5 string baritone emando..is it possible?

[Proghead]

Hey guys,
i just found out that their is an instrument called the baritone violin, or a octave violin meant to be plugged in. It is the same dimentions as a normal violin, but with a few modifications, and thick strings that are an octave lower then usual. I do not know how this works, but it ends up sounding like a cello!
This is possible because of the odd type of strings that are specifically meant for that use.
Many famous unorthodox violin players such as Jean-Luc Ponty, play that instrument sometimes... i'm just wondering, if this is possible to do with a violin, then is it possible for a regular emando with the usual dimentions?

[mrmando]

Baritone violins aren't necessarily plugged in ... I don't think Darol Anger plugs his in. Often a violin that built a little too heavily, or not graduated to sound good in standard tuning, will sound better with octave strings. They're just really heavy strings, like you might find on a 1/8 size cello.

Short-scale baritone mandolins are problematic ... the string tensions aren't the same as a violin, and it's difficult to achieve enough tension, even on a very thick string, to get good tone that doesn't wobble. Alex Gregory's Pentasystem Pentaula (tuned AEBF#C#, a step above an octave mandolin) is probably the best solution I've seen ... it had a specially designed headstock that allowed for extreme string angles behind the nut, which ameliorated the tension problem to a great extent.

Mandroid has one of these he's trying to sell, if you're interested...

[mandroid]

Yes its true, a fine instrument wasted on me , unencumbered with any gigs for it. the A4 gets out more.

baritone violin, isnt that a cello?
as I read some violas are 14" scale and about ,like violins fractional .
Some orchestral bass viols have a fingerboard extension down to C, out on the peghead. way up there.

18"scale baritone 5 order was the deposit perloined by mr Oates..
as discussed in this section.

[Proghead]

I suppose one could use a good quality multi-fx pedal set on the "octave" effect for a emando as a cheap alternative. Has anyone did that before here? how does it sound?

[mandroid]

synthisizer access allow my 4 string mandolin to be a bass, very odd, but sounds good... not a plan to be hired as the bass player in the band. too wierd a visual.

roland GR 33 one of many of their modules. RMC makes fine pickups to use as a source, for non guitars, better than roland makes. piezos, each per string, only use as many as required,
kCW1 does the bottom end, adding to small stereo PA.

[Proghead]

Does a good synthesizer require any change of pickups, and require emando physical adjustments?
So it sounds good when your emando is changed to bass? is it comparable to a normal bass guitar?

[Doug Ezell]

I've got a 4 string solid body, 2 pickup octave mando w/ about a 19" scale length. Here is the maker's email: blahx3@earthlink.net. I'm not good at adding pictures so you can't see it here. Email him and he'll show you his website and what he can do.

I love this little axe!!. Good luck searching.
DTE

[mandroid]

RMC are individual piezo pickups, that are then the bridge piece.
one per string. since guitars are the market, they make a replacement piece to replace common electric guitar bridge parts, and install into acoustic guitars. and can be adapted to use on mandolins.
each bridge piece has a wee signal wire to drill a hole for. routing to a common jack exiting the body, via microcircuit one or another sort of multipin connector.

each string stays separate , thru the system till the synth module sends it out as stereo , line level .