Tone-Gard Love!!!

[Al Trujillo]

I received my 'W' Tone-Gard from Tony today...and I'm very much amazed how adding it to the back of my Weber Gallatin-A increased the brightness level on an instrument that I've already received compliments on!!

Posts by the good folks on MC convinced me to order one. The Tone-Gard convinced me that any other mandolins I ever own will have a TG on them. Thank you Tony!!

I hope my comments help anyone else who is sitting on the fence about them.

Thanks.

[Pick&Grin]

Truth, Achy Bonz.
The Tone-Gard on my MTO doesn't fit in the TLK case and it doesn't take me long to realize when I've forgotten to put it back on.

[mandobassman]

I'm a big fan of the Tone Gard. It makes such a huge difference in my mandolin, but that's the first time I've ever heard of anyone saying the TG added brightness. Usually, the comments are of added low end fullness and volume.

[Wynning13]

I'm a big fan of the Tone Gard. It makes such a huge difference in my mandolin, but that's the first time I've ever heard of anyone saying the TG added brightness. Usually, the comments are of added low end fullness and volume.

I'm with you, I love them but I've only noticed a richer, fuller tone with mine. Great addition to any mandolin though.

[Al Trujillo]

It may be that what I call 'bright' could really be 'fuller'??? (I get a newbie pass on terminology)

[Dave Greenspoon]

Put one on my Rigel years ago and it hasn't come off since. Fits in the case no worries. Great product, and Tony is a great person when it comes to doing business.

[Mandobart]

NFI, I'm a fan too. Tony made custom gards for my mandola and OM. I think he can make them for any instrument.

[Ron McMillan]

I know the Tone Gard is effective, because I made a wooden brace to go across the back of my F5 to do the same job, and it definitely adds volume. My home bodged contraption weighs next to nothing, stays on when the mandolin goes in the case, and to my eyes is visually less of a carbuncle. Doubtless others will disagree, but I'm happy with this.

[Polecat]

I've got a tone-gard on my Gibson A3, and it's staying on for the moment because allowing the instrument back to vibrate freely definitely produces a louder, and to my ears fuller tone. However, there are some downsides, which I haven't heard mentioned: the weight of the device definitely affects the "feel" and balance of the mandolin, which one must get used to, also the metal bar construction is not the most pleasant feeling through a thin shirt in comparison with the instruments' back. Also, if you hug the instrument close to your body, although the sound with a tone-gard is louder and fuller than without, it is still not as good as when you angle the mandolin away from your body so that only the back rim touches you.
This is not to denigrate the device - it does its job very well, and there is nothing else available to compare, but I do find myself wondering if there isn't a better solution to the problem.

[Mark Wilson]

I do like mine volume wise in a jam group. It's not huge bump but it is noticeable. If I lost it I'd get another.

For just sitting and playing at home I'm content to slip it off and not have the weight/feel of it. If I only played at home, I don't think I'd miss it.

[Mandoplumb]

I wonder if anyone had stood across a room with someone playing with and without a tone guard to judge what it does. I have listened to people play with the back against their body and then held with just the rim touching them and I don't hear any difference but when I do it the mandolin seems slightly louder.

[Londy]

I thought about getting one as I know it makes a big difference. The issue I have is, I know it will not fit in my case with it on the instrument. I'm not a fan of taking things on and off every time I play. It just seems more risky for damages. Anyone else feel that way or experience this potential risk?

[dwc]

I wonder if anyone had stood across a room with someone playing with and without a tone guard to judge what it does. I have listened to people play with the back against their body and then held with just the rim touching them and I don't hear any difference but when I do it the mandolin seems slightly louder.

I have made recordings with and without a toneguard and I can tell the difference. The toneguard definitely makes my mandolin louder, even with the recording device 5-10 feet away in the audience.

[keithb]

I wonder if anyone had stood across a room with someone playing with and without a tone guard to judge what it does. I have listened to people play with the back against their body and then held with just the rim touching them and I don't hear any difference but when I do it the mandolin seems slightly louder.

