Electric mandolin and "EM-8", with carved top bodies and four and eight strings respectively. Blue Star produces four and five string models under the name "Mandoblaster". Jbovier produces four and five string "EMC" electric mandolins, which resemble the Fender electric mandolins, and a four string "ELS" electric mandolin. EMC stands for Electric Mandocaster and ELS stands for Electric Leo Smith. The Eastwood Guitars manufactures solid body eight string electric mandolin under the name "Mandocaster". It has Telecaster resembling body, two single coil pickups and a pickup switch known from Stratocaster guitars. They also make "Mandocaster 12" which is actually an octave guitar.
Classical Mandolin Society of America a Convention in a different city in North America each year. Among other functions, the CMSA Convention hosts an En Masse Orchestra, which for its brief existence each year, is the largest mandolin orchestra in the United States, and has historically included as many as 180 musicians. The CMSA serves as a source of information about how to find or create mandolin ensembles around the United States, Canada and the world. The organization is staffed by unpaid volunteers and is structured with Officers of the corporation (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer), and a Board of Directors, which currently has