LR Baggs thru a tube amp??

[Ky Slim]

Anyone have experience with this? I have a gig in the fall with a blues band “power trio.” I’m trying to figure out how to amplify my mandolin. I realize that an electric 4 string is the way to go but I’d prefer not to drop a bunch of cabbage $ when I play acoustic 99% of the time. I’ve noticed that the Baggs radius attached to the top with the putty gets a little “slappy” and “puny” when cranked thru a sound board.

I realize there are zillions of threads about pickups and amplifying the mandolin but it’s so much fun to talk about.
Thanks in advance, Matt

[foldedpath]

If we're talking bass, drums, and electric guitar trio, I think you're gonna have to bite the bullet and get a solidbody mandolin. Maybe pick up one used?

The problem with the tube amp idea (unless it's something like a Rivera Sedona designed for acoustic use) is that it will be very midrange-heavy with a single speaker designed for electric guitar. And if you crank in any distortion, it will make the feedback problem of an acoustic instrument even worse.

You probably won't be able to keep an acoustic tone unless you're working with an exceptionally good sound person running the PA, and the band itself is holding back their stage volume. Which isn't likely with something labeled a "power trio." When I played lead guitar in an electric Blues band, we cranked it pretty hard. A mandolin just wouldn't fit in unless it was solidbody.

P.S. a resonator mandolin might work, but the good ones (National RM-1) aren't cheap, and the cheap ones don't sound great. Maybe that doesn't matter in a Blues band, where you'd want a funky tone. Resonators aren't immune to feedback but they can usually be cranked loudeer when amplified, especially with something like an under-string magnetic pickup instead of a contact pickup on the bridge.

[pops1]

Piezo pickups need a preamp to sound anywhere decent. A tube amp however has a high input impedance and can sound decent. There are better pickups than the radius tho.

[mandroid]

+1,ultra Hi-z input buffered Preamp like baggs offers

their PA DI is both a preamp out, and a DI out, to feed the house mixer thru a Mic channel.

[MontanaMatt]

Tonedexter is the perfect counterpart of the radius. You'll be able to get loud and have a great natural tone, and lots of feed back fighting control.

[CES]

NFI, but a Mandobird 4 with an upgraded gig bag and strap just popped up in the classifieds for $300. 300 bux is 300 bux, but I’ve had a lot of fun with mine, and it works well with drums, bass, keys, and guitars. Don’t expect Mann quality or tone, think more entry level Epiphone Guitars, but very serviceable. Unfortunately, the only way to know if your current rig will work is probably to try it out really loudly before the gig...

Good luck! Should be a fun night, especially if the bass player happens to have a Thunderbird .