Saga electric mandolin kit from box to Bach in one minute.

Slide show of construction and video playing Saga MT-10 electric mandolin kit .
Between 4-5 hours to build. Pretty nice for the cost, missing a few screws. Recorded through a tube pre-amp and multi-effects unit. Tuned down one whole step F-C-G-D (low -High) to try and give the highest string some more play.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• eletric mandolin
• eletric mando
• saga electric mandolin kit
• Saga MT-10 electric mandolin
• home built electric mandolin
• 4-string electric mandolin

[DrMem0ry]

I have this kit, and I have just completed the finishing and basic assembly, and things went well. The nut is really high, and should probably be cut down before trying to deepen the grooves to get the action better. The intonation is really off - since the bridge is stationary, (only height adjusts for action) can you comment on how this could be corrected?

[phlattgetit]

Is the intonation off for all four of the strings when you check it with the harmonics at the 12th fret?

If so I would think there's not much other help than shifting the entire bridge.

You may want to discuss it with a luthier.

I'm sorry, I have very little experience with that sort of thing. And I wouldn't want to mislead you.

[phlattgetit]

Steve,

I think the instructions that came with the kit are for a slightly different model that they don't produce anymore. You don't want the ground wire to connect to the bridge you want it to come out the back and connect to the tail piece it just has to be touching it nothing fancy. You can get by without it but it will produce an unacceptable amount of hum.

[mvecellio1]

Any electric instrument that has steel strings must have the strings grounded to avoid hum. Since your bridge is plastic, grounding it won't help. The tailpiece is metal, so attach a ground wire from it to the ground side of the output jack. That would be the non tip part. Any way you can get the ground wire to attach to the tailpiece will work, nothing fancy as long as it is touching.

[DrMem0ry]

@phlattgetit Thanks for the reply. I have a close friend who works on guitars, so I asked him to look at it. He pointed out that I foolishly followed the instructions :-) - and failed to properly adjust the truss rod. Instructions said leave it alone. All tuned and intonation is near perfect. Now if I can get the grounding right to cure the hum I'll be all set. "A" string sounds kind of flakey compared to the others - maybe I'll try different strings. Already replaced those that came with it.

[powerplantsteve]

I have the same kit and I am having trouble understanding the instructons. The instructions say I have to ground the bridge, but its plastic. And why do you have the ground wire coming out the bottom? Please help me