# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Four, Five and Eight-String Electrics >  Whammy bar!

## Ken Olmstead

I want an emando with a whammy bar! It is the only thing I miss about my electric guitar. I do the palm behind the bridge thing for some vibrato but I want the REAL DEAL!! Because of the string tension and short scale length it would not have to vary things much to have a huge impact and it would be easy to over do but I want one. Maybe the equivelent of a bigsby. Subtle but effective. Maybe one of you builders has some ideas but I think it would just kick big time behind!! I love it on jazz ballads for expressing myself on those sustained notes!  :Smile:  I know whoever designs one will never retire off of them but you would be my hero!!  :Grin:

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## mando.player

Something like this? http://stetsbar.com/

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## Ken Olmstead

Charlie,

Do they make a mandolin version?? It seems a little mondo for a mando...but if it works!

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## Terry Braund

Ken,

Here are some pics of a 5-string OM Mandoblaster I modified so I could add a Bigsby.  I added the body extension and converted the 6-string Bigsby to five strings (as well as the bridge made for Bigsbys).  I also added new pickups and control knobs.

Of course the OM has a larger body to begin with than a regular mando and it still needed the extension to accommodate the Bigsby.

This was for a customer who had the Mandoblaster made for him.  The Bigsby mod works well and he loves it.

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## Ted Eschliman

Ken, it's not what you're asking for, but how about this for a little exploration into an alternate mando universe?

_(LOVE that Bigsby Bluestar, by the way!)_

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## Ken Olmstead

Terry, now that is very cool. Is that a Bigsby for a telecaster? How did you modify it for 5 strings? Hmmm, this married up with Jonathan Manns 18 inch scale OM would be a pretty jazzy rig indeed! That OM mandoblaster is very shagadelic!

Ted, you temptor! I would LOVE to have one of those! I have wanted one for years for my guitar! Do you use yours much? Seems like it would be the cat's meow for recording!

I need to prioritize:
1) patiently wait for Stealth
2) work up viable tremelo option
3) Sell Weber Fern
4) Call Johnatha Mann, place order
5) purchase Princeton Reissue
6) install Roland interface
7) Live in musical bliss for at least 6 months!  :Laughing:

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## mandroid

The A bender that stew mac made for their Electric mandolin  comes to mind, 

though didn't bend all at the same time .

not sure , was there a pitch dive as well as a tension increase ?

I like the RMC synth conversion for its tidyness , all can go internal , or as a space saving requirement  of mandolins an external control black box. it has lots of EQ controls too.

But Piezo sandwich they use, may not take dynamic string pulling  back and across it  
Roland's mini 6 pickup strip would probably do OK there , they have an internal kit , 
and lt can go into the scratch plate, like those Roland ready Stratocasters.

so combining Ken's 4 and 6 together  by having all the parts in the builders hands .

Roland's GKP-4 lets you combine 4 different  Modules  to stack sounds , too , adding depth.

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## thistle3585

I worked on one for some time to go along with my bridges, but could never come up with anything that would really work very well.  The biggest problem was that the strings would go out of tune.  Apparently, that isn't as much of an issue with longer scale instruments. A couple designs involved a plate under the saddles that would tip back as well as a bar running along the back side of the bridge that would pull on the strings.  Finally gave up as it was becoming too expensive just building prototypes.  Also, the parts just buzzes too much.

When guitar hero came out, the whammy bar system on the guitar sparked the flame once again.  I did some research on the electronic components for it and it was pretty simple but it would have to be used with some sort of synth system.  It may be possible to wire it using a stereo jack an a common pot but it wont sound the same.  Its basically pitch control, but I don't have enough experience with electronics to figure it out.   Unfortunately, I just don't have the time or expertise to pursue it.