I've done this test a few times - it does make a difference. I use a Tone-Gard since its makes me feel like I'm not working as hard to compete in volume with other instruments. It does take away the ability to hold the instrument against your body or not for expressive purposes.

I find it interesting that I see Tone-Gards on a lot of "mandolin heroes" instruments, and presumably they think the Tone-Gard is helping, but I also see a lot of great players without them who have no trouble making themselves heard.

[George R. Lane]

Ron,
Your design looks great. What kind of wood did you use? The debate of the Tone Gards' usefulness has been hashed out here before, just check the archives for previous threads. I for one love mine and I know it makes a difference in volume and tone. Thanks Tony.

[Bill Baldridge]

I like my Tone-Gard a lot. I wish it was not so heavy, but then it keeps the headstock from diving down when I do not have my hand on the neck. Beats hanging a cow bell off the end peg.

[hank]

Ron your DIY T.G. Photo gave me one of those little cartoon idea of you and the rest of us putting a center post on our guards to anchor to our belt buckle and rotate around it like a ZZ TOP concert routine.

[Al Trujillo]

When I opened the shipping box and picked it up for the first time I was impressed with the quality of the TG and not once have I thought that it's weight would be an issue. It can't weigh more than a few ounces, can it?

[roysboy]

"I've done this test a few times - it does make a difference. I use a Tone-Gard since its makes me feel like I'm not working as hard to compete in volume with other instruments. "

I wouldn't be without a TG . The difference in tone is night and day ....not just to MY ear but fellow jammers and even the uninitiated can hear it . A complete no-brainer- and don't forget the " guard " part of the Tone guard . The back of my mando is as flawless in appearance as day 1 . The negligible additional " weight" seems to help balance . AND luckily it fits into my rectangular case while still attached to my instrument . I would buy one again in a heartbeat .

[JeffD]

I wonder if anyone had stood across a room with someone playing with and without a tone guard to judge what it does. I have listened to people play with the back against their body and then held with just the rim touching them and I don't hear any difference but when I do it the mandolin seems slightly louder.

For me it is much louder.

The way I determined the need for a tone-gard was to play into a corner normally, and also with the mandolin consciously pulled away from my body, and I ordered one the very next day.

[JeffD]

I thought about getting one as I know it makes a big difference. The issue I have is, I know it will not fit in my case with it on the instrument. I'm not a fan of taking things on and off every time I play. It just seems more risky for damages. Anyone else feel that way or experience this potential risk?

I have two. for one mandolin it fit just fine in its case with the tone-gard. For the other, it did not, and so I kept the mandolin out with the tone-gard on until I got another case for it.

I agree, its best to leave it on all the time.

[Ron McMillan]

Ron,
Your design looks great. What kind of wood did you use?

Hi George,

I was really just fumbling around trying to make something (I hadn't made anything from wood since high school 40+ years ago and I'm not very good with my hands) so I literally picked up a piece of wood from the side of the road. It was a fairly soft white wood, probably from a small packing crate. The final colour came from about a dozen coats of a walnut stain with many, many sandings in between coats. The brackets are chin-rest brackets made for a viola because I worked out that violin chin-rest brackets would be too short. They cost me about six dollars.

The whole thing works beautifully, and after playing the mandolin with it attached for about two minutes I already knew it wasn't going to be intrusive in any way, and it stays on permanently now.

[Doug Edwards]

I like my Tone-Gard a lot. I wish it was not so heavy, but then it keeps the headstock from diving down when I do not have my hand on the neck. Beats hanging a cow bell off the end peg.

What's wrong with a cow bell, I hear most want more of it.




I had a guitar player in my group with a D-Gard. Larry said the Gard reduced belly sweat by 25%.

I'm happy with my Tone-Gard.

[ralph johansson]

Not sure where the problem is. From the very beginning I have angled the mandolin away from my body, simply because it's the natural position for my fretting hand (also always had the strap slung over my right shoulder, not around my neck). Also, normally
today I play seated with even less contact between the back and my body.

[Stevo75]

I'm interested in checking one of these out. Are there some brands that are better than others?