Based in West Monroe, Louisiana, Rick builds guitars, mandolins, and dulcimers using straight-grained woods, and tries to make his instruments affordable without sacrificing quality. Above are several variations on his solidbody electric mandolin. It features a single-coil Strat-type pickup—the placement may look odd, but Rick says that's what provides the best sound—and tone and volume controls. Also, he uses a 16-inch scale to provide a little more tension on the low C string. Below are a doubleneck standard/octave and a singleneck octave. For more information, you can e-mail Rick or check out his Web site.