Eastman El Rey vs acoustic mandolin with pickup

[randybrown]

I'm interested in adding an electric mandolin to my setup. Am confused about the benefits of the El Rey (or another similar electric mandolin) vs an acoustic fitted with a quality pickup.

Can anyone share expertise on this question?

Thanks.

[pops1]

Well typically when you put a pickup in a mandolin it is a transducer and you will need a preamp. You are trying to get an acoustic sound. The El Rey is a magnetic pickup like an electric guitar. You will need to use strings that are not bronze and it will sound electric, not acoustic.

[spufman]

If you plan to use effect pedals, the magnetic pickup may play better with them. Those El Reys seem pretty sweet to me, though I'm happy with my Mann (which has both magnetic and piezo).

[Mandobart]

An acoustic mandolin with any type of mic or pickup will run into feedback issues at some combination of stage volume, speaker/monitor placement and room acoustics.

A solid or semi-hollow body instrument with a mag pickup is much more feedback resistant. This is one reason why all the arena bands of the 70's and 80's toured with electric guitars vs acoustic.

[Leester]

I have a Breedlove Legacy OF with K & K pickup and recently got an El Rey. Even when not plugged in they're different animals, not one better than the other, just different. I've played both live and found the experiences equally different. Due to the sweet Lollar pickup in the El Rey it seems to cut through the mix a bit more at lower volume than my 'acoustic' mandolin. Since it's more of an electric sound (whatever that is!) it's set up with a really low action and is very responsive so requires less pick attack than my Breedlove.

As others have noted, feedback can be an issue with an acoustic instrument and at higher volumes I do have to watch the Breedlove. It has F holes so there is less risk but there is no risk with the El Rey. As I'm beginning to experiment with some chord solo and jazz mando tunes I find myself drawn more to the El Rey for those. For Bluegrass, fiddle tunes and much of the fills I play in a duo, either will work. If I'm honest, I'm just more accustomed to the acoustic at this point, but both of them are a joy to play.

I hope this helps a bit.

[mandroid]

having the similarities of both having a magnetic pickup, the bridge sitting on a solid piece of wood , solid body,
vs on a resonant acoustic body , does have an effect on the string vibrating sound.. as heard thru the amp..