Page 4 of 4 FirstFirst 1234
Results 76 to 91 of 91

Thread: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

  1. #76
    Every day is a gift. Sheila Lagrand's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Location
    San Tan Valley, Arizona
    Posts
    271

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chompa View Post
    Thanks for the responses. Plenty of food for thought. You guys were on a roll. I never expected my question would carry so much weight. While I'm digesting all the input, and belly-laughing at a few comments ... I'm thinking .. why isn't there a mandolin product-line that includes the gard as part of the design ? ... "Midriff Mandolins" - "Expand your tone" ... (insert multiple rim shots here - you guys started this).
    My husband plays Appalachian dulcimer. "Double back" dulcimers have a second back on the instrument with some air space between, to serve the same purpose as a tone-gard does on a mandolin.
    Phoebe, my 2021 Collings MT mandolin
    Dolly, my 2021 Ibanez M522 mandolin
    Louise, my 193x SS Maxwell mandolin
    Fiona, My 2021 GSM guitar-bodied octave resonator mandolin
    Charlotte, my 2016 Eastman MDO 305 octave mandolin
    And Giuliana, my 2002 Hans Schuster 505 violin, Nehenehe, my 2021 Aklot concert ukulele,
    Annie, my 2022 Guild M-140 guitar, Joni, my 1963 Harmony 1215 Archtone archtop guitar,
    Yoko, my ca. 1963 Yamaha Dynamic No.15 guitar, and Rich, my 1959 husband.

  2. #77
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    I think it's pretty chaotic at the moment. I've had 3 deliveries from EU recently (all under £135), no duty or extras to pay. Two of them specified that on the order webpage, so maybe they included it somehow. My son had an order from Stewart-MacDonald in USA (again under £135), again no duty or duty collection charge. He sold 2 x something small in the same parcel for £25 to a guy in Belgium, the postal service there stung the customer for duty + 2 x collection charge.

  3. #78
    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    885

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    I love the Tone Gard so much I got one for each Mandolin! IMO They are as important as a chin rest on a violin.

    BILLY
    Billy Packard
    Gilchrist A3, 1993
    Stiver Fern, 1990
    Weber Fern, 2007
    Gibson F4 Hybrid #1, D. Harvey 2009
    Gibson 1923 A2
    Numerous wonderful guitars

  4. The following members say thank you to Billy Packard for this post:


  5. #79

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    I forget my tone guard is on until I read a thread on the cafe that mentions them. It's been a permanent fixture on my collings mf for as long as I can remember

  6. The following members say thank you to MandoManCaleb for this post:


  7. #80
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,172

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by maxr View Post
    I think it's pretty chaotic at the moment. I've had 3 deliveries from EU recently (all under £135), no duty or extras to pay. Two of them specified that on the order webpage, so maybe they included it somehow. My son had an order from Stewart-MacDonald in USA (again under £135), again no duty or duty collection charge. He sold 2 x something small in the same parcel for £25 to a guy in Belgium, the postal service there stung the customer for duty + 2 x collection charge.
    Can’t remember exactly where I read it but I believe that our wonderful government is expecting foreign firms to register for, collect and pay over UK VAT on “low value” transactions. I seem to remember that the figure was “below £135”.

    My first reaction was that pigs might also learn to fly but, since then, I suspect that some firms are likely to suffer such a loss in trade (e.g. Thoman) that they might actually do it.

  8. #81
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ray(T) View Post
    Can’t remember exactly where I read it but I believe that our wonderful government is expecting foreign firms to register for, collect and pay over UK VAT on “low value” transactions. I seem to remember that the figure was “below £135”.

    My first reaction was that pigs might also learn to fly but, since then, I suspect that some firms are likely to suffer such a loss in trade (e.g. Thoman) that they might actually do it.
    Thomann practise for Uk and Switzerland is here:

    https://www.thomann.de/gb/faq_questi...countries.html

    The problem there is that UPS add 2.5pc for collecting Customs charges, plus a minimum of £11.50 delivery. I used to use Musiekhauss Thomann a lot, but the UK discounters like Andertons, GAK, etc are now often cheaper, and their service is very similar. Also, some things are cheaper bought from USA even with carriage and tax - dunno about now, but I played cello until about 5 years ago, and it ws cheaper to buy high quality EU made cello strings from a store in NYC and pay tax than it was from UK or Germany - and sometimes the small packet escaped all duty anyway. It's always worth checking out, with GBPUSD exchange rates changing a lot recently.

  9. #82
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,172

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Thanks, the Thoman link explains what I thought was the case (goods up to £135) but that’s not where I read it!

