Post your rig!

[seano]

I'm glad this topic is revived, I'm into emando more than EVER! (it's a sickness I tell ya!). On the far right is my beloved Mann 8 string, center is a custom Schwab (yo Phish heads, does this look familiar?), far left is my goofy Japanese "Bruno" mandola, converted to 4-string, plays and sounds great! The Mesa Boogie is a Subway Blues, sweet (and LOUD) little 30W with a 10" speaker, the cabinet is a fully enclosed Mesa 12" Black Shadow; nice full rich sound.
My pedal board is a bit rediculous: Boss A/B, MXR compressor, MXR auto-wah, MXR double-shot distortion, Tube Screamer, Keeley modded Boss MT-2, Boss octave, Boss phaser, Keeley modded Tremelo, Boss, reverb/delay, Boss Delay, old school Little Big Muff.
Check out our Myspace and take a listen: The Akashic Mysteries

[seano]

Oops, having some issues here, see above post...

[Eddie Sheehy]

Pics in my Album

[downtowndalebrown]

Nice. I enjoy these "gear" threads; fun seeing what's floating other people's boats. Here's my current rig:

Fender octave mandolin (hopefully soon upgrading to a Mann custom octave mando)
Samson Airline Wireless
Fishman Dreadnought Aura Pedal
Dunlop CFH wah
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive
Boss DD20 delay pedal w/ tap tempo
Zoom 505ii multiFX
L.R. Baggs ParaAcoustic DI feeding to house mixer

This is a rather stripped back rig for me. I'm strongly considering moving over to a Pod X3 Live if some decent boxing-day sales present themselves.

[Christian McKee]

Seano - your Schwab is pictured on Kevin's webpage, is it not? I've always liked the Languedoc-y looks of that one, I'll bet it sounds great through the Mesa. I looked for a while at one of the 15w amps in the Subway line, but wanted a little more headroom than it had to offer and nobody but nobody is selling their used Subway Blues amps. Who can blame them?

Christian

[seano]

Yep, Taboot, that's the one on Kevins Website. I actally picked it up up as used (like new) from these classifieds a few years ago. I emailed Kevin and he confirmed that the original order was indeed for a "mini-me" style Languedoc. The kid that ordered it actually inquired about making it a carved top, hollow body, but he couldn't affore the upcharge... Turns out he had to sell it anyway b/c he needed the $... lucky me!
I highly recommend the Subway, just keep your eyes out, they pop up from time to time, but the tend to hold their value in the $450.00 to $550.00 range.
SO'

[Daniel Nestlerode]

There are a couple of Subways on eBay right now.
I readily admit that I dig the little amps. I think the smaller speakers are better suited to the frequencies a mandolin puts out. My mandocaster just sounds a little underpowered on my 12" combo, but put it in the 8" combo and it lights right up.

Daniel

[zekelittle]

Hi All, This what I play in a Western Swing band in Colorado.
The body of these 5-string mandos I make is a 2/3 scale archtop guitar shape with tone bars.. hand carved and graduated. The scale length is 15", which is an inch+ longer than a standard mando. The reason is to give more tension to the bottom "C" string so that it can be a reasonable size(.050-.052), and stay in tune. The instrument is designed primarily for jazz and swing music where 3-note jazz chords are common (chop chords are a real stretch). It has more of a jazz guitar sound especially with the Kent Armstrong floating humbucker pickup (note also the stealth volume control under the finger rest). It is also fully acoustic and I use it a lot in acoustic jams. You'll notice from the pics that the bridge looks a little odd..This is because I use a non-adjustable bridge, which is well fitted and less than 1/4 the weight of a standard adjustable bridge and results in a richer and much louder acoustic instrument. The slope of the bridge is for compensation. Matching the 12th fret harmonic and the 12th fretted notes on the e and c strings (by moving the bridge) results in almost perfect intonation on the inner strings and much improved playability.
I hope that's not too much info, but I wanted to illustrate the more nonstandard features. ...Zeke

[tstackhouse]

In a few weeks I'll be taking ownership of a new Mann SEM-5. I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'm trying to decide on an amp.
I intend to take the mando to the store and A/B in person but, in the meantime
I'm interested in hearing opinions.

I'll be playing jazz and electric blues. I'm looking for a John Scofield/Buddy
Guy/ kind of sound, if that makes any sense.

I'm inclined toward the Fender Blues Jr or the Fender Twin Reverb; Tube Screamer, anything else?
Thanks guys,
Tom

[Daniel Nestlerode]

I have a friend who is an amateur luthier and he's building me a short scale octave mandolin with a high B (GDAEB). It'll be a solid body, reduced size telecaster. Mahogany body with maple caps on both the front and back, kind of like a sandwich. One piece bolt on maple neck/fb with a skunk stripe to accommodate the truss rod. We haven't settled on pickups yet, but this is likely where the instrument will detour from the standard telecaster design. I can't decide between humbuckers and single coils.

