You may have searched the web for a Fender mando-guitar after seeing something like it at your local musical instrument shop or on YouTube.
But does Fender make a mando-guitar?
Actually, no. Fender makes a Mando-Strat which is an electric mandolin with some guitar-like qualities, but it technically isn’t a mando-guitar.
The term mando-guitar is reserved for a hybrid between a guitar and a mandolin with six or 12 strings tuned in the same intervals as a guitar but up one octave to be in the same tonal range as a mandolin.
The tuning on a mando-guitar gives guitarists the ability to play the same notes and chords on the mando-guitar as they would on a guitar.
You can learn more about the mando-guitar in my post about it here.
Fender’s electric mandolin (called the mando-strat) is not a mando-guitar because it has four strings in the standard tuning of the mandolin.
In other words, it’s a mandolin with guitar qualities.
So a mandolin player would be able to play all the same notes and chords on this instrument but a guitarist wouldn’t be able to play the same guitar notes and chords on the mando-strat.
The mando-strat’s guitar qualities include its non-paired strings and the body style of the instrument.
Mandolins typically have eight strings tuned in pairs with a standard tuning of: GGDDAAEE.
However, the Fender Mando-Strat has only four strings in the tuning of GDAE.
This is similar to a guitar in that a 6 string guitar does not have paired strings.
Also, this instrument’s Stratocaster body is just like a miniature Stratocaster guitar and unlike the mandolin’s traditional F or A-shaped body.
Where can I buy the Fender Mando-Strat?
The Fender Mando-Strat is difficult to find online.
That said, you can check availability for this instrument at the following Guitar Center, Reverb, Long & McQuade, and Tundra Music links.
At the time of writing, I found this instrument available to purchase for $329.99 at the Tundra Music link.
Features of The Fender Mando-Strat
The Fender Mando-Strat features the same materials as most Fender Stratocasters with an alder body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard.
Also, it has only one single-coil pickup.
As I’ve mentioned in other posts, you often find single coil pickups on both Vox and Fender instruments.
As far as playability is concerned, check out this video from Fender itself about their Mando-Strat!
Conclusion
Fender first launched an electric mandolin in 1958.
You can read more about this vintage Fender instrument here.
A vintage mando-strat from that era will likely have a price in the thousands of dollars.
But thankfully, you can purchase the modern mando-strat for just a few hundred dollars.
Have you played a mando-strat or do you own one?
Let me know in the comments!
Happy playing!
