# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  Electric mandolin: Help!

## whitemperor

I'm going to buy my first electric mandolin. What do you think, better the Epiphone's Mandobird or the Fender's Mandocaster? And in both cases, 4 or 8 strings? 
thanks.

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## Christian McKee

There have been a bunch of threads on this topic, try looking around a bit.  Generally speaking it depends on what kind of music you want to play - loud "traditional" mandolin music is best played on an eight string, but if you want to get into sounds that blur the line between mandolins and electric guitars, four or five strings are better suited.  Of course, that's one guy's opinion.

Christian

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## mandroid

Restating above reply ... 

Q with a Q: what music do you have in mind ?  a need to amplify your 8 string playing in a loud stage environment is one indication .

NB: real Fender Mandocasters are $2K+ as they have not made any for decades, 
and so are collectible priced.

Encouraged to read up in the archived posts?  there are many ..

 reading there you will find many have felt compelled to modify their M-Birds .

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## mrmando

Plenty of information at emando.com. You will not find a 4-string Fender, either original or imported, that even approaches a Mandobird for affordability. There are 5-string and 8-string imported Fenders from a few years ago; they're decent instruments but a bit noisy. The Fenders and Epis use different pickups and don't sound that much alike. 

I'd aim a little higher and look at Eastwood, Blue Star, Jerman, Elloree, etc.

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## whitemperor

Well, i'll play something more like rock than other musics.

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## mrmando

Then you probably want a 4- or 5-string, solid body. What's your budget?

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## MixedNutsMandoPlayer

Check out the Godin A8

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## whitemperor

> Then you probably want a 4- or 5-string, solid body. What's your budget?


I'd like to spend less than 300 euros (i'm italian) that's 440$.

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## bonny

> Check out the Godin A8


Nice instruments....the most acoustic sounding and feeling emando I know of. I sold mine as I wanted something for very quiet late night practice and it was way too loud acoustically for that.....a decision I know I will regret. If you dropped a magnetic pick up in one I bet it would be a real "do it all" kinda instrument. Not what everyone is looking for in an electric but if an acoustic vibe does it for ya these are a lotta bang for the buck. Only caution I'd offer is the bridge is glued on and I found changing from the stock strings to my preferred TI flats impossible due to the radical intonation change.

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## mrmando

Italian, eh? 

I wonder if there might be any Fender FM-984s or SB-4s still floating around Europe. (You can read more about those at Emando.com.) They were fairly inexpensive in Europe, but most of the batch that hit the United States sold for collector prices. 

Also keep an eye on European eBay sites (UK in particular) for Alden Mandocasters ... very similar to the Eastwood Mandocaster, but distributed mostly in Europe as opposed to U.S./Canada for the Eastwood. They have 8 strings but you can always remove four of them. 

I just sold an American-built 4-string electric by Terry Bales to someone in Brescia ... but the problem in importing from America is that postage and import duty will consume a third of your budget.

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## whitemperor

Nice. 
But i have some doubts about  5-strings. How do you play them? Are similar to a classic mandolin or entirely different?

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## mrmando

It's like a liuto, only an octave higher! Or a tenor mandola plus a mandolin in one instrument.

Some players mute the C string or skip over it when chording. Some learn mandola chords and leave the E string out. Some use partial 2- or 3-note chords all over the instrument and mute whatever strings they're not using at the moment. A few learn 5-string barre chords and do a lot of shifting.

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## mrmando

I wonder if there are any vintage Eko electrics floating around Italy?

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## whitemperor

Ok, now the final question? Is an 8-string emando played with half string the same of a 4-string? (sound quality, comfort ecc.)

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## Ben Milne

yep if you buy own a 4 string and buy a pack, you get two sets....

there's probably slightly different preferences as to particular gauges (light,med, heavy etc)  but that is differs more with players preference anyway. opinion will vary about gauge and tone/playability etc

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## Christian McKee

I don't have any experience taking an 8 string instrument, and stringing it with 4 strings (I think that's what you're asking?)  It sure seems like it would work just fine, I think the only issue might be the nut slots would be slightly to one side or the other.  Small differences, but we're talking about small instruments...

Christian

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## mrmando

It works for Jeff Bird and Johnny Gimble. You can't do a good mandolin tremolo with single strings, but if you're playing rock music, you probably won't need to worry about that.

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## mandroid

I have a Gibson an EM150 like A 50    that has been partially converted to a CGDA 4 string electric, 
re slotting the replacement nut and a different bridge 

 .. combined with a magnetic pickup  and Control Pots installed .. 

re-centering the strings for equal spacing helps.. its worth the effort.

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## Lee

J Bovier emandos should be available in a few weeks.  Don't know the exact price point but they look promising IMHO.  If I was in the market, I'd wait for their arrival.