But that's in the future. This is the present. A modified Fender FM-988 (upgraded pickguard, repositioned pickup , Andrew Jerman bridge and saddles), a Marshall G15R CD and a no-name little 5 watt tube amp.

I bought the no-name for $75 about 15 years ago. Funky coolness with 6" Jensen speaker. I had it retubed and repaired recently. A very eccentric little tube it is too. The socket fits a 6L6, but it's wired for a 50L6GT.

I bought the Marshall in June of this year at Buffalo Brothers, used for $100. After a very short fall that killed the amp, I had the transformer replaced for $60. It has an 8" speaker.

I use the footswitch as an on/off for the no-name. It gives me a volume and treble boost for solos.

This is a fun little rig!

Daniel

[Daniel Nestlerode]

I just ran my Epi Mando(la)bird through the rig. Haven't pulled that guy out in a while. I noticed that the pickup in the 'bird is hotter than the one on the mandocaster. Got a really great barky kind of Keef tone when Keef plays Gibsons. My ears are ringing.

May need to upgrade the Pickup in the mandocaster!

Daniel

[Don Stiernberg]

Hey Tom Stackhouse,

Is that you? If you have time drop me a line and let me know where to reach you...my last few e-mail attempts came bouncing right back..

You may want to check out the Fender "Hot Rod Deluxe" or "Hot Rod Deluxe Re-issue".
They come in at 40 watts which about 20 watts more likely to stay clean when you want a clean sound. Of course the Twin is a great option. Do you have someone to carry it around for you?

For distortion, another great one is the Fulltone Fulldrive II. Well, all their stuff is great.
Also for a Schofield sound a good chorus pedal will help: the Fulltone ChoralFlange, or the Ibanez chorus, or TC Electronics chorus are all well thought of...

Also a shoutout to Daniel. We may have to have an e-mando pow-wow at the next symposium!

My rig? I wish i had more opportunities to play my Mike Stevens Paul Glasse model five-string.
When I do get the chance I run it into a 75 watt head(solid state) and an EV speaker with pedals in front. Mostly going for a warm and clean sound...

Best to all on the sound quest....

donnie

[Perry]

I'm looking for a John Scofield/Buddy Guy/ kind of sound, if that makes any sense.

actually no it doesn't.... LOL.....but best of luck anyway

I second the Fulldrive II, I have a really early one,in the low 100's serial number wise, it was before they put the comp cut switch...so yes it is a little "compressed" but I find that a good thing for the mandolin

I haven't plugged in my Schwab 4 string in almost two years but I'm about to get back on the electric horse....we play jam band type noodling stuff....here's my rig

Schwab ML 4 string (or an 1981 strat that weighs 900 lbs) >>
Boss chromatic tuner (indispensible) >>
Fulldrive II >>
Maxon auto filter>>
Maxon AD-9 analog delay>>
Carr Rambler (one heck of a fine tube amp)


Perry

[Mike Bromley]

You may want to check out the Fender "Hot Rod Deluxe" or "Hot Rod Deluxe Re-issue".
They come in at 40 watts which about 20 watts more likely to stay clean when you want a clean sound. Of course the Twin is a great option. Do you have someone to carry it around for you?

Funny you mention the HRD, Don. I've used one quite a lot...and a little-known fact about them is that they are wayyyy under-biased from the factory. A person can bias them up to about 68 mA before worrying about frying the plates in the 6L6's. Once they get that high, they are clean, oh so clean. I have a couple of NOS Mullard 6l6's in mine (Sovtek 3881's are also good.

Yes, Twin, No, Hernia. The dang things sound great and weigh in at 78 lbs.

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Also a shoutout to Daniel. We may have to have an e-mando pow-wow at the next symposium!

You got it Donnie!
We can swing "Yardbird Suite"

Daniel

[djweiss]

Don and Daniel,

Count me in for the Electric Mando Symposium reunion...

I'm playing in a country/swing/honky-tonk band using an older 5 string Schwab through a Blues Junior...

-Darren

[clem]

Mando= Rono long scale/baritone 5 string (G-D-A-E-B, one octave down)

Amps= '64 Princeton (6g2 circuit) with a Fender Special Effects center (oil can delay, distortion and boosts, circa 1969) OR

Gerlitz Dual Revelator, with Morley EVO oil can delay pedal and Zvex Fuzz Factory OR

POD XT-Live (the proverbial zillion amps and pedals in a box).

Rono? GONE! In its place a Mann EM-5 Octave/Baritone (LOVE it..see avatar)

Amps? BOTH GONE! In their place(s), a Burris Royal Bluesman head (fantastic small tube amp) OR Standel Imperial Bass head (circa '63) with either a David Freida Powersound cabinet (1x8" closed back) or Evans 1x12.

POD-XT-Gone!

