Mando 59 (Prototype)
New for 2013. The Mando 59 Prototype is the inaugural member of our Classic Series. Combining modern functionality with classic looks, the Mando 59 is an exciting electric four-string mandolin.
Originally a joint collaboration between Gatcomb Co. and mandolin enthusiast, Dean Cross, the Mando 59 was based on a design concept that Dean came up with at a vintage car show in northern Maine.
"I was at this car show and it was just so surreal. All these cars -- these boats -- from the fifties and sixties were just so impressive. The thought and design that went into them was, to me, the epitome of American ingenuity. The models were different every year, so you know that a whole crew of people went back to the drawing board every single year and said, 'Gee, how can we reshape these tailfins? How can we redesign the fenders? Can we put a Space Age antenna in this "Dual Jet" air intake? And for God's sake can we please put more chrome on it...somewhere?' This was such an amazing age for America. The sky was the limit as far as cars were concerned, and some of these designers essentially had blank checks to build ridiculous concept cars that incorporated every excess this country enjoyed in that era. Even houses
were sort of garish, what with their chrome appliances and zebra print couches. It was just an incredible time for the USA and I wanted a mandolin that embodied all of that energy and style, that flamboyance."
Dean came to us with his ideas and we quickly set to work on original drawings, though none really "spoke" to Dean in the manner he wanted.
"They [Gatcomb Co.] made some amazing drawings for me, and while they were all fantastic I was really set on a style I originally saw Bo Diddley play, which was a custom guitar that was called the Jupiter Thunderbird. I just loved that shape. It was like, 'Is this based on a '59 Caddy? What's going on here?' So I
explained that that was the general body style I was going for, but maybe with some refinements and some minor reshaping, which they did right off, and it was amazing. As soon as I saw the drawings I was like, "Yeah, this is totally right.'"
The Mando 59 prototype was completed in the spring and given to Dean to try out. He was enthusiastic and immediately ordered a limited run production model.
"It was perfect in every way. I was stoked. The knobs were placed perfectly, the bridge was custom built and set up perfectly. No intonation issues whatsoever. In the end it was everything I asked for and I told them to let me buy the proto and I ordered another one on the spot."
The Mando 59 is a whirlwind of features packaged inconspiciously inside a small, neat package.
Originally a joint collaboration between Gatcomb Co. and mandolin enthusiast, Dean Cross, the Mando 59 was based on a design concept that Dean came up with at a vintage car show in northern Maine.
"I was at this car show and it was just so surreal. All these cars -- these boats -- from the fifties and sixties were just so impressive. The thought and design that went into them was, to me, the epitome of American ingenuity. The models were different every year, so you know that a whole crew of people went back to the drawing board every single year and said, 'Gee, how can we reshape these tailfins? How can we redesign the fenders? Can we put a Space Age antenna in this "Dual Jet" air intake? And for God's sake can we please put more chrome on it...somewhere?' This was such an amazing age for America. The sky was the limit as far as cars were concerned, and some of these designers essentially had blank checks to build ridiculous concept cars that incorporated every excess this country enjoyed in that era. Even houses
were sort of garish, what with their chrome appliances and zebra print couches. It was just an incredible time for the USA and I wanted a mandolin that embodied all of that energy and style, that flamboyance."
Dean came to us with his ideas and we quickly set to work on original drawings, though none really "spoke" to Dean in the manner he wanted.
"They [Gatcomb Co.] made some amazing drawings for me, and while they were all fantastic I was really set on a style I originally saw Bo Diddley play, which was a custom guitar that was called the Jupiter Thunderbird. I just loved that shape. It was like, 'Is this based on a '59 Caddy? What's going on here?' So I
explained that that was the general body style I was going for, but maybe with some refinements and some minor reshaping, which they did right off, and it was amazing. As soon as I saw the drawings I was like, "Yeah, this is totally right.'"
The Mando 59 prototype was completed in the spring and given to Dean to try out. He was enthusiastic and immediately ordered a limited run production model.
"It was perfect in every way. I was stoked. The knobs were placed perfectly, the bridge was custom built and set up perfectly. No intonation issues whatsoever. In the end it was everything I asked for and I told them to let me buy the proto and I ordered another one on the spot."
The Mando 59 is a whirlwind of features packaged inconspiciously inside a small, neat package.
-Chrome binding on body (front and back) and headstock
-Red ABS binding on fretboard
-Red ABS "sub-binding" on body
-Northern ash body finished in Gatcomb Rustic Black high-gloss nitro
-7-piece flamed maple/red oak neck
-Garishly large "reverse body" headstock
-White minidot fretboard inlays/white minidot side dot inlays
-Grover 18:1 sealed tuners
-Custom-size zebra-print neck plate
-Hand-crafted 4-string mandolin bridge with custom string spacing
-"Jimmy Switch"
-High-intensity green LED serves as status light for "Jimmy Switch"
-Gretsch Filter'Tron 6-string guitar pickup
-Hand-crafted zebra-print control plates and "boomerang" pickguard
-Zebra-print edging and headstock facing
-"Turbine" 1/4" jack/strap holder
-Hand-crafted coyote bone nut
-12 low profile "Ultra Sonic" stainless steel frets
-"Special" trick wiring unique to the prototype
-14.25" scale
-Red ABS binding on fretboard
-Red ABS "sub-binding" on body
-Northern ash body finished in Gatcomb Rustic Black high-gloss nitro
-7-piece flamed maple/red oak neck
-Garishly large "reverse body" headstock
-White minidot fretboard inlays/white minidot side dot inlays
-Grover 18:1 sealed tuners
-Custom-size zebra-print neck plate
-Hand-crafted 4-string mandolin bridge with custom string spacing
-"Jimmy Switch"
-High-intensity green LED serves as status light for "Jimmy Switch"
-Gretsch Filter'Tron 6-string guitar pickup
-Hand-crafted zebra-print control plates and "boomerang" pickguard
-Zebra-print edging and headstock facing
-"Turbine" 1/4" jack/strap holder
-Hand-crafted coyote bone nut
-12 low profile "Ultra Sonic" stainless steel frets
-"Special" trick wiring unique to the prototype
-14.25" scale