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## mrmando

The OP is in Italy and has only 300 euros to spend. A JBovier will cost him twice that much by the time it gets to him.

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## Ben Milne

converting an 8 string to a 4 string i would think that recut nut and probably a different bridge would be required in order for string spacings to feel right...

  lining up an Epi'bird 8 next to 4 the 4 string's neck is somewhat narrower - along with the fretboard and headstock of course..

how many euros to the pound?  RUMC has Aldens on ebay for 190pound, and clearwaters (appears to be the same bar cosmetics) even cheaper

these would give you the feel of playing an 8 string mando, but output an electric sound...

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## mandroid

Risa in Germany still in business? they offered some interesting little electrics for modest prices.

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## Ronny

Another solution :
you can purchase in France (here) the Saga e-mando kit... It will cost 170+10 shipping, and keep some money to upgrade the pickup, if you want (I didnt do this, because the actual pickup is good enough for me), or to buy a great amp...

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## whitemperor

> The OP is in Italy and has only 300 euros to spend. A JBovier will cost him twice that much by the time it gets to him.


Sorry, but what's the OP?

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## CES

Duplicate post...see the next one...

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## CES

OP= Original Poster...it's just shorter than typing "WhiteEmperor."   :Smile: 

For the record, I have a 4 string mandobird I'm very happy with, but I'm very much a beginner and knew what to expect when I ordered it...that is, a functional emando for only a little cash, and not a custom emando collectible.  I had none of the issues with low E string volume and my tailpiece was placed correctly, but others have certainly had less positive experiences...I did have to do a little nut filing to get the action where I like it, but did so with torch cleaners I picked up at a hardware store for < $5 USD...

Gold Tone also makes a pretty decent little 4 stringer that's inexpensive, but if you're playing professionally you may want to take Martin's advice and either hold out for a better instrument or go as cheaply as you can (ie, used Mandobird or European equivalent) now but start saving for a significant upgrade in the coming months.   :Mandosmiley:

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## Daniel Nestlerode

> Sorry, but what's the OP?


O.P. means Original Poster, the person who starts the thread.

HTH,
Daniel

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## AndyK

I returned my Mandobird because the quiet E-sting made it unplayable.  I just got the Eastwood Mandocaster. It's great. There are more expensive eMando's out there, but the Mandocaster is OK. The sound is good, the price is OK. It doesn't hold tuning well, though, and as delivered it was not possible to adjust the bridge to get a true octave on all strings at the 12th fret. Still, it's a lot of fun. Google "Mandocaster" ... there are several vendors.

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## mandroid

FWIW, Weak E string response can be solved..   by restringing it CGDA, and adjusting setup to suit.

.049" makes a reasonable C.  :Wink:

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## Dave Greenspoon

There is an 8 string electric already in Germany (no VAT!) currently listed in the classifieds within your budget.  I'm sure that it will do what you want it to do for a rock-n-roll axe.

NFI on my part, just trying to be helpful.

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## Mandophocles

I have both the Eastwood Mandocaster and the Epiphone Mandobird. In all honesty, I'd reccomend both. I switch back and forth as to which one is my favorite about every 6 months or so, and to be perfectly honest, both are great instruments for the price. Relatively well built and comfortable.

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## whitemperor

OK guys, thank you for yours suggestions. At the end i bought an Ovation mandolin, model MCS148. I'll tell you how it works!

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## mandroid

Went with 8 ..  Piezoelectric  pieces as part of the  bridge  is quite a different way of generating the signal, 
than the  magnetic core and coil of wire,  Type.   

Happy picking..

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## Elliot Luber

I like the Eastwood a lot, but I'm thinking of getting a four or five-string. Didn't like the Mandobird. Any low-cost suggestions? How's the Kentucky emando? I know it's low cost.

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## bevb

I've an Andrew Jerman 5 string, made in USA, it's great, look him up !  :Whistling:

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## Elliot Luber

> FWIW, Weak E string response can be solved..   by restringing it CGDA, and adjusting setup to suit.
> 
> .049" makes a reasonable C.



So you have to retune it to get it to work properly? I think I'll pass.

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## mandroid

Happen to like CGDA tuning , myself ... have a Mandola and 2 4 string electrics.

Solved the Roland guitar synth running out of patches  too soon on the E string  that way too. 

the Pentaula is tuned an octave down . 15" scale has the .056" G a bit floppy 
but the DAEB works OK.  with a  string set felt heavy its normal AEBF#C#pitch set

2 pickup types , perhaps, Blend in a piezo bridge which is fine with a thin E ,
 and magnetic pickup that won't 'see' that string well , together ..   :Confused:  ...

