Best of both worlds (acoustic/electric) in one mandolin?

[Michael H Geimer]

There are a few new electric guitar models out there using piezoelectric elements under the strings to mimic an acoustic sound. I haven't heard of this happening on an electric mandolin, but perhaps you will be our intrepid pioneer?

I recently met with a long-time friend and semi-pro musician who has these on his electric, and also mentioned seeing something similar at NAMM (The Carvin Steve Oliver signature model specifically—interesting to us because we both knew SO before his smooth jazz success). Anyways, my friend uses his guitar in a professional party band, a wedding band, a solo restaurant gig, and on prog-rock oriented band projects. He needs a lot of tones to cover his bases, and had his custom built so all the switches are to his liking.

Seems to me like a good approach for an e-mando.

Edit to add: I found out the brand.
http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?CategoryID=2

- Benig

[Terry Allan Hall]

Try one of these...best of both worlds!



http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Blu...fessional.aspx

[Lee]

JoshH should explain the styles of music he wants to play before an answer is possible.
The question asked is kinda like deciding on one instrument that's an overall equivalent of an acoustic Martin guitar and a solid-body electric Fender. Or a place to vacation kinda like the combo of Alaska's tundra and Costa Rican's jungle.

[JeffD]

If this analogy is not right please correct me. But I have thought that an A/E mandolin is like a swiss army knife - it does it all, but nothing really well. A tool that might be more convenient, but not chosen for any particular job.

[Tim2723]

I think that analogy is very close, with one exception: The true A/E (as distinct from an amplified acoustic) can be the best tool of choice for exceedingly loud environments without feedback. The problem is that by 'true A/E' I mean an instrument designed from the ground up to do just that job as opposed to a standard design with a pickup and preamp crammed into it. The two current leaders in that arena seem to be the Godin and Ovation instruments. The downside to them is, of course, that they are unconventional designs not popular with traditionalist players. Many of the more traditional designs (A and F style acoustic-electrics) fare no better in the ultra-loud environment than an acoustic mandolin with an added pickup. For example, my Micheal Kelly F-5 A/Es can be trusted to feed back when pushed to the limit, and it doesn't take that much to get them there.

For most players in most situations, an acoustic with an added pickup is the more practical approach.