tonguards ..do they really work?

[Kevin Winn]

Just got one for my 2000 Weber Bitterroot and it works splendidly. Way worth the cost.

[Tate Ferguson]

If even the finest mandolin needs a Tone-gard to sound its best - and many on this thread say this is true - does this suggest that there is an inherent flaw in traditional mandolin design? If I'm spending big $ on a mandolin, shouldn't I expect an instrument that does the job without additional hardware? Could there exist a mandolin with traditional looks that needs no extra component to produce maximum volume and tone?

A fascinating discussion.

[colorado_al]

If even the finest mandolin needs a Tone-gard to sound its best - and many on this thread say this is true - does this suggest that there is an inherent flaw in traditional mandolin design? If I'm spending big $ on a mandolin, shouldn't I expect an instrument that does the job without additional hardware? Could there exist a mandolin with traditional looks that needs no extra component to produce maximum volume and tone?

A fascinating discussion.

The tonegard allows the back of the mandolin to vibrate freely. It doesn't make your mandolin sound better than it inherently does, it prevents it from sounding worse from the back being muted by your body.

[Jesse Kinman]

The tonegard allows the back of the mandolin to vibrate freely. It doesn't make your mandolin sound better than it inherently does, it prevents it from sounding worse from the back being muted by your body.

Tonegard explained in a nutshell, precise and clear!

[Bob Buckingham]

Does it work? Yes.

[Folkmusician.com]

The tonegard allows the back of the mandolin to vibrate freely. It doesn't make your mandolin sound better than it inherently does, it prevents it from sounding worse from the back being muted by your body.

Right! Your mandolin will sound just as good if you hold it away from you while playing. Of course, few play that way, so the Tone-Gard works well.

[DHopkins]

Yes! Worth every penny.

[Rdeane]

I'm a believer! Works great on my Collings MT2.

[DHopkins]

I think the general consensus is that it works.

[RustyMadd]

I put a regular sized Tone Gard on my Loar 520 and it immediately improved my tone when playing while standing. Went on stupidly easy. Worth every cent, I can now play very softly and yet tonefully. Don't even wait. Get one. It's worth it. Blessings

[Steve Ostrander]

You don’t have to use a Tonegard. You can accomplish the same thing by playing sitting down and holding the mandolin awY from your body. As for me, I play a lot of gigs while standing up, so it was worth the $$.

[RustyMadd]

You don’t have to use a Tonegard. You can accomplish the same thing by playing sitting down and holding the mandolin awY from your body. As for me, I play a lot of gigs while standing up, so it was worth the $$.

Yeah, just try to work a single mic sitting down. Blessings

[Tom Sanderson]

Buy one and decide for yourself. I have 2. I don’t care for them. For me it’s just extra baggage. Like I said, buy one and decide for yourself. If you like it, cool. If not, resell it.

[Jimmybikes]

Ain’t no way I’m puttin’ Any tone guard on my Mando.
The’re ugly!

[DHopkins]

Ain’t no way I’m puttin’ Any tone guard on my Mando.
The’re ugly!

If that was a criteria, I'd wear a mask when I played.

[Ron McMillan]

From a new arrival to the Classifieds, and a very common remark there:

There are some marks in the finish where the previous customer had a toneguard installed

Even apart from its appearance and weight, that's enough to make me uninterested.

[sblock]

From a new arrival to the Classifieds, and a very common remark there:

There are some marks in the finish where the previous customer had a toneguard installed

Even apart from its appearance and weight, that's enough to make me uninterested.

You have lost perspective, in my opinion. These tiny marks (which can often be buffed out, if desired) absolutely pale in comparison to the typical scratches, gouges, and other marks left on the backs of mandolins by shirt buttons, belt buckles, tieclips/necklaces, and the like. The ToneGard protects against this type of "buckle rash"! I'd wager you there are a great many more mandolins with finish issues on their backs, and without ToneGards, then there are with finish issues associated with ToneGard prongs. On top of all that, the newer white (silicone) bushings used on the ToneGard prongs are much gentler on finishes than than the black (butyl rubber) ones that were used a few years ago. Armrest attachments can also mar a finish in minor ways, let's not forget. These types of marks are all nearly invisible and make no difference to the sound. So I think this is a silly reason to object to ToneGards, all considered. Many top players put ToneGards on Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson F5s, so that should tell you where they stand on this issue.

If you want to keep your mandolin pristine, just leave it in its case and don't take it out to play, where it can get scratched or damaged.

[George R. Lane]

If you really want the answer then check out post #6 in this thread, https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...20#post1682620.

[Jimmybikes]

I make up for my physical inadequacies by having a beautiful mandolin. I'm not going to ugly it up with a tone guard.

[George R. Lane]

I make up for my physical inadequacies by having a beautiful mandolin. I'm not going to ugly it up with a tone guard.

Are you implying that anyone who uses a tone-gard has a physical inadequacy? That seems a little harsh to me, especially for someone new to the Café.

[JEStanek]

I think he's calling himself unattractive... Not a blanket statement on ALL tone guard users. At least that's how I read it... self deprecating.

Jamie

[Jimmybikes]

[QUOTE=JEStanek;1682698]I think he's calling himself unattractive... Not a blanket statement on ALL tone guard users. At least that's how I read it... self deprecating.

Yes I meant it as a self depreciating joke. I would never call anyone unattractive. One of the great thing about this forum is people do disagree. If everyone agreed on all things mandolin there would be no forum.

Just because someone uses (or doesn't use) a tone guard, that doesn't make them any less of a person!

[George R. Lane]

Jimmybikes,

No offense taken. I am a 68 year old guy with a round belly and the Tone-Gard works for me. It is great when we can disagree and still be friends.

[Bill Kammerzell]

If that was a criteria, I'd wear a mask when I played.

One morning, after an entire day and evening of drunken revelry at Mardi Gras, I walked the streets of the French Quarter collecting discarded masks. I have enough to wear a different mask each time I play.

[DHopkins]

I'm gettin' out of this one. It's same responses every time the subject comes up.