Using effects with the mandolin

[Explorer]

I understand that a lot of folks only play certain kinds of music, and it would be the height of ignorance for anyone to say others shouldn't make music or play mandolin however they want.

With that said, I sometimes go looking for music on the edge of the norm, just to see how those boundaries are moving or being erased.





I did a recent search after using an octaver to fill in for a bass player. I had previously worked through some lessons on studybass.com, after reading other sources online about some bass players tuning in fifths, so the principles of being an effective bass player weren't a foreign idea.

Anyway, that led to me looking up "effects mandolin," and finding a few intriguing examples.

Those who has considered moving in this direction, I'll be interested in hearing about it!

[OneChordTrick]

Always interesting to hear new ways of making things sound

[Jim Mullins]

Glad to see this! I've recently been experimenting with effects pedals, on both acoustic and electric mandos. I've collected several pedals - compression/sustain, overdrive, octave doubler, and my favorite, a Leslie (recreates the Hammond B-3 sound). When I play my Mandobird through the compression-octave doubler-Leslie, it sounds just like a Hammond organ (though picked). Reverb, chorus, flanger, phaser also produce interesting sounds! If this post is still around, I'll post an mp3 I recorded in the next few days.

[Bertram Henze]

I occasionally use electronics (sparingly) to enhance my otherwise totally acoustic videos (like in this one).
But it's never meant completely seriously, and normally I like things that really are what they look like, and really are what they sound like. What I play must stand its ground in a session and must not need to involve hauling equipment in order to work.

[David Lewis]

I was just about to start a thread on using an overdrive with a solidbody.

I'm setting up a board fir my jbovier. Currently I have a soul food on it ... I did try a tubescreamer style and a blues driver. None grabbed me. Are there any tips as to getting a great tone?

Thanks.

[Michael Eck]

I play acoustic mandolin in most performance situations, but in a trio called Good Things, I solely play electric.

Current rig is a J.L. Smith 5-string (with Kent Armstrong mini-bucker) into a Polytune, Xotic SP Compressor and Tech 21 Flyrig 5, straight into the PA. Playing around with adding a BBE Sonic Stomp back in, and would love folks' thoughts on the latter.

For larger gigs, I employ a wonderful Quilter MicroPro, and sometimes add a Voodoo Labs SparkleDrive.

Used to use phasing and chorus, but ditched them awhile ago.

On guitar, as opposed to mandolin, I prefer as few out of amp devices as possible.

[Billkwando]

When I installed my JJB pickup, the first thing I did was plug into my effects, in order to test on my amp, and ended up playing around with delay and chorus for a while. Pretty sure I could do a hilarious mando cover of Where the Streets Have No Name.

[Martin Ohrt]

I use effects for my electric octave:
Movall Firefly (quite dynamic OD, they say it's a Sweet Honey clone) -> EHX Germanium BigMuff (Fuzz + very "harmless" OD) -> Boss DS 1 (Distortion) -> T-Rex Tonebug Sensewah (Auto-Wah) -> Vox V847 (Wah) -> tc electronic Ditto (Looper)

Very nice stuff for a variety of sounds, though I'm still on the hunt for the "right" overdrive... ;-)

[Michael Eck]

"Very nice stuff for a variety of sounds, though I'm still on the hunt for the "right" overdrive... ;-)"

Nice thing about the Sparkledrive is that it lets you blend the clean and distorted signal in one unit.

[mtm]

It's helpful for me to use a looper to practice with the mandostrat... and why not add some pedals for fun? I have a Rocktron Valve Charger overdrive (very inexpensive, got it used at MusicGoRound) -> Digitech Delay (also inexpensive at MF) -> Malekko Echo (a pro pedal my wife got me) -> TC HoF reverb (also a pro pedal) -> ditto looper.

I need to spend a lot more time figuring everything out, but it's all for fun and personal enjoyment. Doesn't hurt that my brother has "pedal GAS" and owns about 35 pedals .... too bad he lives far away.