    I don’t mind paying the taxes - you either pay them at source or prior to delivery - it’s the delivery firms opacity and trying at all costs to make any form of direct contact difficult, which I find annoying.

  10. #83
    Dave Berry
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    San Fancisco, CA USA
    Posts
    162

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chompa View Post
    I'm considering a Tone Gard (or two) for Eastman MD305 and/or MD314. I do tend to hold the mandolin close. And I get the principle of the Gard, but I'm curious to know from current (or past) owners if the Gard is a comfortable solution? Did it affect the way you normally held your mandolin? Require an adjustment to get used to the feel?
    It probably takes some getting use to. I'm curious why you want one. Can you or your mates not hear the mandolin well enough? Full disclosure, mine doesn't bother me sitting in the drawer
    Dave
    Gilchrist A3 #03539, Kimble A5 #122, Gibson A4 #65987
    https://linktr.ee/davidalanberry

  11. The following members say thank you to tuhker for this post:


  12. #84
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by tuhker View Post
    It probably takes some getting use to. I'm curious why you want one. Can you or your mates not hear the mandolin well enough? Full disclosure, mine doesn't bother me sitting in the drawer
    These devices often make the mando sound better to the player, which for most of us is the most frequent listener

  13. #85
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    High Peak - UK
    Posts
    4,172

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    As Maxr says, the tongardis intended to improve the sound of an instrument by allowing whatever is intended to vibrate, vibrate. What I have often puzzled over is why someone might want to encase their instrument in a heavy leather sheath (i.e. a certain Mr Presley; but I’ve never liked his music anyway.)

  14. #86
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    I just received my Tone-Gard in UK, ordered from Elderly Instruments on 19th Feb. $85 USD, no additional taxes or costs added on delivery. It fits very well on my Eastman 305, which also has an arm rest fitted. They don't conflict. You wouldn't really know it was on there unless you play with a very thin or no shirt (not really UK style in early March), except the mandolin sounds better.

  15. #87

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cdubbz View Post
    I just got my first Tone-Gard for my Ellis A Deluxe and it has been a true revelation. It's great.
    For me, an Ellis A Deluxe would be a "true revelation" in itself. Maybe more like an Epiphany. (I'm jealous)

  16. #88

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    tuhker, PM me if you want to sell yours- RR

  17. #89
    Registered User Lane Pryce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Asheboro,NC
    Posts
    2,281

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    Tg does indeed help with tone and projection when standing. My only gripe is the way my mandolin feels with the Tg attached. Body heavy or bottom heavy. Without the Tg the instrument feels balanced. Subjective I know however that’s the only way to depict what I’m trying to say.
    J.Lane Pryce

  18. #90

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    (at the risk of repeating myself...) I would like to congratulate Tone Gard for establishing a customer loyalty that most businesses only dream about! Reminds me of my late father and how much he liked Buick automobiles. And maybe second only to Blue Chip picks.......although it surprised me how many people "jumped ship" when Thile got a new endorsement........

    I agree with Rob Roy -- why would something as nice as an Ellis require any type of accessory not designed by Ellis?

    I have come to the conclusion that many mandolin players simply like accessories attached to their instruments, as opposed to having a stock instrument. That includes Tone Gards, armrests, peghead tuners being "worn" when not tuning, same with capos (capoes?), those little rubber washer thingies between the bridge and tailpiece and probably some others I am missing. I will grant that a strap is sometimes necessary.......

    I've related this to a certain "way of thinking" that appeals to some and not to others. For example, some men like power washers and some (like me) simply get a bucket of soapy water, a sponge, and a ladder to clean my siding. My neighbor has a high-powered (and thus, noisy) leaf blower that he loves and he blows his leaves into my yard, the neighbor on the other side, and the street -- his yard looks great, but it makes work for me. Instead of a leaf blower, I use a rake and bag my leaves, like a normal person. He also creates a dust bowl effect that clings to my porch and requires me to clean it more than I should need to, IMHO. Again, the soapy water and a sponge.......

    What is right? I don't know. What is logical? I thought I knew, but nice and reasonable people seem to disagree. So, I guess we will continue the Tone Gard debate!

  19. #91
    Registered User Jcdraayer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Boulder CO
    Posts
    86

    Default Re: Tone Gard - Comfortable ?

    I recently added one to my Northfield F5. I actually really like the weight. It seems to provide a nice balance to the instrument, counteracting the weight of the headstock. I also find it stays in place in my lap much easier, allowing me to ditch my strap.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •