A likely contentious opinion on electric mandolins

[Jim Garber]

Late to this thread, but I've been playing a Gibson EM-200 for about two years now. It gets taken to gigs where we're going to get loud, like this weekend's St. Paddy's Day madness.

Does it sound like an electric guitar? Sure, those Sweet Child of Mine intro and solos sound... uh, sweet.

Does it sound like a mandolin, also yes! When I roll back the volume knob, it sits right at the 'edge of breakup' and gives off a nice 'woof' on chop chords. In the mix, you wouldn't miss the acoustic qualities at all and I can relax and not fight feedback or push too hard for volume. So, basically all the reasons electric guitars came into the world.

Do I get asked if that is a tiny guitar? Also yes.

I have one of those. I found, though, that the metal saddle was incredibly ringy—probably Gibson’s attempt to add more sustain like on guitars. Luckily they use standard adjustable mandolin bridges so I swapped an ebony one for the metal bar (stil, have it in the case should I want to sell this.) It sounds much better to me with that wooden bridge top.

[s11141827]

The 5 String Electric Mandolin is common in Brazil. The 5 & 10 string Mandolins can be tuned to an Open Chord so you can play Slide Blues on them. It does create a really interesting High Pitched Bluesy Mezzo-Soprano Voice, very different from the Electric Guitar:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfzOSVw2Ulw

[Charlie Bernstein]

If you're talking about four-string solid-body electrics, they do sound a lot like capoed electric guitars. They're good if you want an electric sound but know the mando fretboard better than you know the guitar fretboard.

If you're talking about hollow-body mandos with pickups (which some people call electrics), they sound pretty much like mandolins to these ears.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hey, Jim, did I ever ask you what part of Westchester? I went to Rye High, class of '70.

[meow-n-dolin]

I bought my first mandolin about forty-five years ago. I did play a Mandocaster for a while about fifteen years ago. I never really go into the sound, however. I also own an Godin A8. It's not a bad little machine, but the truth is, it doesn't get played much. Fast forward to the Eastman ERM. It definitely does not sound anything like any kind of electric guitar. Does it sound like a mandolin? Well, with a bit of imagination. I've been playing it on stage for a while, and it certainly is easier to manage in those situations.

So, how does it come across? Note that I was playing "clean," no-sound modification at all. The sound-person told me that he kept looking around for the penny-whistle. That struck me as ... well... odd. But as I thought about it, yeah, it fits. It's a sweet sounding instrument. I immediately purchased a Cash Cow fuzz box. Now I can add a little grit to the sound.

My conclusion: The ERM has a place in country music. It also works delightfully well for jazz, swing, and blues. It most definitely does not sound like an electric guitar with a capo. Unless, perhaps, maybe, said electric guitar is a Gibson 335 (with 12 strings)...

Al

[BillWilliams]

Hmm ... penny-whistle?

Here's a quick clip I did to test my El Rey when it arrived recently.

Have to start saving to get a fuzz-box

[meow-n-dolin]

Hmm ... penny-whistle?

Here's a quick clip I did to test my El Rey when it arrived recently.

Have to start saving to get a fuzz-box

Sweet!!!

A bass-playing compadre of mine said I needed to use a "flanger." I am not even sure what that is....

[Charlie Bernstein]

Sweet!!!

A bass-playing compadre of mine said I needed to use a "flanger." I am not even sure what that is....

You flange with it. If it's legal in your state.

[meow-n-dolin]

You flange with it. If it's legal in your state.

I would hate to be convicted of felonious flanging of a flat-back mandolin!

[Verne Andru]

Sweet!!!

A bass-playing compadre of mine said I needed to use a "flanger." I am not even sure what that is....

The [flange] effect on the opening (signature) guitar riff is pretty iconic.

[meow-n-dolin]

[QUOTE=Verne Andru;1903139]

Yeah. I am thinking that's not a sound I am after. But hey, at least I know what "flanging" sounds like. (Well, actually, I DO recognize that sound from my youthful indulgence in rock genres. Thanks!!

Al

[Explorer]

Just for fun, here's some examples of people going beyond the narrower boundaries of the acoustic mandolin.





It's hard for me to believe, in a supposedly creative venture like music, that the narrow opinion of the first post is only four years in the past....