❌SOLD❌ Fender ‘Mandocaster’ Electric Mandolin Sunburst, 1962

The Fender ‘Mandocaster’ Electric Mandolin appeared in 1956 as a single-course solidbody instrument, and was built until 1976. Mandocaster’ was not the official name, though it quickly took precedence over the official catalog designation of ‘Electric Mandolin’.

Like many of Fender’s guitars, the Fender ‘Mandocaster’ was built using an Ash body – replaced with Alder in 1958 – paired with a Maple neck, and after mid-1959 with a Rosewood fingerboard – and like almost every other use of ‘Rosewood’ until around 1966, that meant Brazilian Rosewood, and until 1963 were in the flat-bottom style. The earliest models used a ‘Slab’ body like a Telecaster, but during 1958 the ‘Mandocaster’ received Strat-style contours.

As well, the first two year’s production had an andodized pickguard, replaced in 1958 with a three-layer faux-tortoise celluloid pickguard. A simple single-coil pickup with a closed brown plastic cover fed through a standard single volume and tone control to an output jack. The tuners are a standard set of Kluson Deluxe models on a four-gear strip; the bridge is a simple plate with a pair of two-string saddles, using the same concept as the Telecaster saddles.

Like almost all other Fender products, the Fender ‘Mandocaster’ used a bolt-on neck construction, but this model has the distinction of using Fender’s first 24-fret neck! This distinction held until the mid 1980’s when a few Stratocaster variants were given 24-fret necks.   The neck plate holds the serial number, but the numbering scheme is unique to this instrument and does not match guitar or bass serials in terms of dating.

The Fender ‘Mandocaster’ was not extremely popular with mandolin players, largely due to its non-traditional, single course layout.

This example is in overall good condition though there is finish wear, primarily to the back. Regardless, it plays well and cleanly, and has a distinctive sound.

This model was re-issued by Fender around 2013 as the Mando-Strat, and we’ve included an official Fender demo from that period.

A non-original Japanese hard shell case is included.