FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1957

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THE FENDER ELECTRIC MANDOLINAs early as the late 1930s electric mandolins were being produced by various manufacturers. Rickenbacker, Vivi-Tone, National, Gibson and Vega had all introduced their own models into the market. With growth in Western Swing Bands in the post war years, the California custom luthier and inventor Paul A. Bigsby was successful in filling the market among these players. In 1956 Leo Fender introduced his version of the instrument, though it was late to capitalize on the western swing craze because of its waning popularity. With a double cutaway body, reminiscent of the Precision Bass or Stratocaster, it came in two finishes, a translucent blonde like a Telecaster and a sunburst like the Fender Stratocaster. The instrument was produced with only four strings rather than the typical double strung eight with a standard mandolin. This set up did work well for fiddle players who wanted to double on the mandolin. Their appearance resembling a diminutive Stratocaster has led the collecting community to dub them “Mandocasters” or “Mando-Strats”. The electric mandolin was discontinued in 1976 but has recently been reintroduced into the Fender product line.

FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1957

A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC MANDOLIN

Details

FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1957
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC MANDOLIN
Bearing the logo decal Fender at the headstock, the neckplate stamped 00863, sunburst finish, in original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER MANDOLIN and SERIAL NO. DG1019; accompanied by a delivery order from Rainbow Freight Services Limited to Pink Floyd Music, dated 12th March 1979 and a color photograph by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing this Mandolin at his West Sussex studio in May 2011
Length of back 11 ¼ in. (28.5 cm.)

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Lot Essay

David Gilmour purchased this electric mandolin from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar, Ventura, California, in March 1979 and kept it for studio use. The accompanying photograph was taken at Gilmour’s home studio in West Sussex as he played around with the instrument and recalled his tuning for the 1979 Pink Floyd song Outside The Wall in preparation for a rare performance with Roger Waters and Nick Mason during Waters' 2010-2013 tour The Wall Live. Gilmour used a different mandolin for the actual performance at London's 02 Arena on 12th May 2011.

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