It’s so hard to find a good mandolin-themed controversy.
It’s so hard to find a good mandolin-themed controversy.
Gunga......Gunga.....Gu-Lunga
thanks for the info
Add all the classical players to the ‘no’ column.
Not all the clams are at the beach
Arrow Manouche
Arrow Jazzbo
Arrow G
Clark 2 point
Gibson F5L
Gibson A-4
Ratliff CountryBoy A
Add all of the classical players who play with banjo players to the "yes" column.
What's essentially the same discussion is following two threads. On the other thread, entitled "tone guard" Mike Edgerton said: "Take your tenor and hold it up against your belly and face into a corner and play. Now hold it out like a machine gun away from your belly and play into the corner. Does it sound better to you? If not don't worry about it. Count yourself lucky that you can't hear it but don't assume nobody else can't hear it. Nobody incorporates it into the build because they aren't all that expensive and some folks don't like them. There are few well known users on the Tone-Gard website. I'll note that Monroe never used one because it hadn't been invented. He did hold the mandolin out away from his body at times when he was taking a break though." Thanks, Mike. I tried that experiment and definitely noticed the difference, though I realized that I usually play seated and don't have the instrument to my belly. (Bill didn't have a lot of belly anyway.)
Here's Bill playing. He generally angles his mandolin so that it has minimal contact with his belly, and, as Mike says, gives the mandolin a lift when he takes a break.
By the way, what does a Tone-Gard weigh?
If the links don't work, search YouTube for "Bill Monroe & The Blue Grass Boys - Uncle Pen (1965)".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeZPAQRl7TA
Last edited by Ranald; Feb-16-2020 at 4:57pm.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
Recently they are produced by CNC laser cut out, with no welding, that ended custom options..
but If you can weld, make one of your own, just for yourself..
of the Retail Cost, the seller has a business margin in there..
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
I only used the word controversial because some people think they're anathema. : ) Paul Duff told me not to use one. But I did, and I love it. Some of it might be mandolin specific. I don't have one on my Red Diamond, but I don't notice much of a muting effect when I stand up with a strap with that particular instrument. I know a pretty well-known dealer, whom I respect, who says they're worthless, do-nothing accessories. Can't say I agree.
The other related item is are those clamp-on arm rests. I did notice a muting effect from my arm with the Duff. The arm rest helped, in my opinion. But it's not as if I feel either of those two items are indispensable to every mandolin. They might help on a certain mandolin for a certain player. Don't have either on the Red Diamond. I do have a tone guard on my A2Z. It has a noticeable effect on keeping the instrument from sounding muted when I stand up.
I haven't had any issues with mandolins not fitting in cases with a tone guard on.
'20 Ellis A5 Tradition, '09 Gilchrist Model 1, “July 9” Red Diamond F-5, '12 Duff F-5, '19 Collings MT2, ’24 A2-Z, ’24 F-2, '13 Collings mandola, '82 D-35, Gibson Keb Mo. http://www.bucktownrevue.com
Never mind the tonegards, it's the diet and exercise being the solution to everything that pisses me off.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
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