New To Me Rickenbacker Mandolin

[rockabilly69]

Because I just formed a new band where I'm playing mostly electric guitar I thought I would add an electric mandolin to our sound.

Just picked this Rickenbacker 5002V58 reissue up. It came to me with a broken pick-guard so I made a new one with some plexiglass and rustoleum metallic gold paint. Cut it with a rotozip, shaped it with a benchtop sander, cut the bridge and pickup holes with a dremel mounted into a dremel drill press stand, and drilled the rest of the holes with a cordless drill (step bit for the vol/tone controls), finished all the edges with hand sanding.

before...


after...


As for the sound of this new mandolin, it took me a while to figure out how to dial it in (the pickup is quite hot), but I've got it sounding pretty good, very similar to a Rick electric twelve string but higher voiced, just perfect for what the band requires. And....it plays very nice. If you want to palm mute, the bridge cover pops right off.

[catndahats]

Cool addition/find!
I don't know much about electric mandolins, but the few I have heard guys play are really cool.

[Dave Hicks]

That looks very nice. I've got a 4 string electric, which sounds more like a small guitar. I bet an 8 string would have more mando character. (It looks like this one has loads of character to start with.)

D.H.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Dave Hicks

That looks very nice. I've got a 4 string electric, which sounds more like a small guitar. I bet an 8 string would have more mando character. (It looks like this one has loads of character to start with.)

D.H.

I also have a 4 string and it just doesn't work for me in this band. It's a mini telecaster (stepside) built by RS guitarworks, and Lindy Fralin made a custom P90 for it, but it just doesn't sound like a mando. The Rick does!

Here's the RS mando...

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by catndahats

Cool addition/find!
I don't know much about electric mandolins, but the few I have heard guys play are really cool.

I don't really know much about the electric ones either, but when I saw this video I was hooked and figured it would work great for my band...

[Bob Womack]

Nicely done!

Bob

[Skarsaune]

Originally Posted by Dave Hicks

That looks very nice. I've got a 4 string electric, which sounds more like a small guitar. I bet an 8 string would have more mando character. (It looks like this one has loads of character to start with.)

D.H.

There's one of those 4 strings with a Firebird-esque body advertised locally, and I'm trying my best to avoid buying it.

Somewhat in the same vein, I built a couple of mini-Tele style 6 strings for my nephews. Tuned them up to A. Kinda wish I'd built one for myself, too.

OP, nice save on the Rick, and cool instrument!

[Dave Hicks]

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

There's one of those 4 strings with a Firebird-esque body advertised locally, and I'm trying my best to avoid buying it.

Somewhat in the same vein, I built a couple of mini-Tele style 6 strings for my nephews. Tuned them up to A. Kinda wish I'd built one for myself, too.

OP, nice save on the Rick, and cool instrument!

Well, you know, sometimes a small guitar is just what you want. Or you can sound throw some fuzz on it and make it sound so mean that the number of strings is irrelevant.

D.H.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Cool axe and good repair job. Congrats!

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Nicely done!

Bob

Thanks Bob!

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

Cool axe and good repair job. Congrats!

Thanks Charlie!

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

There's one of those 4 strings with a Firebird-esque body advertised locally, and I'm trying my best to avoid buying it.

Somewhat in the same vein, I built a couple of mini-Tele style 6 strings for my nephews. Tuned them up to A. Kinda wish I'd built one for myself, too.

OP, nice save on the Rick, and cool instrument!

I like those Firebird looking mandos and there's a guy that winds great pickups for them!

Originally Posted by Dave Hicks

Well, you know, sometimes a small guitar is just what you want. Or you can sound throw some fuzz on it and make it sound so mean that the number of strings is irrelevant.

D.H.

I do like a little delay and reverb on this one, but haven't tried it with fuzz.