tonguards ..do they really work?

[pops1]

I had two, have one now. They definitely work for the player, not so sure for someone away. A couple things that I did notice, if playing with a pickup, more chance for feedback. If playing in an air conditioned room the tone guard holds the mandolin away from your warm body leaving an air space and not letting the mandolin warm up on the back while cool on the front. Stays in tune better in my opinion. Not using one for the last few months, but still keeping one around.

[David Lewis]

Not sure, I buy the Stetson hat theory.........you can undo your strap at the endpin then reattach it and leave your hat on -- very simple. OR, you can take your hat off for two seconds, put on your mandolin, then put your hat back on -- at the end of your gig simply reverse the process. You are out four seconds, no biggee, as far as I can see........

Freddie King wore his strap that way didn't even wear a hat! (or a tonegard!)

And, you're right, it's getting silly, but that is what we do here -- talk about a bunch of small details that brings enjoyment to our hobby, hopefully. So, it is a worthwhile goal even if most of this stuff has already been talked to death, IMHO.

Couple of small points - 1) you can’t undo a banjo strap easily, and2) they were loath to take their hats off because they had 'bluegrass hair' - long hair that was tucked up under their hats and would fall out when hat was removed.

I don’t actually doubt tha the tone was important but I think that was a side product rather than the aim

[Jeff Mando]

Aw shucks, fellas! Just having a little fun. I will, however, require full documentation and a bibliography for those interviews, if you don't mind.....you can post them here, if you want..........

I like the "Bluegrass Hair" theory, but honestly something as great as Bluegrass Hair deserves its own thread or maybe even website.

Thanks to the magic of youtube, you can see Monroe raise his mandolin high to the mic for his solo, much like Johnny Cash did later -- possibly in tribute to Monroe, who knows? A lot of the rockabilly guys did Monroe covers -- Elvis did Blue Moon of Kentucky, Ronnie Self did Rocky Road Blues, Carl Perkins spoke of Monroe being an influence. And again, back to the hair -- I just realized Bluegrass Hair is just a less greasy version of Rockabilly Hair! We may be on the verge of a breakthrough in musical research......all thanks to this forum.

Easy to find, hatless photos of Bill and Charlie Monroe with Bill wearing his strap this way, pre-Bluegrass Boys.......hmmm.

None of those guys used a tonegard to my knowledge and still made great music, IMHO. Which takes nothing away from all those who use one and ALSO make great music!

[treidm]

What year did tone-gard come to market?

[David Lewis]

https://bluegrasstoday.com/ricky-ska...luegrass-hair/

Bluegrass hair.

And, not to be too smart-alecky, the mike technique is because they didn't have pickups....

[B381]

https://bluegrasstoday.com/ricky-ska...luegrass-hair/

Bluegrass hair.

And, not to be too smart-alecky, the mike technique is because they didn't have pickups....

Country music has really, really lost its identity. It’s tried to be something that it’s not for so long now, it doesn’t know what it’s supposed to be. It’s really lost its way. There’s groups out there that are making good-sounding records but they have such a rock influence or such a pop influence. It’s too rock to be country or too country to be rock. It’s just… somewhere, hanging in the balance.

Been saying this for a long time......

[DHopkins]

Been saying this for a long time......

I think it was one of the Geezinslaw Brothers who first said it: "Nowadays, country music is just poor rock and roll."

[pops1]

https://bluegrasstoday.com/ricky-ska...luegrass-hair/

Bluegrass hair..

We just called it "hat hair"

[B381]

Very few even actually "play" music anymore either. But, they do fake it and fool the pop generation well.

[RustyMadd]

Ain’t no way I’m puttin’ Any tone guard on my Mando.
The’re ugly!

Not nearly as ugly as the back of your baby can end up without the protection afforded, not to mention the tonal boon.
Blessings

[Jeff Mando]

You can buy a brand new sofa and cover it with slip covers, so 20 years from now the next owner will get a mint condition sofa! (that you never got to enjoy.....or see!)

[LongBlackVeil]

Not nearly as ugly as the back of your baby can end up without the protection afforded, not to mention the tonal boon.
Blessings

bah. Play wear is beautiful.

[DHopkins]

You can buy a brand new sofa and cover it with slip covers, so 20 years from now the next owner will get a mint condition sofa! (that you never got to enjoy.....or see!)

If I played my sofa, that might be a meaningful analogy.

[George R. Lane]

This thread has become a little crazy. You are now comparing a tone-gard to a baby's butt. Come on. Moderators, I think this thread needs to be closed.

