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Thread: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

  1. #1

    Default Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    i'm really liking my mesa boogie 5:25 with the 1X10 speaker , its very versatile and you do not have to crank the volume to get the distortion where you want it

    . my gibson goldtone GA30-rvs is good for great clean or blues but you have to crank the volume for the crunch ,it has 2X12 speakers .

    so what are you using , or wish you had and why and anything else you wish to add gear related . and is any one using the eleven rack or axe effects with their set up ? i have been using the boss gt-10 cause i use a lot of different sounds during a gig but have had my eye on these .


    guess i should add that i am using a steve ryder with single coil neck and humbucker bridge emando

  2. #2

    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    it's hard to beat Mesa Boogie. I have yet to hear anything made by Mesa that wasn't great. I always enjoyed my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for electric mando. 40 watt/tube that really favored the low frequencies, so battling the inherent shrillness of an emando wasn't much of a concern. Any of the higher end amps that have decent tone controls, or respond well to an external eq will do pretty well with an emando. I always felt that the most important part of shaping the emando sound was rolling off some of the higher frequencies, favoring the mids and lows, and if you could do that without killing the tone, then you're set for all of the rest of the "tone-shaping" with effects and such.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    good to hear Brett , seeing as i just bought my mesa boogie a week ago . I have been really been thinking about my sound lately as i have been doing some serious recording . its a tonal (total) jungle out there with tons of amazing amps and effects available but very few people i can turn to for advice and opinions on 5 string rigs .

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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I just switched from a Fender Blues Junior to a Music Man RD110. 50w and a 10 inch speaker.

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    Registered User meow-n-dolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I haven't had a chance to "live" with a Mesa or the Fender amps, but certainly my guitar-playing buddies love them (and I have tried a couple of them with my 5-String). My favorite is still a 150 watt Powerblock running stereo through 2 each 2x8 cabs (total of four Eminence Alpha drivers with four tweeters). I also use 70 HZ high-pass filters since the cabs were designed to do double-duty as occasional PA cabs. Extremely clean sound with tons of headspace. I rely on effects for distortion.
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I play regularly in a small-ish venue, and use a Roland AC-60. I mike it on bigger stages. I got it originally to amplify my Rigel Gypsy-Q (which has a great acoustic sound), but have been using it with my sold body Kentucky. It sounds nice with a little of the on-board chorus dialed in. We don't use a lot of distortion.

    I have a newly-acquired Fender FM 60e 5-string in transit right now, and can't wait to see what that sounds like.
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I play through a Fender Blues Junior, but I'm thinking of upgrading to either an Egnater Rebel 30 or Mesa Boogie TransAtlantic 30 to get a 2-channel amp.

    My 4-string sounds really good through my friend's Mesa Triple Rectifier, but that's mucho dinero...

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    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I'm using a very inexpensive little solid-state Marshall GR15-CD. I had the transformer replaced. Best $60 I have ever spent on an amp. Advantages: light; quiet when I need quiet; loud if I need that; signal can be sent to a PA if I need that too. Disadvantage: it doesn't sound like a tube amp. Close but no cigar.

    Daniel

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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I only own an AC 60, Roland, It's seemingly sufficient.. , i have used a Digital effects thing, in a loop,
    Mono out and stereo in plugs on the back of the AC-60 make that work ,
    even if I'm using the Schertler output thru the Mic Channel, And the magnetic pickup in channel 2..
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    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I've gone minimal, using the Electro-Harmonix amp pedal, 44 Magnum. I can use a big cabinet, or a tiny travel version. Having started in bands in the late 60s using a Super Reverb, then a Twin, more recently a Mesa Boogie MKIII, I can say the sound is equal to or better than those amps when it starts to clip. A bit of difference in in mass, too, one pound plus 10 more for a 12" Celestion neodynium in a lightweight open-back cabinet made from a Peavey practice amp. Cabinet dimensions are 14" x 13" by 8". Good low end if placed on the floor.

    My new policy will be that if 25W RMS isn't enough, everything is too damn loud.
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    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Wright View Post
    ...snip...
    My new policy will be that if 25W RMS isn't enough, everything is too damn loud.
    What was that?...I can't hear you over this racket!
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    For swing and jazz music:
    A Polytone MiniBrute with a 12" speaker.
    Its the sound of dark rich chocolate... :^)
    Usually mic'd thru the PA, unless its
    background music.
    For louder rockier stuff:
    Sometimes I'll use a Pod 2.0 through the effects
    loop of a big keyboard amp. With tweaking
    you can get some very nice sounds.
    Its an "insurance policy" too.
    Can be used directly thru the PA
    if necessary. Not bad for about $50 used.

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    Registered User bjc's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I like a lot of drive in my lead sound and wish I owned a Mesa. But currently I've been pushing my Schwab through a Blackstar Soloist (60 Watts all tubes). It's the first amp that has sounded great for both guitar and electric mandolin, so I'm sold.
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    Ben Beran Dfyngravity's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I too am using a Magnum 44 for my 5 stringer along with an AMT R1 pedal. The AMT R1 is an amazing pedal that basically turns your amp into a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier. Talk about some awesome overdrive!

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    8 Fingers, 2 Thumbs Ken Sager's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    I still like my little Vox VT30. 30 watts through a 10" driver, partial tube with some cool effects. Sounds great and didn't break the bank. I play a Mann 5-string that I love even more.
    Less talk, more pick.

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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Sager View Post
    I still like my little Vox VT30. 30 watts through a 10" driver, partial tube with some cool effects. Sounds great and didn't break the bank. I play a Mann 5-string that I love even more.
    Rico Mando, I've been using a Hot rod deluxe for everything electric. It had more switches than I ever thought I'd need. But now that I got the hang of it I can get from very clean and mellow to roaring and screaming
    tones. Hey Ken, I'm working towards a Mann 5 - String my self, actually pretty much a twin to yours except an octave . How is yours working out for you?

  17. #17
    8 Fingers, 2 Thumbs Ken Sager's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Rickey Noel Mitchell View Post
    Hey Ken, I'm working towards a Mann 5 - String my self, actually pretty much a twin to yours except an octave . How is yours working out for you?
    Better than I thought it could. It's a delight to play and has a huge range of tone - sweet to fat to nasty. It'll do it all. You'll enjoy your octave, I'm sure.
    Less talk, more pick.

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    Registered User Brad Weiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your fav amp for 5 string electric mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Sager View Post
    I still like my little Vox VT30. 30 watts through a 10" driver, partial tube with some cool effects. Sounds great and didn't break the bank. I play a Mann 5-string that I love even more.

    I have the identical set-up, and am happy with it (Including the Mann!). Cheap, easy, wide range of settings and effects.

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