Rigel R200 10-string resophonic mandola. $6,500.
Here's a wonderful and exceedingly rare beast: a 5-course (i.e., 10-string) resophonic mandola
from Rigel Instruments of Vermont. Both Rigel 10-strings and Rigel resophonics are vanishingly
scarce, and this instrument may well be the only one of its kind.
Meant for CGDAE tuning, this mandola has a comfortable 15-inch scale. It is based on Rigel's standard R200 mandola (also rare), with the addition of the E course and the resophonic cone. It was completed in 2011.
Radiused ebony fretboard with jumbo frets and side markers but no inlay. The custom neck is 1 3/8" wide at the nut, but has a shallow U profile and is comfortable and fast. As with all Rigels, the neck is reinforced with a graphite rod. The neck angle is adjustable via a bolt under the heel plate. 2-point body with sunburst finish, piezo pickup with endpin jack. Gold tuner buttons! Back, sides and neck are mahogany while the top is spruce. Hardshell rectangular case included.
Rigel's legendary tone and playability, across the combined range of mandolin and mandola, make for an unbeatable package—not to mention the extra volume from the resonator cone. Sharp minds will remember that other Rigel resophonics have a spider bridge; sharp eyes will notice that this one has a biscuit bridge and is in fact co-branded with the National Res-O-Phonic logo. It uses the same cone installed in the National RM1 resophonic, with a few tweaks to the bridge by Rigel's Pete Langdell. It all comes together beautifully.
These days, even a standard 8-string R200 mandola—let alone a 10-string—would be a custom order from Rigel. I'm told that resophonics were the most difficult instruments for Rigel to build, which helps to explain why only a handful exist. It's hard to say what price you'd need to pay to have another one of these built—if in fact Rigel would agree to do it at all.
But you don't have to worry about any of that, because this one is available here and now. See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. $6,500 plus shipping. 48-hour approval period.
Meant for CGDAE tuning, this mandola has a comfortable 15-inch scale. It is based on Rigel's standard R200 mandola (also rare), with the addition of the E course and the resophonic cone. It was completed in 2011.
Radiused ebony fretboard with jumbo frets and side markers but no inlay. The custom neck is 1 3/8" wide at the nut, but has a shallow U profile and is comfortable and fast. As with all Rigels, the neck is reinforced with a graphite rod. The neck angle is adjustable via a bolt under the heel plate. 2-point body with sunburst finish, piezo pickup with endpin jack. Gold tuner buttons! Back, sides and neck are mahogany while the top is spruce. Hardshell rectangular case included.
Rigel's legendary tone and playability, across the combined range of mandolin and mandola, make for an unbeatable package—not to mention the extra volume from the resonator cone. Sharp minds will remember that other Rigel resophonics have a spider bridge; sharp eyes will notice that this one has a biscuit bridge and is in fact co-branded with the National Res-O-Phonic logo. It uses the same cone installed in the National RM1 resophonic, with a few tweaks to the bridge by Rigel's Pete Langdell. It all comes together beautifully.
These days, even a standard 8-string R200 mandola—let alone a 10-string—would be a custom order from Rigel. I'm told that resophonics were the most difficult instruments for Rigel to build, which helps to explain why only a handful exist. It's hard to say what price you'd need to pay to have another one of these built—if in fact Rigel would agree to do it at all.
But you don't have to worry about any of that, because this one is available here and now. See more photos, call 425/772-0231, or for more information. $6,500 plus shipping. 48-hour approval period.