# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  What do you think? New Gibson emando

## Elliot Luber

I love it. Just wish I had 5 grand!
http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=9035

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## mrmando

Ah, the F-Paul! Pretty sweet! There was a prototype at Winter NAMM 2009 IIRC. 

A certain e-mando player friend of mine said he had done some consulting with Gibson around the time the prototype was developed, but it wasn't clear to me whether this instrument is a direct result of those consultations or not.

I'm guessing Dennis picked this up at NAMM 2010? Does this mean it's in production now?

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## jefflester

Cool! The NAMM '08 prototype (photo on emando) was a 4-stringer vs. this 8. I wonder if they will offer both, if indeed it's now a production instrument.

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## Chris Biorkman

That's very cool.

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## onassis

Did anyone else find it odd that there was no description whatsoever of the instrument? I would've liked to know some details, and the mando store usually has good info to go along with the pics.

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## mrmando

It defies description!

One great thing about Web publishing is that you can go back and add details without having to reprint 12,000 catalogs or whatever.

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## mandroid

Rather curious .. All the electrics have to be installed thru the pickup hole , 
 have to completely disembowel it if there is any problems  with the Pots and so forth..

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## jefflester

Yeah, no backplate. They don't have to be installed that way, they can be installed when the top is installed on the body, which both look to be maple, but separate pieces. But yeah, it would be awfully hard to change anyhting.

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## delsbrother

<gasping>

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## mandroid

Can't think of any one who puts the parts on first, then lacquer is applied, can you?

I expect some ship-in-a-bottle techniques get used to pull the control knobs into place  pre wired,
thru their mounting holes, once the finish cures.

the cavity for the pickup is bigger than any of the other parts that have to pass thru it.   :Popcorn:

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## Christian McKee

At the risk of being a contrarian: Am I the only one who isn't really bowled over by this instrument?  Admittedly I tend to gravitate away from the electric that look (nearly) just like acoustics, but is it that good and I just don't see it?

Christian

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## jefflester

> Can't think of any one who puts the parts on first, then lacquer is applied, can you?


Well, no, but that approach made more sense to me then the ship in the bottle.  :Smile:

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## Jim MacDaniel

> At the risk of being a contrarian: Am I the only one who isn't really bowled over by this instrument?...


I'm not either, but then I'm not much of a fan of acoustic F-style mandolins either. I much prefer the two-point design of the classic EM-200 over this one -- but my favorite emando of all time has to be the late 50's Fender Mandocaster (blonde with maple fretboard please  :Wink: ).

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## Ben Milne

the curly maple front is a winner... flowerpot is a cherry on top.

the mando looks a treat.

would like to see the input jack wired TRS with some RMC saddle pickups for that would be ace.

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## Paul Kotapish

Looks pretty great, but my heart's set on one of those Rickenbacker-style Tony Revell emandos.

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## rico mando

Its pretty but how about a bridge that would let you intonate individual strings. and maybe another pick up.

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## Jill McAuley

I think it's a real looker! Thankfully the $5000 price tag moves it well out of the realms of MAS for me!

Cheers,
Jill

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## mandroid

Weber's Maverick 8 will get the job done decently,  for the purpose, for a bit less, 

but if its gotta have the big G on the head and the scroll and points and all, for the buyer, then so be it..

 :Popcorn:

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## igowing

$5000 and it looks like they just used a regular Gibson mini-humbucker.  An instrument costing that much should at least have a pickup meant for it.  Hope I'm wrong.

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## Elliot Luber

Is it me, or are there no volume or tone controls visible on the Weber Maverick 8? http://www.sylvanmusic.com/inventory...0&search=Weber

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## Ken Olmstead

Looks cool! $5k? Ouch! Changing electronics will be similar to doing the job on a Gibson 335. No fun but doable.

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## mrmando

Here is a photo of a Maverick 5 with the controls visible.

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## Elliot Luber

> Looks cool! $5k? Ouch! Changing electronics will be similar to doing the job on a Gibson 335. No fun but doable.


I have a 335, and that's exactly what I was thinking... I need to change the pots.


Okay, so the Maverick pots are under the pick guard. Interesting. Gibson seems to use the Kentucky knob spacing. While I do love the Gibson I'm sure I'll start with a Kentucky (4).

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## mandroid

Given Gibson made stuff Long before Saga started their importing Company It's the other way round.

Kids, no sense of bloody History :Disbelief: 
 :Popcorn:

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## Daniel Nestlerode

Interesting.  I was at NAMM and did not see this.  I suppose I could have missed it but...
Gibson's presence at NAMM was smaller than Breedlove's.

Nice looking mando, but I'm with taboot and Jim McD.  If I'm playing an electric mandolin I want it to look different than my acoustic mandolins --more obviously electric.

Daniel

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## Elliot Luber

> Given Gibson made stuff Long before Saga started their importing Company It's the other way round.
> 
> Kids, no sense of bloody History


I've covered Gibson since the early '80s as a journalist. I was just commenting on the similar layout; the Gibson design is ostensibly a new design (nodding back to the Florentine).

