When you think "mandolin," Bourgeois Guitars probably isn't the first name that comes to mind. But this brand new offering from our friends in Lewiston, Maine, is quite impressive nonetheless.
In the world of the mandolin, it's hard to find high-quality instruments—with all the boutique details you want—that don't push into the $3-4k range (at a minimum). But with the M5A, Bourgeois demonstrates that high price tags are not the economic prerequisite of fine mandolins. Designed from top to bottom by Dana Bourgeois, the M5A is made by Eastman using tone woods, fittings, and hardware hand-selected by Bourgeois. With all torrefied woods, this A-style produces a complex and expressive voice. But even with such fine materials, the price tag is much easier to swallow.
The M5A is simple and straightforward: a familiar A-Style body with an Aged Tone Adirondack Spruce top and Aged Tone Maple back and sides. The precision and attention to detail are everything you would expect from the Bourgeois name. All of the hardware feels high quality, and the elaborate purfling is elegant but not ostentatious. This M5A plays nicely with a radius fingerboard, and it features a 1-5/32" nut width and a slightly-chunkier V-shaped neck profile that feels just right.
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Top Wood: Aged Tone Adirondack Spruce
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Back Sides: Aged Tone Maple
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Fretboard: Ebony
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Neck: Aged Tone Maple
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Tuners: Golden Age - Satin Nickel
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Finish: Standard - High Gloss
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Nut Width: 1-5/32"
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Scale Length: 13-7/8"
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Body Binding: Ivoroid
- Fretboard Binding: Ivoroid
This Bourgeois M5A includes a hardshell case and a lifetime warranty.