Tone-gard on a rigel a+ ?

[steve V. johnson]

I was out the other night with this Rigel A+ Deluxe that a friend loaned me, either to buy from him or sel for him, and I met a fellow who went on and on
about how Rigels really -need- a Tone-Gard on the back. He really filled my ear about it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

But he did allow that he hadn't ever owned a Rigel, nor a Tone-Gard... He was just certain. ... um... OK...

So I ask you all.

I don't think that this A+ particularly needs it. It seems to work pretty well, even when it has its back up against my big ol' girth. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

But I really don't know...

Thanks

stv

[Mike Buesseler]

Steve, I'm sure you're hoping to hear from someone who has a Rigel and experience with the Tonegard. But, you know you can get the same effect, just for a comparison and to answer this question, by holding the instrument away from your "big ol' girth" and see how it sounds. Get someone out front of you to listen to it--against the girth and away from it. That's what the Tonegard does...in fact, to make it more scientific, you could record the Rigel held against you, then again held away. If only you had some recording equipment... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[steve V. johnson]

AFter talking with some other folks about this, I find that my question is really about how the TG fits with the rounded sides of the Rigel.

Does zat work?

Thanks,

stv

[otterly2k]

stv-- I think the manufacturer of Tone Gards makes one specifically to fit the Rigel body... perhaps he'll chime in...

[Ted Eschliman]

http://jazzmando.com/new/archives/TedsRigel.jpg

Works great. I had two of them, one for a Rigel Q-95 and one for a CT-110. Fit is good, and if you don't want to worry about positioning or stifling the back and long term damage from sweat or scratches, this is your ticket.

Tone-gard (http://jazzmando.com/new/archives/000099.shtml)

[steve V. johnson]

Thanks, all!

Ted, I've heard from a few folks that the some are specially made for the Rigels, do you know if that's true?

Thanks,

stv

[fwoompf]

Yep!

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/TGM2.htm

[Ted Eschliman]

First hand experience here; Tony's Rigel gard fit a CT-110, an A+ Deluxe, and a Gypsy 'Q.' Rounded bars fit snugly over the rounded sides. Snug as a bug...

[Fuzzyway]

Yep..I have a Rigel guard currently on a G5. Been there for 2 years and it fits fine in my Supercase. Before that it was on a CT-110..before that a G-110.

Fuzzy

[morgan]

Ditto, I've had a tone gard on my A+ deluxe for several years; fits great, no problems; to my ears improves the tone on mine. I've played another Rigel A+d where I didn't think the Tone gard made much difference, so I wouldn't agree that its mandatory.

By the way, I think the tone gard desirablility test is best done by having someone else play with mando against/not against the belly while you stand in front of the instrument, rather than doing it yourself. The effect is different from the two vantage points. Perhaps because the change in vertical angle to the soundhole is signficant when you do it yourself; that may affect percieved tone as much as back damping??