This is The Stoneman Electric Mandolin. This is my latest "batch" of 14, including two left handed. Most have a solid body, made from American Black Walnut, with a very rigid rock (hard)
Maple neck that goes through the body. Some have an Ash body with Maple necks.
It's got a solid steel(3/16X1/2") truss rod . It's got
a very nice rosewood fingerboard (no dyes or stain!) that looks like Macasar Ebony, with 19
hard frets.
The top position markers are real wood, and the side dots are white plastic.
As far as the neck ..... I fashioned these
necks after an old Gibson "F" style mando I had in my shop years ago .....
The width of the neck uses a "standard", pre slotted, Mandolin nut. The neck is a very
average traditional mandolin neck, not
like those horrible Fender, Rick, or Ovation electric mandolins!
The body is a custom shape
(similar to the Gibson "A" style), and is available in American Black Walnut, Figured Maple, Cherry, or beautiful white ash.
The electronics are
"recording studio" shielded and quiet! The "control compartment" is completely shielded with solid metal, not conductive "paint".
This is wired with a volume and tone. The pickup is indeed a custom wired pickup that uses a bobbin, pole pieces (magnets), and pickup cover that is "one half" of a "P"
bass pickup. This custom made pickup configuration, is a very good sounding MANDOLIN pickup. This is a very
good sounding mandolin. The jack is a "barrel jack" in the lower side, like the one in the photo
The solid body gives this
lots of sustain, as well as a great sound. The whole frequency range of this instrument is
better sounding than an amplified acoustic because
of the solid body, and solid maple and steel reinforced neck, as well as the rosewood
fingerboard. Unlike the "Wimpy" necks of the traditional mandolins of the past, this
has a 3/16" X 1/2" SOLID STEEL bar in the neck. The neck is flat, rigid, and will NEVER
front bow!
This is a "neck-through-body" design, one solid piece of hard maple runs the length of
the instrument. This comes with an padded gig bag.
This instrument is completely hand made in the USA!
I have made several batches of
these and have gotten many, many, rave reviews on the sound of these.
Stoneman Guitars has been
building handmade high-end Guitars and Bass Guitars since the late 60's!
If you want OR NEED a mandolin that feels
and plays just like a traditional mandolin, that CUTS THROUGH, than this is the instrument for
you !
Solid body = NO
FEEDBACK!
You can literally play a mandolin lead in front of Metalica, and this won't
squeal!
If you are a traditional mandolin player who plays or played an amplified acoustic on stage,
you will really appreciate this instrument!
Virtually NO feedback and something an acoustic mandolin is physically incapable of........
SUSTAIN! It's the nature of the short scale and high tension of the mandolin tuning, that takes
away from the instrument NOT being able to sustain a note.
The way I "fixed" this was to use a very hard neck material (most mandolins have a mahogany neck)
and a SOLID rectangular steel bar truss rod, along with a very hard ebony fingerboard.........
Then I increased the scale length from 13 5/8" to 14". Enough to make a small difference in
sound, but not too much as to feel different from other mandolins.
There is an "S" in the peghead (decal), the "Stoneman" Logo. This is finished in a real durable satin
lacquer finish (health, and environmentally friendly!).
Lot's of room to pick!
Here's a letter I got from a customer of the last "batch"
John,
When I got home from work the mandolin was waiting for me. I carefully
inspected it, and I'd like to pass on my observations.
The mandolin has great balance. It feels good. The neck has a good
feeling. A little meaty, but I like it. The acoustic quality of the
mandolin is wonderful. Unplugged, it rings in a "piano-like" tone. Plugged
in it is great. I love the wide sweep in the tone control. It can be sweet
or in your face. It is so nice to play an instrument that has a functional
tone control. The volume knob at about 3/4 is crystal clear and sweet.
Turned up higher it has a nice "blues-grit" that I really like.
I played it through various amps (mesa boogie 50 caliber, fender vibrolux,
peavey blues classic), and found it to be the same in each one. My wife
commented that the pick up looks like a "P-bass" pick up. She called it "a
'mini-P-mando".
My congratulations to you on creating a fine instrument. I am playing a
blues gig tonight (Thursday). I can't wait to give it a live test. I'll let
you know how it goes and the comments received.
Here is one of the last few mandos I finished, with a vintage tobacco sunburst finish, and a 10 string custom made mandolin.
A custom build ten string mandolin with a "C" note added.
