writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Okay, I am now a believer in the sound difference - today while practicing, I held my mandolin away from my body a bit, and then played in my regular position. The difference in volume was astonishing! But I am not sure I want a tone guard on my mandolin, fears of damaging the finish come to mind. I will consider the benefits of changing my position, or perhaps this will be my incentive to lose weight!
When I was in my 20s and 30s I always wore a piece of leather over my belt buckle to make sure that I didn't scratch the back of my instrument as I played. It was effective, but a bit of a nuisance.
When I reached my mid-40s I noticed something changing. My stomach muscles declined in their ability to hold my belly in. I really didn't like that, but it did, and continues to this day to hold my instrument away from my belt buckle sufficiently to prevent scratching. It is effective, but a bit of a nuisance.
I do use ToneGards on both of my F-style mandolins though. ToneGards come with tubing and leather covering the mounting contact points, and the new tubing will not damage finishes.
-- Don
"Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
"It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."
2002 Gibson F-9
2016 MK LFSTB
1975 Suzuki taterbug (plus many other noisemakers)
[About how I tune my mandolins]
[Our recent arrival]
Getting ready to purchase one from Steve Smith at Cumberland Acoustic.
Ray Dearstone #009 D1A (1999)
Skip Kelley #063 Offset Two Point (2017)
Arches #9 A Style (2005)
Bourgeois M5A (2022)
Hohner and Seydel Harmonicas (various keys)
"Heck, Jimmy Martin don't even believe in Santy Claus!"
I found that the VintageGard that I had bought for my snakehead (and that I use on my Hester and Black) was a better fit on the Pava that I once owned than the SunriseGard that I have for my Passernig. I suspect that Tom Ellis used an old Gibson A-style as the basis for his A5's and that Pava Knezevic worked off of that same template.
1924 Gibson A Snakehead
2005 National RM-1
2007 Hester A5
2009 Passernig A5
2015 Black A2-z
2010 Black GBOM
2017 Poe Scout
2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
2018 Vessel TM5
2019 Hogan F5
Anybody know if tone gards fit big muddies?
PM TonyP, He can make one to fit.
Old thread, new thoughts on the Tone-Gard . . . I've had one on the back of my old Gibson for decades, but it recently went missing. Just contacted Tony for a replacement. I believe in them unreservedly - for the sound AND - - protecting the finish on them hot gigs where the mando is sticking to your sweaty shirt. Sorry for the graphic content, I played a hot gig last night and was not happy to see the milky film on the back of my old A.
Will Patton
Hi Will, a long time ago the Providence Mandolin Orchestra was invited to play an outdoor gig in CT on a very hot, humid day. The "dress code" was black pants and white shirts. The varnish finish on my old my old F was milky by the end of the gig but worse was the nasty red stain it left on my white shirt which never did wash out. At least the milky finish on the mandolin did eventually dry out in a few days so take heart that it is not permanent. Stay cool and good to hear from you.
Len B.
Clearwater, FL (where all the gigs are hot
Lots of comments.
My own experience: Beneficial on some mandolins but not on all. I experienced no benefit on my Stiver or on a previously owned Collings. I do use one on my Kentucky KM- 950 where I detect a noticeable improvement. I experienced an improvement on a previously owned Kentucky 304 but not on a previously owned Kentucky 305. Yet, on my granddaughter's 305 I see an improvement (both 305's compared side by side).
Big Muddy EM8 solid body (Mike Dulak's final EM8 build)
Kentucky KM-950
Weber Gallatin A Mandola "D hole"
Rogue 100A (current campfire tool & emergency canoe paddle)
Len - “Dress code” really? I doubt whether anyone would be able to afford my fee if it involved a derss code! Then again, if I don’t want to play somewhere, I don’t need to.
Agree with both the keeping finish good and the ToneGard not working on some instruments. On my Strad-O-Lin, nothing. Yes, though on my Brentrup and Gibson A Jr.
Know I mentioned this in other threads, but years ago when I was exclusively a guitarist, ended up ruining a shirt AND the finish on the back of a vintage Gibson J-45 due to the heat and my heavy sweating.
Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Flatiron 1N, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
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Also helps protect against belt buckle rash. Found out the hard way. I was hesitant to use the one I have. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t paying close enough attention and put some belt buckle scratches in the finish on the back. The Tone Gard is on the mandolin now and I did notice a difference in volume. It is noticeably louder, at least from behind the mandolin, which helps when you have old ears.
Kirk
2007 Kimble F5
1985 Kentucky KM 650
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