rico mando

just received my Eastwood Airline electric mandola today. based on the fact its a $300 rig i give it 2 thumbs up. it is quite playable out of the box after tuning and intonating. the bridge could have been a little better thought out and there is not a lot of room for moving the saddles.as well the height adjustment seems too rock the saddle back instead of raising it. the guitar size pick up is good and hot, though i find i prefer to switch my amp to bright from normal setting .tuners seem good.frets feel nice neck is strait. the strings are pinching a bit at the nut so i need to sit down and work on this a bit. i will be shimming the neck to get more back angle for lower action if the bridge will allow for it.probably change to larger string gadge for bassier tuning in G or F maybe,make it an octave mando/or baritone.perhaps lower the action at the nut as well.

any way short story is that with a little setup you have a workable axe if you don't mind the action up a little and are not concerned about total perfect intonation.
and if you are this instrument could be upgraded and modded easily to be a great professional axe.

please remember this is an after 2 hours of ownership review and is solely my opinion which may change by tomorrow. :Mandosmiley:

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## rico mando

Update.. the intonation seems quite decent . having a little problem with the C string. gets a bit sharp at the first and second fret due to string height at the nut. its a .031 gadge string so if you press hard it goes sharp easy, which is hard not to do up at the 15+ frets.these things can be worked out with action set up i think

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## rico mando

well i have stripped it down to single strings and my enjoyment factor increased 100%. so i guess my only complaint is the but ugly head stock. actually its not ugly just huge. my hydrocephalic mandola

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## Ben Milne

of course... the perfect accompaniment to the airline _mandocello_.

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## rico mando

> of course... the perfect accompaniment to the airline _mandocello_.


looks vintage too.

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## Ben Milne

looking forward to pics/ clips.

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## rico mando

well its a nice mandola but i am bored of it now time to sell it or maybe store it and see if the price goes up in ten years. now if it was a 5 string then i would be really into it. need to stop impulse buying on the internet i guess .looks nice on the wall any way

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## Christian McKee

Ben - who's the owner of the mandocello?  Is that your instrument?  Looks great!  I just aquired a teens Gibson 'cello, and I'm a little afraid that in a short time I'll be prowling for an electric version...

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## Ben Milne

I guess I use the term 'cello loosely.  It's a short scale (3/4?) airline bass and was tuned in fifths.    
It was played by Alain who joins Them Crooked Vultures for their live shows.  This one was used for _Highway one_ - a song featuring JPJ playing his Manson bros. Electric Mandola (octave)

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## Chief

Got my Airline also. What a cool instrument. I would rate it several notches above a Mandobird. Very playable out of the box- doesn't really need anything done to it. I don't have any experience with a mandola, but I love its dark lower scale. It seems to hit notes that fit in between someplace. Very dark sounding, which is cool in my book. Haven't gigged with it yet, but that will be next. I will do a more complete review for E-mando.com when I've had more time with it. But for now- two thumbs way up!

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## Ed Goist

Today's _Thursday Lunch Special_ from Eastwood:
Eastwood Airline Mandola Package: $349
_Note: this post is purely informative - no financial interest nor instrument endorsement on my part._

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## Eddie Sheehy

Mine arrived today, black Mandola with a red t-shirt, white spiral chord, extra black chord, strap... tuned up in seconds, great intonation, really good action.  I just ordered a set of nickel strings from Martin Stillion (emando.com)...

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## Eddie Sheehy

The strings (not sure of the gauges) seem a little slack.  Looks like the scale length is 18" so it might be better suited to a GGDDAAEE tuning - but what gauge strings to use?

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## Ed Goist

Eddie, the string gauges Jon Mann uses on his 18" scale OEMs are: .052-.038-.026-.014

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## Eddie Sheehy

Thank's Ed.  So roughly a set of J76's - or maybe FT76's.  I got the slackness out by tuning it up to DDAAEEBB.  The Emando set arrived today, 48, 34, 22, 14 - nickel strings.  I'll have to try to break the DDAAEEBB strings first...

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## blue4

I have this one now, with the strings from emando on it.  I love it.  It can really cover a lot of ground, as far as genre.  I bought it mostly because of the body style, I've wanted an airline bass forever, and I am really surprised and pleased with it.  I haven't touched my mandolin in a week.

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## rico mando

They are very good looking instruments and can be easily upgraded

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## Geeky

I tuned mine to Uke GCEA using 17-26, 13-18, 15-15, 10-10. I posted this elsewhere too.

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## rico mando

> well its a nice mandola but i am bored of it now time to sell it or maybe store it and see if the price goes up in ten years. now if it was a 5 string then i would be really into it. need to stop impulse buying on the internet i guess .looks nice on the wall any way


I have sold my eastwood mandola so do not message me asking if I still have it .thanks

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## Geeky

So I guess I'm calling mine a Mandolele.

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## Geeky

Oooh, I got my upgraded pickguard. Next, I have a SD Custom Mandolin Mini Humbucker on order and a "cool little knob" for the split and push pull volume.

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## Ed Goist

Eastwood Demo Sale (March, 2013):
"Airline mandola with very minor scratch on body back. Barely visible." Sale price $299.
No financial nor endorsement of the instrument on my part.

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## junglejem

So is it possible to use this as an octave mandolin, and if so, what gauge strings to use?

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## Eddie Sheehy

Try D'Addario J76 or FT76 on it and tune down to GDAE.  Or email Martin Stillion at Emando.com and get a custom set - he'll advise you - of nickel strings (better for pick-ups).

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## MandoSquirrel

You may find the strings a bit too floppy for Octave tuning,it may work better with cgda tuning. I haven't reached a conclusion.

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## Ed Goist

*No financial interest on my part:*



Here's the on-line store's link to the mandola.

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## Lord of the Badgers

i'm so tempted. has anyone played this in CGDG .... I'd like to have a go at that... bit torn between this and the warren ellis tenor... tempted to be back into the electric sound, but really not into six strings (might have a pop at DADGAD though!)

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## vaughntrapp

ideal Eastwood mandola?
upgraded humbucker with push/pull knob coil tap.
1st three pairs in octaves (smallest course in unison).
My friend has a 70's Manson electric mandola with three single coil PU's and a 5 position selector switch strung like this...it jangles like a mofo.

I'm tempted to get one of these and make the mods (any pickup suggestions?)
cut the nut, figure out string gauges, put in the coil tap....
It's either that or a $1600 elctric Mann (he makes 'em pretty)

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## bevb

I bought one in the summer, all ok but something didn't feel 'right'....so just made it into an octave with strings-052/ 038/ 026/014 as a four string...adjusted intonation, action fine....and now it really rocks ! Thought a black scratchplate looked better too, it matches the headstock. Best wishes from southern England xxx

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Ed Goist, 

ricomando

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## ricomando

one is for sale at demo price free ship at eastwood 
right now

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## Ruskin

> Oooh, I got my upgraded pickguard. Next, I have a SD Custom Mandolin Mini Humbucker on order and a "cool little knob" for the split and push pull volume.


 Hi, tell us how it's going now with new p/up please. cheers.

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## 8 String Samurai

Seeing this thread bubble to the top is certainly timely. I just got notice that my seafoam green airline mandola just arrived at my house. Work will now pass extremely slowly.  :Whistling: 
Looking forward to hearing if anyone has had any more recent luck with modifying these guys...

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