 :Popcorn:

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## Bob Borzelleri

> Happen to like CGDA tuning , myself ... have a Mandola and 2 4 string electrics.
> 
> Solved the Roland guitar synth running out of patches  too soon on the E string  that way too. 
> 
> the Pentaula is tuned an octave down . 15" scale has the .056" G a bit floppy 
> but the DAEB works OK.  with a  string set felt heavy its normal AEBF#C#pitch set
> 
> 2 pickup types , perhaps, Blend in a piezo bridge which is fine with a thin E ,
>  and magnetic pickup that won't 'see' that string well , together ..   ...


What gauge strings are you using for C-G-D-A?

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## mandroid

C is  .049"  the others are just shifted over, 40, 26 14 ..

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## Elliot Luber

Mann seems to make some really good electric instruments. I really like the PRS looking solid body, but I suspect the semi-hollow body is a lot more versatile. Does it have a piezo in the bridge?

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## journeybear

> I don't have any experience taking an 8 string instrument, and stringing it with 4 strings (I think that's what you're asking?)  It sure seems like it would work just fine, I think the only issue might be the nut slots would be slightly to one side or the other.  Small differences, but we're talking about small instruments...


That's what I did with my EM150, reason being the slightest difference in tuning on a pair of string made it sound pretty ugly. Didn't change the nut because - well, it didn't occur to me and even if it had I'm not keen on modifying vintage instruments. I removed the treble side strings because when I bend strings I tend to pull rather than push.




> I returned my Mandobird because the quiet E-sting made it unplayable.


 I haven't noticed this effect on mine. Besides, I use a 7-band EQ which evens out the response. Of course, as I look at its settings, it's weighted toward the treble end.  :Grin: 




> For the record, I have a 4 string mandobird I'm very happy with, but I'm very much a beginner and knew what to expect when I ordered it...that is, a functional emando for only a little cash, and not a custom emando collectible.


I'm with you on this, though I'm not a beginner. It is much more what I was looking for than the EM150 - a real rock, blues, and and country instrument, able to bend strings three frets, make 'em cry and twang, leap small (very small) buildings in a single bound. I also have a 5-string Fender (recent import, not vintage) that I haven't bonded with yet. I may yet add another pickup to the MandoBird, for more power and the toggle action. All in good time. Meanwhile, it's a lot of bang for the buck. New they're $250 but I got mine on ebay barely used for $150.




> You can't do a good mandolin tremolo with single strings, but if you're playing rock music, you probably won't need to worry about that.


You know, while I agree with you as far as my personal experience goes, I have heard some decent tremolo action from _guitarists,_ and they are using single strings. I'm thinking of Eric Clapton on Cream's "Dance The Night Away," though of course this is an example of a master at the peak of his powers and there is some kind of effect being used. I'll bet that tweaking the settings on a reverb or echo or delay effect would help make single-string tremolo sound fuller. But yeah, generally speaking, single-string tremolo tends to sound staccato. 




> OK guys, thank you for yours suggestions. At the end i bought an Ovation mandolin, model MCS148. I'll tell you how it works!


Oh no! Lost another one to Ovation ...  :Crying:

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## mandroid

> Mann seems to make some really good electric instruments. I really like the PRS looking solid body, but I suspect the semi-hollow body is a lot more versatile. Does it have a piezo in the bridge?


I'd ask Mr Mann and see if that was an option, as an individual builder I expect he is open to  individual customer's needs.

a Fishman type bridge, and a  separate tailpiece would be simple and fairly low cost. 
Hollow body would, also, allow a transducer to go inside, under the bridge.

I  had Individual RMC piezoelectric  pieces inset on top of a wooden bridge
the 4 leads can be combined to an onboard preamp like Godin uses, [also from RMC]  and a mono signal.

My choice was a Divided Pickup, 8 pin jack& cable, the magnetic pickup is then 1 of the conductors {#7}, that is split back out on the black box preamp 'polydrive 2', so when just running a multi effects pedal that 1/4" cable comes off the box to the input of EFX/Preamp.

 to feed the PD2 external preamp, which also provides a signal for 13 pin Roland guitar synths . 1 of the 13 is phantom for the PD2, [9v battery for Running piezo Pre without the synth cable]

Steve Ryder is another builder , he retrofitted 5 bridge pickups into the Pentaula , those are Strat bridge type. 
Builds his own Emando's with synth ready electronics if desired .

 :Popcorn:

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## bevb

You could try an Almuse, made in UK, look at web site..
www.almuse.co.uk
My ' mini tele' cost approx £300, not sure what that is in euros, but very competitive price. Ans almuse have designed a pickup especially for electric mandos, no problem with the volume of the top e string.  :Whistling:

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## bevb



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