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## mandroid

But,  Gibson is essentially a company began in the Victorian era. 19th century.

you  still talking about location where the tone and volume knobs mounting holes  are drilled into the top   :Confused: 

their EM 150 electrics have F holes , so cannot put the knobs where they have on that one

 that has no sound holes so they can put them where the F hole would have been ..

the electric is, doubtless, made on the same tooling  and patterns that makes all their other F instruments .

they just substituted some more figured maple for the top , rather than spruce, to my eye.

perhaps other builders could do the same , as the F5 body style is  in Public Domain, 

given all the look alike ones that are made around the world.. 

they get their hackles up :Mad: when you use their brand name on the headstock, though.



An advantage to using a stock F5 pattern is you got no trouble finding a bunch of different cases
 to choose from, to put it in.

 :Popcorn:

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## Elliot Luber

I understand all that, I just think the difference between a $300 and $5000 emando might include better knob layout. Hey, I'd still prefer the Gibson if I had that kind of money.

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## eadg145

That looks to me to be a collector's mandolin, not a player's mandolin.

Sure is pretty, though.

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## mandroid

location of controls is a choice, not a cost, just have to know what you want 
and ask as it is built to have that  preference followed by the builder.

I moved my Fender FM 61's volume  knob, it was in the way, but they built it with a scratch plate 
to mount everything on, like their guitars, so it was a reasonable task.

 I got a gang pot so both were using one hole.

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## GRW3

I was directed here from another thread on this mandolin. Somebody hit close to my thought. "F Paul" they said. I was struck by how this mandolin seems to point out how the basic Les Paul shape references the traditional Gibson F body outline. 

I assume this is a cross state collaboration from OAI in Nashville and the electric guitar works in Memphis with each contributing their expertise.

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## mandroid

..  Reading the current website update, Somebody bought it, 

so the price must have been reasonable for someone.   :Wink:

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## Elliot Luber

There are folks buying Loars too, but it ain't me.

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## Turner Burner

personally i think it's over priced.  for $5000 you could get almost 3 Jon Mann mandolins, a Michael Stevens, a Yanuziello, a Paul LeStock (if you can find one), etc.

it's encouraging to see a big company starting to pay attention to solid body emandos, but the price of this one should probably be cut in half.

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## Elliot Luber

> That looks to me to be a collector's mandolin, not a player's mandolin.
> 
> Sure is pretty, though.


I think he said it best.

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## mandroid

perhaps..   get someone else to make  an F5 with a Maple top, back, sides, and neck?

the body style is in public domain, by now, ...   the brand name is not,
 and I think Gibson protects some of the signature decorations with copyright.

the flowerpot , as I read here.

with a Dupli-carver pattern and router machine setup, or a CNC program, substituting material,
 the top would be easier to deal with than Light Spruce, since, not being an acoustic 
 it doesn't need tap tuning or bracing  and such..

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## Spruce

> perhaps..   get someone else to make  an F5 with a Maple top, back, sides, and neck?


Mahogany neck and back (ala the Les Paul), but you get the idea:



And another electric Sullivan:

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## Ben Milne

Bumping this thread... 
 Anybody have any pics of the Gibson?  Can't find any info anywhere else on the I'net.

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## Ben Milne

The Mandolin Store is now listing the F-5GEM with delivery scheduled for December.

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## Elliot Luber

Start saving. :-)

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## mandroid

part of the cost is the 2 business' to run , Gibson and the holding company that owns it, 
and its shareholders , 
and the dealer,   ..  no wait thats more than 2..   :Popcorn:

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## Elliot Luber

Check out the new Elliott emandos we were discussing. They are somewhat similar in shape (I have no financial interest).
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...-Taking-Orders!

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## Mandolin Mick

Nice flower pot! :Smile:

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## rico mando

Guess this baby is not really taking off . at what price or upgrades do you think this would be more of a hot commodity if they actually made some and still be profitable ?

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## mandroid

If they sit in the dealer, at $5K, then the demand is not there,  to make more,
 and only by making more can the price per unit be lowered..

Or the usual .. (neoliberal economics 101) 
send the work off shore to drive down manufacturing overhead and  labor costs ..

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## Ed Goist

> If they sit in the dealer, at $5K, then the demand is not there,  to make more,
>  and only by making more can the price per unit be lowered..
> 
> Or the usual .. (neoliberal economics 101) 
> send the work off shore to drive down manufacturing overhead and  labor costs ..


My theory on this is that there is actually very little overlap between the "scroll mandolin community" and the "emando community".
Several recent and on-going discussions here on the Cafe certainly seem to indicate this.
From a marketing perspective, it seems the most viable "e-mando aesthetic" is either guitar-oriented or oriented toward a unique, modern design.

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## Jim Garber

Here is the listing at the Mandolin Store.

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## Ben Milne

Popped up in the classifieds, due to the owner's passing. Now's your chance if you missed it first time around.

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## mandroid

yea, looks like it's  back in inventory, now the F-5GEM is $5999.00
http://www.themandolinstore.com/scri...idproduct=9273

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## mandroid

Ah just cruised the classifieds  .. above in AZ, restock, or  the Classifieds one in ILL.


 if it's a 'cost of doing business' deductible purchase , a tool to earn your living .. 
 extra points..

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## Jackin

superb !

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