Effects? Morley Oil can still here (hey, some things are irreplaceable). Pedal board is Keely Compressor (2 knob); FreakShow FX #9 boost; FreakShow Digilog Delay and FreakShow FX Fantastique distortion/octave; Antelope FX Lovelight/GoldBar overdrive.

Love this rig.

[maltjik]

I have a friend who is an amateur luthier and he's building me a short scale octave mandolin with a high B (GDAEB). It'll be a solid body, reduced size telecaster. Mahogany body with maple caps on both the front and back, kind of like a sandwich. One piece bolt on maple neck/fb with a skunk stripe to accommodate the truss rod. We haven't settled on pickups yet, but this is likely where the instrument will detour from the standard telecaster design. I can't decide between humbuckers and single coils.

But that's in the future. This is the present. A modified Fender FM-988 (upgraded pickguard, repositioned pickup , Andrew Jerman bridge and saddles), a Marshall G15R CD and a no-name little 5 watt tube amp.

I bought the no-name for $75 about 15 years ago. Funky coolness with 6" Jensen speaker. I had it retubed and repaired recently. A very eccentric little tube it is too. The socket fits a 6L6, but it's wired for a 50L6GT.

I bought the Marshall in June of this year at Buffalo Brothers, used for $100. After a very short fall that killed the amp, I had the transformer replaced for $60. It has an 8" speaker.

I use the footswitch as an on/off for the no-name. It gives me a volume and treble boost for solos.

This is a fun little rig!

Daniel

really smart to put those little combos on the guitar stands! i usually try to put something under the amp at the front or tilt it back against something, but those solutions never seem that good...
your way is something i wouldn't have thought of myself in a hundred years, but i'm gonna steal the idea now!

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Maltjik,
You are certainly welcome to run with the idea. The stands are Koenig-Meyer. I think they run $27-$30.

I ran across this (http://www.ampwedge.com/) in the latest issue of Vintage Guitar. 12"x8"x3". $40.00, but you don't have to give up an instrument stand to lift your amp. My one concern is the depth. The amp may get top heavy and topple if it's not deep enough to keep a back edge on the floor.

Daniel

[mando.player]

OnStage makes stands specifically for this. Might be a little over kill for smaller combos or cabinets.

EDIT: Looks like they make one for the smaller crowd too

[Martin Jonas]

Here's a photo of my electric setup. Probably need to experiment with effects more, but I don't get around playing the emandos much these days because of two little ones in the house. When they're awake they need full attention, when they're asleep loud music playing is out...

The mandos are:

1) Kentucky KM-300E, with Jazzmando strings, original lipstick pickup swapped for a Bill Lawrence mini humbucker (straight swap, drops right in without changing cutout or holes for the screws), pots upgraded.

2) Amazing emando (previously discussed here): took out the original piezo fitted into the body cavity, added Guitar Fetish mini humbucker with five-way switch for single coil tap/parallel/series/in-phase/out-of-phase. Also added under-saddle piezo with on-board pre-amp/EQ.

The amp is a rebadged Epiphone 5W combo, heavily modded, sounds wonderful! The pedals are a Line 6 Verbzilla and a Boss CS-3 compression/sustain pedal.

I'm getting great warm jazzy tones with that rig, not so much setup for screaming rock tones. Even without the CS-3 (currently waiting for a new battery) there is lots of sustain from both mandos. Sometimes too much: it's quite difficult to get good tone separation for standard mando licks, even with the piezo on the Amazing. I guess I could try the CS-3 as a sustain-killer, but I haven't played around much with that.

Martin

[Mandophocles]

-Epi Mandobird
-Eastwood Mandocaster
-1968 Sunn Solarus 2x12 combo with 1967 Sunn 1x15 ext. cab. (40 watts at 8 ohms)
-EHX Big Muff
-EHX Double Muff
-EHX Stereo Pulsar
-EHX Holy Stain
-MXR Phase 90
-Vintage DOD Compressor

[mcasey]

Its a Mann EM-5 Solid Body.

[tstackho]

I was browsing Amazon.com last week and came across this title that I downloaded to my Kindle. "Guitar Effects Pedals: The Practical Handbook" by Dave Hunter. It provides good explanations and the history of effects pedals.

I'm old enough to remember the original Wah-wah sold by Vox and the Maestro Fuzz-tone. It's interesting to read how effects have evolved over the last 40 years.

Tom

[mando.player]

My rig is pretty simple:
- Mann EM-5
- Digitech RP500
- EHX Holy Grail Reverb
- Roland KC-60 Keyboard Amp

I initially started buying single pedals and quickly realized that I was gonna spend a ton of cash trying to figure out how all the effects worked together. That's when I picked up the RP500. Used in conjunction with a book like Tom mentioned, the RP500 allows me to try different combinations of effects to find the right tone. It's not gonna replace a sweet tube amp and boutique pedals, but it's an economical way to figure this stuff out.