View Full Version : electric mandolin?
John Bertotti
Nov-05-2008, 11:48pm
Anyne try to build a mandolin with a floating tailpiece like the fender strat uses? No whammy bar, although may sound cool or not, but with the heavy block and springs.
martinedwards
Nov-06-2008, 2:31am
I'm finishing off a mini strat mando (see the thread in the emando section) and I'm using a cut down top plate from a squier vintage trem bridge.
I GUESS there's no reason not to use the block & springs, but I hate them on my guitars, so I don't want one on my mando either!!!
I do HAVE another vintage style bridge, so I guess I COULD do one, though cutting the cast block is trickier than the steel top plate.........
John Bertotti
Nov-06-2008, 6:32am
I always liked the way a strat with that block and springs sound. I hardly ever use whammy. I am curious if it will have the same effect on a shorter scale. I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't kill off all sustain. Guess I'll just have to try. Thanks!
delsbrother
Nov-06-2008, 11:50am
I GUESS there's no reason not to use the block & springs, but I hate them on my guitars, so I don't want one on my mando either!!!
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m278/durbien/jimihendrix.gif
I'm Jimi Hendrix and I hereby revoke your Syndrome.
martinedwards
Nov-09-2008, 2:08am
don't like black felt hats or moustaches either.......
sorry :redface:
Ken Olmstead
Nov-09-2008, 8:10am
Give me the whammy bar, especially if we are going through all the trouble of installing blocks and springs!! With the short scale of the mandolin it would have to be subtle. Would not take much movement of a trem to make a huge difference in the pitch on a mandolin!
Daniel Nestlerode
Nov-09-2008, 10:24am
thoughts:
1) No whammy bar on a Strat, no Jeff Beck
2) I've never used the whammy bar on my Eric Johnson sig. Strat (5 springs, no block)
3) I have a feeling that a standard Fender style whammy bar/springs design on a mandolin scale (~14") would create an unstable situation and make the instrument difficult to tune and difficult to intonate.
Daniel
delsbrother
Nov-09-2008, 2:10pm
How about a modified palm pedal? (Though at that point, it's probably just as easy to rig up something home-made)