[ccravens]

This thread has become a little crazy. You are now comparing a tone-gard to a baby's butt. Come on. Moderators, I think this thread needs to be closed.

Dude..relax..why does it matter to you? Let people post what they want. If you don't approve, just move on..

[Jeff Mando]

If I played my sofa, that might be a meaningful analogy.

Don't worry, I've got a bunch of 'em! The main thing I find off-putting is that to get the most out of my mega-dollar mandolin, I have to buy a $75 gadget to clip on the back of it. Now, I live in the South, so I see a lot of brand new Cadillacs with giant aftermarket chrome rims on them. I know those rims bring their owners a great deal of pride, even though I think they look ridiculous. I also know that Cadillac had their best engineers design the factory rims that come with the car for the best possible performance...........

am I getting close?

An Armani suit with a K-mart bowtie?

For the older members.......to me it resembles a Rube Goldberg solution to a perceived problem.....for the younger members, Google him.....

But, again, why should I take away somebody's fun..........

[colorado_al]

Don't worry, I've got a bunch of 'em! The main thing I find off-putting is that to get the most out of my mega-dollar mandolin, I have to buy a $75 gadget to clip on the back of it. Now, I live in the South, so I see a lot of brand new Cadillacs with giant aftermarket chrome rims on them. I know those rims bring their owners a great deal of pride, even though I think they look ridiculous. I also know that Cadillac had their best engineers design the factory rims that come with the car for the best possible performance...........

am I getting close?

An Armani suit with a K-mart bowtie?

For the older members.......to me it resembles a Rube Goldberg solution to a perceived problem.....for the younger members, Google him.....

But, again, why should I take away somebody's fun..........

I think you're lucky that only $75 makes your $3000 mandolin sound like a million bucks!
Your analogy falls flat because fancy car rims are just for looks, not performance. The tonegard is exactly the opposite - better performance, not looks.

[George R. Lane]

Dude..relax..why does it matter to you? Let people post what they want. If you don't approve, just move on..

The reason I care is this forum was designed to give good and informative information about the subject at hand. This 3rd grade humor is not needed and should be left to your twitter accounts. We do a disservice to the OP when the comments go off topic. Lets be helpful, not hurtful.

[treidm]

I personally don't mind a little humor every now and then, to lighten it up
Tons of sarcasm and patronizing talk is done. I would rather they removed that and left a little humor...

Still wondering, does anyone know what year Tone-Gard first came to market?

[DHopkins]

i986, I think.

[Br1ck]

A tone guard will make a mandolin whose player holds it so 70% of the back surface rests against the body sound louder and more resonant 100% of the time, and a mandolin held mostly away from the body will sound no different 100% of the time.

Weather you like your mandolin's sound dampened by your body is entirely up to you.

Plus, if you have a case a mandolin with a toneguard will fit in, it will leave it's imprint in the lining. My MK will never have one, though it shows the most benefit. Just not going to spend the money on my beater. My Silverangel has had one for a while and its not going anywhere. Arches F probably will if it will fit in it's case. Gibson A 1 will never have one because, well, that would just be wrong.

There, 171 opinions. It only matters that mine is correct.

[DHopkins]

171 entries here and it boils down to: "Yes, it does" or "No, it doesn't." ♫

And, Brick, you're wrong. MY opinion is right.

[William Smith]

My wife got me a new Tone Guard for Christmas, it says not to use on a soft Varnish finish but I want to use it on my 24 Loar F-5? I know I seen Loar owners who have them on theirs? What do ya'll recommend? Maybe wrap the clear vinyl/rubber tubes with cloth? I just don't want to mess up the finish? I've had a tone guard on my one old F-7 conversion for 10 years or more and you can tell where the rubber tubes were when you take it off? I'm not too worried well at all with the 7 but the Loar-YES

[yankees1]

My wife got me a new Tone Guard for Christmas, it says not to use on a soft Varnish finish but I want to use it on my 24 Loar F-5? I know I seen Loar owners who have them on theirs? What do ya'll recommend? Maybe wrap the clear vinyl/rubber tubes with cloth? I just don't want to mess up the finish? I've had a tone guard on my one old F-7 conversion for 10 years or more and you can tell where the rubber tubes were when you take it off? I'm not too worried well at all with the 7 but the Loar-YES

When I use to have one many years ago I wrapped the rubber covered prongs with microfiber cloth pieces and this did help. However, the way I held/hold my mandolin the tonguard did not increase volume from my mandolin.

[j. condino]

Tone guards are a non-athletic solution for little tiny instrument resting on top of a giant belly....!!!