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## MANNDOLINS

I've had a few people ask for such a critter...but frankly after 10 years of doing guitar repairs and setups in Nashville which about 50% of that being Floyd Rose or other trem system setups I'm enjoing not messing with them for a while (I quit my day job last year). Maybe one day I'll miss working on them and give it a try :Smile: . I have done a few of these "internal Roland" things which makes for a neater package. I did run into a problem on the E string though...it would only track so far up the neck...last one I got to track to 13th fret.

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## Django Fret

Here are some pictures of my Whamdolin which started out as an eight-string Eastwood Mandocaster.  I had it modified into a four-string and added a whammy bar.  I ended up having a locking-nut put on it to help it stay in tune better.

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## jefflester

The green Tony Revell Rick-inspired that belongs to Mike Campbell. Looks like it bends at the tailpiece instead of at the bridge.
(courtesy of emando)

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## mandroid

I with my 4 string RMC conversion  found Roland  doesn't write anything above the 15th fret G in a
mandokin;s E string , since a guitar doesn't go that high anyway. GR 30 & 33 modules ,

running thru a GI 20 and  Keyboard module may have 'patches ' written in those pitches , since there are piano keys up a ways higher . . .

I re strung the 4 string to CGDA tuning.. , more interesting sounds on the bottom end string pitches ..

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## Terry Braund

> Is that a Bigsby for a telecaster? How did you modify it for 5 strings?


Ken,

Yes, I believe it is a Bigsby for a Telecaster - my customer bought it and sent it to me.  To convert it to five strings I pulled the six pins (they don't come out easily!) that hold the ends of the strings and drilled five new holes at the proper spacing then inserted five new pins - press fit plus a little epoxy.  You can't see the old holes because they are facing down (I don't remember if I filled them - I may have).

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## journeybear

[QUOTE=Terry Braund;629685]

_Here are some pics of a 5-string OM Mandoblaster I modified so I could add a Bigsby.  I added the body extension and converted the 6-string Bigsby to five strings (as well as the bridge made for Bigsbys). _ 

Looks great! When you say "modified," are you talking machine shop or is this something most luthiers could do?


_This was for a customer who had the Mandoblaster made for him.  The Bigsby mod works well and he loves it._

Of course he does! What's not to love? Heck, *I* love it and we've just met!  :Wink:

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## journeybear

> Here are some pictures of my Whamdolin which started out as an eight-string Eastwood Mandocaster.  I had it modified into a four-string and added a whammy bar.  I ended up having a locking-nut put on it to help it stay in tune better.


OK, I understand the term "modified," though it can be a bit vague ... but I don't understand where half your tuning pegs went!?!  :Confused:   :Disbelief:  I also wonder how Mike Campbell's 8-string operates. That's the first I've seen; every other one I've seen uses a 6-string guitar setup modified (love/hate that term) for 4- or 5-string configurations.

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## Ken Olmstead

> Here are some pictures of my Whamdolin which started out as an eight-string Eastwood Mandocaster.  I had it modified into a four-string and added a whammy bar.  I ended up having a locking-nut put on it to help it stay in tune better.


Cool! Would love to see a close up of the bridge. Do you use it much? How does it sound on a short scale?

That Ricky lookalike is sweet! Love the Green! I remember the guitar version of that tailpiece. I will have to go find a photo of one and remind myself of its configuration.

Jonathan - now that is a clean looking midi pick up. Is the jack for it next to the 1/4"?

Terry, thanks. That is a pretty viable option for a longer scale. It must add a bit of wieght to the instrument huh?

Any others?

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## delsbrother

Lots of bahian guitars have trems...

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## Ken Olmstead

> Lots of bahian guitars have trems...



Cool link! I feel like I have been living under a rock now! How did I miss this??



Or this...

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## Terry Braund

> Looks great! When you say "modified," are you talking machine shop or is this something most luthiers could do?


Journeybear,

I did the modifications myself as could most luthiers.  

