~2008 Ron Oates Rono 5-string electric mando SUNBURST SR-11-71

Year is an estimate: serial #083099 Looks like 14" scale. Lots small nicks and dings some buckle rash and small scratches and a couple of dents on the back of the neck (Capo Rash?). Electronics work, pots are dirty. Ron Oates (Rono Strings) Here's what I found on line:: Rono Strings is the brand name of Ron Oates of Boulder, Colorado. He handcrafts stringed instruments on a custom or semi-custom basis. Ron Oates makes acoustic & resonator guitars as well as basses but is best known for his mandolins including electric mandolins. Ron built his first instrument (a classical guitar) as a high school woodshop project in 1967 and he never stopped. Many years of building, repairing and restoring stringed instruments of all types has given Ron some good insight into what people want to play.

Source: Rono Strings website (Archived 2006)
Based in Colorado, Ron has produced quite a number of highly esteemed instruments. He first rose to fame by building electric mandolins for members of two of Boulder's best-known "jam bands": Leftover Salmon's Drew Emmitt and the String Cheese Incident's Michael Kang (who has owned seven Ronos). Other Rono players include Lewin Barringer, formerly of Standing Wave, Shawn Chase of Barefoot Manner, and Carter Gravatt of Carbon Leaf. Ron refined and popularized the "baritone" mandolin concept: a 5-string instrument tuned like an octave mandolin with a high B string.