How to go electric for dummies - need help

[nz7c]

Hi -
I'm strictly a beginner and learning for fun. I have a beautiful Weber Bridger, but I am interested now in learning about electric mandolins. I know NOTHING about amplification or the electronic jargon. Could someone literally walk through what is required? For example:

1 - Starting at the mandolin end: what is the difference between an accoustic mandolin in front of a microphone vs a solid body electric mandolin vs an "Acoustic/electric mandolin"
2 - What electronics are inside an electric mandolin?
3 - How does a pick-up differ from a microphone?
4 - What is the "sequence" of connection? Mandolin - pickup - cable - pre-amp - cable - sound effects and reverb box - amplifier? Dahh........
5 - What does each of those parts due?
6 - For a small "garage" player can you recommend the specific parts and manufactures for a small setup?

The type of music would be bluesy - Chicago bluesy etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated to fill in the great void!
Tim

[mandroid]

2 other long standing threads would bear reading back thru under Equipment, for an acoustic pickup ,
and at the bottom there is an Electric 4,5,8 string section.
and you will on the home page find a link to an electric mandolin resource website.


and hit Wikipedia .. ;)

A, B, C.>
acoustic transducers convert the motion of the soundboard they are attached to, into a small electric signal.

Magnetic pickups use the motion of the string within the magnetic field created by,
the permanent magnet core, derive signal from a coil of wire around it .

microphones have a diaphragm, air pressure moved , that motion moves a mechanism,

similar to above,creates a signal.

so, now, it's homework time, mate, .. ..:sleepy:

[mrmando]

Most of that stuff you don't need to know before getting started. You'll pick it up as you go along.

The simplest setup is instrument>cable>amp. The rest is window dressing.

[nz7c]

Got it - thanks folks.

[Santiago]

Playing an acoustic mandolin into a microphone gives you an amplified acoustic sound, but it can be tricky in terms of generating noisy feedback. The idea of a solid-body electric instrument, first developed as the electric guitar by musician Les Paul ("The Log") and then first commercialized by Leo Fender ("The Broadcaster"), is that the vibration of metal strings can be used to modulate an electro magnet instead of using an acoustic microphone's diaphram to shake a magnet in front of a live electrical coil. Thus, you don't need to have a live sound chamber on the electric instrument (though some really like these hybrids), just tight strings.

In fact, sound travels better through solids than through space, so you can get more of a sustained sound from a solid-body electric -- sort of like a lead guitar sound. Guitar-style pickups give electric mandolins more of an electric guitar sound, but some use piezo-electric films to pick up vibration at the bridge, which gives you a more acoustic type sound. Many electric mandolins use multple pickup types or "splittable" pickups -- that allow you to switch them between classic Fender and Les Paul (Gibson) sounds. The difference is that Gibson "humbuckers" are wired in a series which cancels the natural 60-cycle hum of the electric current while Fenders let it through for a more ringing sound that some players like and others don't.

There are generally four-string, five-string and eight-string electric mandolins. Four-strings let you play the same notes as a mandolin, but with more bending, as a guitarist would play it. Eight strings gives you more of the traditional mandolin playing and sound, and five string lets the electric mandolin play lower down deeper in the guitar (mandola) range. If I haven't confused you completely by this point, check out the four and eight-string emando discussion group where these issues and styles are expanded on regularly by some folks who really know.