Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components? Etc?

  1. #1

    Default ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components? Etc?

    Hi All, I play acoustic bluegrass fiddle & mandolin in jams & bands, but I also like plugging into a pedalboard for effects, for busking and just for fun in the studio. Both my instruments are decent quality (fiddle in the $2-3K range, & Eastman 515 mando). Both have good quality piezo pickups (fiddle Ithaca Strings Pickup; mando Fishman M300). They sound good run through delay, reverb, & similar effects, but they don't really soak up distortion, compression, fuzz, etc. I'd like to find a solid-body instrument with mando/fiddle layout in 5ths. I've seen a bunch of electric mandolins at low price points. Any tips on decent basic quality brands, with playable necks and acceptable hardware & electronics? I'm a bit more interested in 8-string over 4, but not if it negatively impacts effects. For example, I have a Meris Enzo pedal that tracks better with 1 string than two. Current pedalboard attached, played out via a Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge, or direct to Ableton Live. I'd also be interested in a solid-body octave mando, but again definitely laid out in 5ths. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0066.jpg 
Views:	91 
Size:	1.65 MB 
ID:	207597  

  2. #2
    Registered User urobouros's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Sunny PNW
    Posts
    399

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    I like 4 & 5 string solid bodies better with effects than their 8 string counterparts but that may just be the player Check out emando.com for info on builders & a good selection for sale. My personal favorites are Jonathan Mann, http://www.manndolins.com/, and Andrew Jerman, http://www.crossroadswood.com. Both are members here as is the owner of emando, Martin Stillion. There are a number of other great builders with whom I don't have any direct experience but I'm sure others will chime in!
    2020 Northfield Big Mon
    2016 Skip Kelley A5
    2011 Weber Gallatin A20
    2021 Northfield Flattop Octave Mandolin
    2019 Pono Flattop Octave
    Richard Beard Celtic Flattop
    And a few electrics

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Acton, Massachusetts
    Posts
    339

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    First, for a solid-body , electric-sounding mando I would recommend a four string.

    My impression is that easily available mass-produced asian emandos tend to have a lot of quality problems and often require modification and setup upon receipt, with many users changing out the pickups, at least on Mandobirds.

    There are small-shop makers that get good reviews such as Andrew Jerman and JL Smith, but they are part-time makers and their instruments may not be available. I have a Ryder, made in Portland Maine, that I like a lot, but he no longer even mentions emandos on his web site.

    Belmuse, based in the UK, appears to be able to deliver relatively quickly on emando orders. Ditto Sparrow, which I think is in the Carolinas. The limited reviews I have seen are favorable for both.

    Fanner makes mostly solid body electric tenor and baritone ukes, but I think they will also do a mando. I have a 19-inch scale baritone from them that I like; have no idea if they do as well with shorter scale instruments. They will set up their longer scale instruments in fifths, so they may be an option if you opt for an octave mandolin

    A Loudbox is probably not the best amp for an emando. I use the Loudbox for plugging in my Rigel but bought a small Bugera tube amp for use with the emando.

    Good luck. I'm sure I'm leaving out some other good makers, but hopefully others will chime in. I think most of the instruments discussed above are in the $500 - $1000 range

  4. #4

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    My Bruno Royal Artist electric mandola has held up well, sounds good with distortion/chorus/delay/reverb. There are some other similar vintage ones you may come across, looks like there are some on emando.

  5. #5
    Pittsburgh Bill
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1,066
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    I have been happy with my Big Muddy (Mid-Missouri) Em8. No quality issues. Not sure you can find one as no longer being made. With a demand, Big Muddy May be inclined to make more.
    I need to add that I have had no experience with other solid bodies excepting a previous Chinese one I owned that had been thoroughly hot rodded by a prior owner. It, though reworked, was not as satisfying to play as my Big Muddy.
    Lastly, Big-Muddy has a reputation for building all quality instruments that play above their pay grade.
    Big Muddy EM8 solid body (Mike Dulak's final EM8 build)
    Kentucky KM-950
    Weber Gallatin A Mandola "D hole"
    Rogue 100A (current campfire tool & emergency canoe paddle)

  6. #6

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    Sorry for the delay responding. The cloud crashed my computer :-(. Thx for your tips! I'm going to try to find some to play with effects. I really appreciate the 4&5 string preference. I'll check out the vendors you mentioned.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thx!!!

  7. #7

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    Thx Bill! At least it gets me in the ballpark as I'm thinking about this kind of instrument. Glad you got a good one!

  8. #8

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    Thanks Morgan! I really appreciate the context -- on 4 v 8 string, on price range, and on amp choice, which makes alot of sense :-). I'll definitely check out the vendors you've mentioned.

  9. #9

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    I tried a couple of 8-stringers and built one myself, and wasn't thrilled with any of them. Then went to a 4-string solidbody which I liked better, but it does tend to get shrill. Finally (so far, anyway) built a 5-string semi-hollow octave (GDAEB) and that's been my favorite mandolin since.


  10. The following members say thank you to Magnus Geijer for this post:


  11. #10

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    [QUOTE=Magnus Geijer;1905020]I tried a couple of 8-stringers and built one myself, and wasn't thrilled with any of them. Then went to a 4-string solidbody which I liked better, but it does tend to get shrill. Finally (so far, anyway) built a 5-string semi-hollow octave (GDAEB) and that's been my favorite mandolin since.

    I really enjoyed that! I can see how a standard mandolin could end up too shrill. I'm interested in octaves anyway, so I'll keep that in mind. Again, thanks for posting the audio

  12. The following members say thank you to Spiralup for this post:


  13. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    4,786

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    I own a Mandobird 4 and a Fanner Tele style mandolin. Got the Mandobird for $125 bucks before they went out of production, lol. I mostly play around at home but have used it in church before with our youth band, and it’s fine for that. If I were a touring pro I’d change the pickup, probably replace the nut, and would do some work on the bridge (the screws can rub a little). The Fanner is a definite step up in quality, but it was essentially unplayable until I added a string tree. The E string just wouldn’t stay in the nut slot without it. That’s a very easy fix and well worth it. Given the single coil and tele style, it can get a little shrill clean, but it takes overdrive and distortion pretty well. It’s still new to me, and I’m still playing around with setup, but it doesn’t seem to have the weak E string with which Mandobirds can be plagued (my Bird is pretty decent in that regard).

    I agree with going with a 4 or 5 string rather than 8 if you want distortion. Trying to bend those double courses with a lot of distortion can get pretty gnarly, lol.

    If you decide you really don’t want to deal with the cheaper stuff, check out Jonathan Mann’s Manndolins. They’re a definite step up, and he builds OM’s as well. But they’re a definite step up in price, too, though not bad considering the quality. Good luck!
    Chuck

  14. #12
    Registered User Perry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Rockland Cty, NY
    Posts
    2,145

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    I agree that for electric single course are the way to go. But then you don’t really have a mandolin anymore.

    My only electric currently is a Ryder 4 string purchased from Martin (Emando.com). Mine is shaped like a mini Tele. Great set of pick-ups and looks and plays great. Ryder was based in Maine; do not know if he is still active.

    I have also owned a Gibson Florentine (great P90 P/U) and a Schwab 4 string.

  15. #13

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    Here is my Bruno Royal Artist, 8 string mandola with reverb, chorus, and distortion:


  16. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Foothills, NC
    Posts
    344

    Default Re: ISO Solid Body Electric Mandolins - Good Makers? Components?

    Wayne Benson has a nice video discussing his Hinde octave electric. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AicOo2v3xL4

    Adam

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •