I think you have to work backward from the sound you want. #I think the best acoustic sound comes from a good mandolin and a good microphone. #Everything else just isn't quite the same. #I also think that most hollow-body electrics sound kind of wimpy as acoustic mandos. #When I was first going electric, I had a Gibson A40 that I added a DeArmond magnetic pickup to. #The pickup clamped on the strings, and gave me a taste of electric sustain, without being a permanent addition to the acoustic mando. #Once I knew I liked the electric sound I checked out hollow body 8-strings, solid-body 8-strings, semi-hollow body 8-strings, and solid body 5-strings. #They all sound slightly different, mainly a function of the pickup. #A solid body (the heavier the better) seems to have more sustain. #If you're trying to play with outrageous effects, you should know that single courses (a 4- or 5- string emando) track better effects-wise than double courses. #I use a POD 2.0 with a 5-string solid body most of the time when I'm jamming with my electric friends. #I love being able to dial in a huge variety of sounds. #You could get an acoustic mando, add a bridge pickup to a replacement bridge, add a DeArmond pickup (if you can find one, they're not made anymore), and mix the two sounds with a preamp. #If you don't like the results, you can always return the mando to its original acoustic format. #Remember that acoustic strings usually have some kind of bronze wrapping on the G and D strings, where electric strings have nickel/iron wrapping, so you might find that it won't sound right if you try and mix the two sounds.
Just have a good idea of how you want the setup to sound before you start spending money. You can always buy 4 or 5 more mandos later on...
Forget with the cowbell, already...
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