The Mandobird-VIII is a one-of-a-kind Epiphone classic that combines the tone and playability of the electric Mandobird IV and ups the ante to 8 strings for an instrument that is totally unique. Electric mandolins first became popular with western swing musicians in the late '40s and '50s. Today, electric mandolins are still a secret weapon for players who love cutting tones and alternative tunings.
The Mandobird VIII is based on the classic Firebird guitar design and has the same smooth, natural double cutaway that gives players total control over the entire fretboard. The mahogany body features a solid mahogany SlimTaper neck with a scale just under 14 inches, a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, and a 1.06 inch nut. A vintage style Firebird pickguard rounds out the iconic design. Note that the Mandobird's headstock not only has the classic Epiphone signature but the Firebird's iconic shape, too! The Mandobird VIII has a light, Vintage Sunburst (VS) finish that.
The real power from this bird comes from Epiphone's custom wound M4-single coil pickup. The MC4 single coil pickup is inspired by some of Epiphone's early electric pickups that today are worth a small fortune on the vintage market for their distinctive bark on low notes and their bell-like tones in the upper register which are crucial to giving an electric mandolin its signature sound. Though acoustic mandolins are a staple of bluegrass, electric mandolins give serious shredders a whole new realm to explore.
The Mandobird VIII features all metal Epiphone designed tuners and a fully adjustable bridge that make tuning this bird fast and reliable. Controls including full-function volume and tone knobs using full-size 500K O potentiometers.
