tone-gard

  1. Dave Kirkpatrick
    Dave Kirkpatrick
    Does anybody use a tone-gard on a Big Muddy or Mid Mo? I find that the farther away my Big Muddy 'dola gets from my body, the better it sounds (most folks tell me my playing sounds much better when I'm at least one county over, but that's a topic for another post). I can't seem to comfortably hold the instrument far enough away from my middle to turn loose its full sound. And when I pull it in close, it really cuts down on the sustain. I could go on a diet, but I'll never be a skinny guy, so I'm looking for a compromise and am hoping a tone-gard will be the solution.
  2. billkilpatrick
    i don't. i bought a tone guard for my "f" style mandolin and while there was a slight difference in tone, after a while i found it uncomfortable, cumbersome and heavy. if you want to know what your mandolin will sound like with the tone guard, wedge something between it and your gut (ping-pong ball, maybe? ... a 1" slice of pvc tubing?) and judge accordingly.
  3. bmac
    bmac
    I tend to go along with BillKilpatrick. If you hold your mandolin the "correct way" then you will never need a tone guard... However if you are heavy enough that it is an issue, then steal one of your wifes' bras, lower it down and use half a tennis ball or the ping pong ball. You may get some strange looks but you will be prettier than if you played with a tone-gard on your instrument.

    Bart McNeil
  4. bratsche
    bratsche
    Cheaper than a tonegard, less silly than balls, less embarrassing than a bra - go on ebay and get an inexpensive viola shoulder rest, one of the kinds with the adjustable feet that grab the edge of the instrument. I don't use one, but it will do the job.

    bratsche
  5. FatBear
    FatBear
    I know a guy with a tone guard on his Gibson who swears by it. He is skinny as a rail, but when he plays sitting down the instrument sits against his minimal belly and when he stands up and plays for very long he gets either neck strain from leaning out or shoulder pain from holding it at an awkward angle. He has taught and played professionally for over 40 years, so I tend to believe him.

    Personally I sit and play and have found a big difference between holding it in my normal position and holding it out away from my somewhat more substantial belly than his. So I actually ordered a Tone Gard about a week ago. I'll try to remember to report back after I've used it.
  6. Dave Kirkpatrick
    Dave Kirkpatrick
    Thanks everyone for your comments and insight. I bought a tone-gard and am happy with the result.
  7. FatBear
    FatBear
    So Dave's one of the other guys... Tony the Tone Gard maker told me that he got three orders for Big Muddys within a very short time after not making another in a long time. Unfortunately, mine got lost in the mail but he sent another out and it arrived at my store yesterday. Unfortunately I won't be there for maybe another week, but I'm eager to try it.

    About holding it "the right way", I think we need to consider that not everyone is built the same, not everyone sits the same or in the same chair (or at all), and so on. I am slightly overweight though not as much as my username would suggest. But I've got a bum shoulder and I normally play while sitting on the couch (couch rhymes with slouch) and so I think it will be easier to play with the Tone Gard than by holding it in the right way. We all must find our own way through the world. And if I wanted to be as much like everyone else as possible, I would buy an F5 style Kentucky or something.
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