Ease of Playing

[KennyE]

How do the electric, solid body mandolins play vs the acoustic models? Is it similar to electric guitars vs acoustic guitars? Or is it pretty much 1 to 1 with their acoustic cousins? I know it's going to be a builder thing, like any instrument. But there must be a general consensus on how they play. Just wondering.

[mandroid]

You ask this naively over broad .. what is the difference between them in Guitars.?
4,5, vs 8, $99. vs $999+.. ?

back to the many "A" vs "B" shoot-offs..

and consensus = 100% agreement like that's gonna happen ..

[KennyE]

You ask this naively over broad .. what is the difference between them in Guitars.?
4,5, vs 8, $99. vs $999+.. ?

back to the many "A" vs "B" shoot-offs..

and consensus = 100% agreement like that's gonna happen ..

You lost me.

[thistle3585]

What he's trying to say is you need to be more specific in your question. There are too many variables that determine playability to any one player, and most likely no one is going to agree on an answer. Do single course emandos play similar to double course acoustics? I think so. If you're wondering if its easy to transition from an eight string acoustic to a four string emando then I'd say it depends on your skill as a musician.

[Canoedad]

I think Kenny is asking if electric mandos are easier to play because they tend to have lighter strings and lower action relative to their acoustic kinfolk.

[rico mando]

I would say that electrics have the potential to be easier to play but will not necessarily be easier to play . but when you are able to plug your instrument in you can change your tone / volume etc.. using pedals and gear where as a strictly acoustic mandolin you have to modify your approach to achieve changes in tone and volume .

[Elliot Luber]

A four is going to be easier than eight, and you can use lighter gauge strings, but it matters a great deal what you're playing in terms of musical choice.

[mandroid]

Wont have to pick as hard, with the knobs labeled gain, and volume, at 11 !

[KennyE]

Wont have to pick as hard, with the knobs labeled gain, and volume, at 11 !

Now were talking!!!

[Elliot Luber]

Scott needs a "Bravo" button. Like is taken.

[Dfyngravity]

How do the electric, solid body mandolins play vs the acoustic models? Is it similar to electric guitars vs acoustic guitars? Or is it pretty much 1 to 1 with their acoustic cousins? I know it's going to be a builder thing, like any instrument. But there must be a general consensus on how they play. Just wondering.

A mandolin that is nicely built and setup to perfect by a professional should play as easy as it is to simply put your finger on the string. That being said, I have played a lot of acoustic mandolin in which the owner of the mandolin likes to crank the bridge way up for more power/volume or simply because they really play hard. Personally, I play very lightly and go for tone over volume so my mandolin has extremely low action and requires very little pressure to fret a string.

Let compare an 8 string acoustic to an 8 string electric mandolin. Typically you are going use heavier strings and maybe slight higher action on the acoustic. So in that case, yes, it may be true that the electric is easier to fret than the acoustic. But if they have similar gauge strings and similar action, I doubt you could tell the difference.......again if they are setup properly. Now, going from an 8 string acoustic to a single course 4 or 5 string electric mandolin may yield different results. I have read some post that people feel that the strings, particularly the A and E strings are a bit "harder" on their fingers. Not that it is hard to fret, but the single strings tends to "cut" into their fingers a bit more making it feel as if it is harder. But I'd venture to say that their action was too high, probably on the nut side of the mandolin.

So, I guess what I am saying is that it ultimately depends on what you are comparing and how they are setup.

[KennyE]

I probably did not explain myself very well in the original post. Not sure this will clear it up, either. I play electric guitar, have for too many years to count. My electrics are set up to play ... well, very easily. Not much in the way of finger pressure, strings low to the fretboard, blah blah. Altho' I do like to feel the strings move slightly when depressed. My acoustic guitar, set up as close to the electric as possible, and by persons much more qualified to set them up than I, is still a bit harder (stiffer?) to play than my electric guitar. And I'm not talking cheap guitars, either. These are some top notch planks of wood. So, with that as a basis ...

My mandolin relates very closely to the action on the acoustic guitar. For what it is, it plays quite nicely. But, not as easily as my electric guitars. Which brings me around to the original question, hopefully stated a bit better. Given that we're talking quality products, properly set up - could I expect a 4 course electric mandolin to play easier than an equivalent 4 course acoustic mandolin? Easier equating to finger pressure, hammer ons/ pull offs, etc. And of course, given an equal talent level on both instruments ... is that stated better?

[rico mando]

As you already know . you can go much lighter on an electric (magnetic pups) with the string gauges and still get good tone where as on a acoustic the strings will sound floppy . Of course you could have an acoustic made to respond well to extra light strings which then may be able to play similar the electrics .

[abuteague]

Kenny,
Much easier. Too much practice on my acoustic and my wrists will hurt. Never encountered that problem with the electric 4 string. I can practice much longer and it is much less effort. When I have a performance coming up and I need lots of practice time, I practice on the electric so I won't hurt myself.

[Lee]

If Leo Kottke and Jimi Hendrix met somewhere and switched instruments they'd both not find it easy to sound like themselves or each other.