[Loubrava]

"Very nice stuff for a variety of sounds, though I'm still on the hunt for the "right" overdrive... ;-)"

Nice thing about the Sparkledrive is that it lets you blend the clean and distorted signal in one unit.

The best OD ive heard from my mando is not using a pedal but using an overdriven tube amp I've used a Marshall which sounded great but it was way too loud. So now I'm using a 5 watt VHT Special 6 which is a sweet sounding tube amp that didn't cost much more than some stomp boxes it has great overdriven sound at low volume but is still plenty loud. I run it in stereo along with a Fishman 60 watt loudbox amp and can blend the clean and OD sounds or with A&b switch just use one at time. 90% of the time I'm using just the loudbox but there's a few tunes we do that the OD mando fits in well. I bought the VHT to use for harp amp and tried the mando on it with nods of approval from band mates so I'm sticking with it. I tried tube screamer and some other OD pedal through the Fishmeal but they didn't sound near as good as a low watt overdriven tube amp. I also played through a real old Gibson 5 watt amp I think it was called a Skylark and it sounded great.
Lou

[Explorer]

I'm only now moving in this direction on mando, but I've done a lot of such playing on electric guitar. I only recently started exploring this on mando for a tiny portable rig.

Normally a lot of synth pedals only track up to C5, which means I have to use mandola, tenor guitar or an octave pedal to get much use out of them.

[Polecat]

I use a Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus, and a generic chinese digital clone of the MXR M118 analog delay for slapback echo, and at longer settings together with a volume pedal to produce "organ sounds" (strum with the volume turned off and "wind in" the sound).
Overdrive/distortion is a problem with electric mandolins, because everything is "voiced" for guitars, and doesn't sound too good with the frequency spectrum our instrument puts out. The best I have found, is the Pearl OD5, which hasn't been made since the 80's, but they turn up regularly on Ebay. It is similar in design to the Ibanez TS 808 (tube screamer), though with more gain stages, and, what is nice, a parametric EQ which really helps not to lobotomize yourself at high volumes.

[Dave Greenspoon]

My current board set to run in front of the amp. The top row is usually run in front of the amp; the bottom row (except the ABY switch) is in the FX loop and often feeding two amps.

[Explorer]

I ran across a few more clips.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have a Zoom 9002 for use with my Tokai 'Tele-alike' elec.guitar. I've often considered buying an elec.mandolin (8-stringed) & 'plugging into' my Roland 'Blues-Cube' amp. I've got some really weird self programmed effects on it - i could give a whole new sound to some Bluegrass 'classics'. 'Old Ebeneezer Scrooge' with an in & out ''long phased'' effect could sound - well, weird !,
A 'Mandocaster' like this belonging to a friend of mine would be nice.
Ivan

[Explorer]

I have a Zoom 9002 for use with my Tokai 'Tele-alike' elec.guitar. ...I've got some really weird self programmed effects on it....

I used my 9002 live for years, putting it on the strap as per its design, and even used the little remote on the guitar. I wore out several of the specialized batteries. In addition to getting use out of its other effects, it was the first pitch-shifter pedal I used.

[varmonter]

I bought a rack mount midiverb 2 off ebay.
Cheap 50 bucks. It has wonderful reverb. As well
As a plethora of other effects. Made by alesis.
I think its 80s or 90s technology..
I only use it with acoustic guitar and mandolin.
It is what tommy emanuel uses. Best 50 bucks ive
Spent in awhile.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Explorer - The Zoom 9002 is long defunct as a model,& spare batteries became unavailable shortly after i bought mine,so it's main powered now. It still works very well,
Ivan

[mandroid]

RMC in bridge piezo (1 per string) > * >RMC poly-drive II, > 3 outputs.. dry from magnetic, piezo thru EQ, in PD2 box,

and a 13pin cable to Roland's guitar pitch to midi synthesizers..

* 8 pin connecting cable from RMC...




...

[Bill Cameron]

Mando strat with Auto-wah (bought in Ottawa) and a light delay if memory serves. https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=FLi...&v=fiWvXpIQdKk

For that trad celtic style!