I designed, constructed and attached the body extension to support the south end of the Bigsby that had to overhang the original body.  I chatted with Bruce Herron, maker of Bluestar mandoblasters, and he told me how he finished the body and sent me a piece of the top swirl blue overlay to cover the extension I made.  I finished the extension to match so the extension looks less like an add on.  (I actually resprayed the entire back.)  I modified the Bigsby as I mentioned in an earlier post by pulling the pins and re-drilling.  I shortened the original 6-string bridge by removing the sixth adjustable nut barrel piece, sawing the aluminum body of the bridge to proper length, filing to match the other end and touching up with black gloss enamel to match.

Thanks for the nice comments on it  :Smile:

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## Terry Braund

> Terry, thanks. That is a pretty viable option for a longer scale. It must add a bit of wieght to the instrument huh?


Ken,

It does add small amount of weight and balance is important, but frankly, the finished product felt nicely balanced to me and not too heavy . . . and my customer said he really loves playing it.  

Being an OM and thus a larger/heavier bodied mando the weight addition is a smaller percentage of total than on a smaller/lighter bodied mando - and therefore, probably less noticeably (maybe?).

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## journeybear

You make it sound so easy ...  :Wink:

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## Django Fret

[QUOTE=Ken Olmstead;630012]Cool! Would love to see a close up of the bridge. Do you use it much? How does it sound on a short scale?

Ken, I'm afraid that I don't use it as much as I'd like these days but it sure is a lot of fun to play.  I figure if surf-grass ever catches on, I'll be ready.

Here is a close-up of the bridge.


JB, the other 4 tuning pegs were removed, the holes filled in and a veneer covers the top and bottom of the headstock.  I've got four replacements if I ever need them.

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## Ken Olmstead

Cool, thanks for posting!

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## journeybear

> JB, the other 4 tuning pegs were removed, the holes filled in and a veneer covers the top and bottom of the headstock.  I've got four replacements if I ever need them.


Well, now! THAT is what I call attention to detail. Nice work, because you really can't tell that it started its life as an 8-string. I like the room between the tuning pegs, eliminates knuckle-busting.

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## cammtb

My husband made a whammy bar for his mandolin since he too is a guitarist and he missed having that.  It took some work but it's now perfect, the mandolin stays in tune (he tested it for months before showing anyone else) and he still has a mandolin sound.  A lot of forums we've read have people who have tried to customize a Bigsby but ran into problems because of the mandolin not staying in tune.  My husband decided to start from scratch and designed a whole new whammy bar specifically for mandolin.  His boss was so impressed that he wants to add it to his production line, I don't know if it will sell but I imagine there are a lot of guitarists who may also consider mandolin with the added extra of a whammy bar.  I think with the whammy bar it's also 'more cool' for kids that are considering an instrument.  It's also cool because the way my husband made it the whammy bar can also be made in different colors instead of just silver or gold, I told him I want a rainbow whammy bar. :Mandosmiley:

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## Daniel Nestlerode

Very cool.  Can we see it?   :Smile: 

Daniel

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## TonyEarth

Doesn't Sam Bush have a Fender electric mandolin with a whammy bar? I think i saw it in one of his videos, i might be wrong. that i know of, these didn't come with one. how would you put one in an already made mandolin? is it like an extension of the bridge, or do you have to make some space inside the mandolin for some inner part of it? i know nothing about these except that they make a cool sound,

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## cammtb

The one my husband made is external, he made a new tailpiece and whammy bar along with a self made roller bridge.  I'll admit it's a really cool sound.  p.s. my husbands has an 8 string mandolin, he's been playing songs from The Shadows, Brian Setzer, etc.; the whammy bar has increased the type of music he can play on the mandolin.   :Cool:

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## cammtb

> Very cool.  Can we see it?  
> 
> Daniel


Here's a YouTube link of my husband testing his whammy bar mandolin.  FYI: my husband is Dutch, that's why the strong accent.  I hope you enjoy the clip.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EaQna5wONg

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## rico mando

nice my boss gt -10 has a similar feature in its effects patches. only you use the foot pedal instead of the bar. great work

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