(by Steven Stone)                                                 

Mann, Oh Mann

When Jonathan Mann contacted me about reviewing one of his electric “manndolins” I was taken aback a bit by how cutesy he was with the name. But I figured “Why not?” and as soon as I experienced one of his instruments, I forgave him pronto!

Mann sent me one of his single-cutaway SEM-5 models, which has a solid mahogany body with a neck-through construction, a 5/8” thick carved flame-maple top with a lighter maple top binding, banjo-sized frets, a three piece curly maple/walnut/maple neck, abalone line-style position markers, 12” radius ebony or rosewood fretboard, a bone nut, a 13.675 or 14.5” scale (the review model has the longer scale length), gold or chrome hardware (the review sample had gold), Grover tuners, two Dimarzio Pro-track hum bucking pickups, a push/pull tone pot to split the pickup’s coils, and a custom hardshell case. The price for all of this is $1,800.

Mann offers several finishes including Vintage Sunburst, Cherry Sunburst, Vintage Amber and solid colors. The review sample sported Vintage Amber with a nitro lacquer topcoat. A five-string, it was sort of like getting a mandolin and a mandola in one because the low ( C ) string is the same as on a mandola.

Opening the case one immediately notices the curvy SEM body shape. The top has a delicately carved recurve at the edges, while the back has a comfortable contour on it’s upper bout. The back also has tightly parallel-grained mahogany that contrasts nicely with the flamed laminate-maple neck. The neck-through design presents several challenges to the builder - it must blend smoothly into the body as well as taper into a comfortable neck shape for the player. Mann’s SEM-5 delivers on both fronts. It looks elegant and feels just right, especially if you prefer a slightly beefy rounded neck profile.

The SEM-5 uses a one piece tailpiece and bridge. This scheme has several advantages and one disadvantage. On the plus side, the one solid piece transmits sound very effectively to the body and allows for fine-tuning intonation via two adjustable set screws. The negative is that you cannot adjust individual string intonation. If you change the string gauges from the stock .010, .014, .026, .038, and .052 string diameters, you may find that although you can get some of the strings intonated correctly, not all will be spot on.

I usually play acoustic eight-string mandolins so it took me a few minutes to get used to the SEM-5’s five strings. But once I adjusted it was a blast to play. The SEM-5 has excellent sustain even when played acoustically, but when you plug it in and dial up a bit of amplifier distortion the SEM-5 can scream. After a couple of minutes plugged in I resurrected my B.B. King style finger vibrato from the electric guitar days. The SEM-5 offers a mandolin player a broad palette of techniques and sounds that you just can’t do on an acoustic mandolin or even an eight-stringed electric.

In terms of overall quality, the Mann SEM-5 rates with the best. Ron Oates’ electric mandolins have cachet from celebrity players and their rarity, but the Mann plays as well and sounds just as good. Mann’s is certainly in the same league as Kevin Schwab’s fine instruments, but comparing them directly is like apples and oranges. Schwab’s electrics remind one of the best boutique guitar builders such as Ton Anderson. The Schwab is a perfect mini-Telecaster with all the Fender-style appointments. Mann’s are more like mini-PRS electrics, with their curvaceous top and a neo-modern post-Les-Paul body type. If I played a lot of electric mandolin I’d want both a Schwab and a Mann.

Compared to the substantially less expensive $299 Eastman electric mandolin, the Mann is clearly superior. It displays a far higher level of fit and finish, wider and more versatile tonal range, and more comfortable neck profile. The Eastman still represents one heck of a value and is a completely playable instrument, but the Mann is in another class, designed for players ready to move up.