Should I Buy an Epiphone Mandobird?

When I got word that Gibson had revamped and re-released its Epiphone “Mandobird” series, I was stoked! This mandolin version of a Gibson Firebird is the cutest thing ever.

Part of Epiphone’s special bluegrass collection of instruments – including the Earl Scruggs Golden Deluxe Banjo, a couple of mandolins, the Mandobird looks like a baby electric guitar.

Given that I’ve always wanted to learn to play a mandolin — to pay homage to my Nonno Pietro, who played in 1930s Abruzzo, Italy, I was intrigued. This little thing looked like the perfect accompaniment for road trips. But with a limited budget for nonessentials, would I actually make good use of it?

WHAT I LOVE

The compact size makes this instrument easy to tote from place to place. I can see myself swapping out my ukulele for this baby (with a micro Orange amp) for those family beach trips when I can’t fit even a three-quarter-size acoustic guitar in the trunk.

It’s not just an electric four-string mandolin but it’s also a cool toy for rock guitarists looking to explore new tones and alternate tunings. It features a Reverse Firebird™-inspired solid nato wood body, a bolt-on mahogany neck with trapezoid inlays, a reverse Firebird style headstock with four Grover® Mini Rotomatic® tuners, a top-mounted, string-through-body bridge, and an Epiphone Firebird pickup paired with master volume and tone controls, according to Gibson.

THE DRAWBACK?

While it looks like a baby Firebird, it isn’t a Firebird — and it probably won’t be anyone’s primary instrument. And unless you travel a lot, there’s a risk it will sit in a corner collecting dust. For $399, which is about a day’s wage for most of us, one could also buy a full-size guitar or classical mandolin.

Many of the tutorials and video demos have players dishing out classical melodies — with that recognizable tremolo that sounds like it’s straight out of The Godfather. However, not everyone is playing it like a mandolin. At least one reviewer is showing off their rock n’ roll skills by playing this baby more like a Firebird.

It’s a good bargain at $399, all things considered. I haven’t ruled it out yet – though I’m saving my spare change for a full-size guitar. For now, I’ll stick to my cheap ukulele for beach trips.

[SEE RELATED: GIBSON VS. EPIPHONE ES-335: WHICH ONE SHOULD I GET?]

Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the editor and founder of Rockmommy.