My study of the tone-gard

[Jonathan Peck]

I was just tearing the strings off my mando for about an hour and my ears are still ringing...can't say I want to be any louder. I tried a couple of mando's at jams with tone guards on and they felt really awkward. I guess that I could get used to one, but I like the way I play and sound without one, so I'm not really motivated to try.

Why does everyone want to be louder? The dynamics at most jams are usually terrible. Too loud...too fast, and I just don't want a bunch of gizmos between me and my instrument...geez I must be getting old

[bradeinhorn]

for me it isn't the extra volume - that is more of an after-affect. let me clarify. it is more the dampening from the mandolin unintentionally but invetibly pushing into the stomach - and the resultant muffled tone. with the tg on, i don't need to worry about that happening. i can let the mando naturally hang and play with absolutely no stress on supporting it away from my body.

[mandopete]

Nah, I just wanna be louder!

<grins>

[Hallmark498]

The more I hear about this thing from you guys, the more interested I become. For the last fourteen months I have had a red spruce (Adi top) BRW that I have been whippin like a mule to get it to reach it's potential. Does anyone think a TG would give this instrument a little more mature sound?

Holding a mandolin like a machine gun makes my back sore at times.

After getting a TG, I thought to my self "why did I hold out so long?"

[Dan Krhla]

FWIW - I've got a capo too!

Um, where do you attach the capo to the TG? Man this is getting confusing


Has anyone had any of the little feet come off? I took the TG off my Eastman just once, when I sent it out to have work done on it and just as I was about to put it back on, I noticed a little rubber was missing. Anyone have suggestions for a replacement?

[bradeinhorn]

it should have come with a couple replacesments...just call the maker.

[Dan Krhla]

ok thanks, I didn't know if I was to contact Elderly or the maker.

[Elliot Luber]

Yeah, but he's subjective. I'm waiting for the MIT Sloan School to tackle this (stomache) pressing dilemma. In the mean time, maybe Big Muddy can come out with a concave back, sort of the opposite of a tater bug, so I can hold it better.

[Big Joe]

I've played them on dozens of instruments from about as many different builders and they do make a difference. I don't think they alter tone as much as increase volume. Nonetheless, they do help save the finish on your mandolin and I like them. I guess guys like Ricky Scaggs, Dawg, Reischman don't know how to properly hold or play their mandolins either. They use them. I guess that makes them sub par players??? .

I like the new one I got that was done by a CNC and powder coated. A bit lighter, and the finish is not likely to come off like the old ones. I'm a believer!

[250sc]

Captian Crunch,

I can't disagree with anything you said. If you don't need one, you don't need one. And your right about the dynamics at jams unless you control who you play with.

I won't play without one though.

[Jonathan Peck]

250sc,

I'm not trying to be dissagreeable I think for me, it's just more of a personal preference. I can understand why you and others like them and use them. The same goes for arm rests and pick guards/finger rests. If I had a picking situation where I felt it gave me an advantage, I would use one.....maybe

[bsny]

This may sound crazy, but I attached one to the air cleaner of my Toyota sport ute. Not only does it sound like a Ferrari now, but it handles like one too.

Just my experience. Don't pin me down on the science.

[Dan Krhla]

This may sound crazy, but I attached one to the air cleaner of my Toyota sport ute. Not only does it sound like a Ferrari now, but it handles like one too.

Just my experience. Don't pin me down on the science.

Man I could not agree with you more! I put one on the backside of my ugly, toothless wife and man, she looks, sounds and handles like <insert the name of your favourite hot, gorgeous model, singer actress here>

I'm going to order a few more

[mandopete]

I really hope yer wife ain't visiting the Mandolin Cafe any time soon, yikes!

[ronlane3]

Mandopete, I just hope that it has warmed up in CT, so when he is in the dog house, he doesn't freeze.

[SternART]

But did it improve her tone?!

[jasona]

I read that as "added to his...wife and man." Which improved more I wonder?

[Mando Medic]

I have about a dozen spare TG clips. If you send me a postage paid, self addressed envelope with a dollar, I'll send you one. Email me off list at MandoMedic@comcast.net . By the way, I've been using one for about 6 years now. It does help the volume, and by not having to play as hard, I'm able to develop better tone. Kenc

[EdSherry]

Big Joe -- I find that a TG affects both volume AND tone. In my experience, it adds more to the bottom end than to the top end. I swear by my TGs and have added them to all of my main mandos, with the exception of a new National Reso Mando which doesn't seem to benefit much from a TG, and my Vega cylinderback which the stock TGs don't fit. (I've contemplated asking Tony to make one for a cylinderback, but ...)

[Dan Krhla]

I have about a dozen spare TG clips. If you send me a postage paid, self addressed envelope with a dollar, I'll send you one. Email me off list at MandoMedic@comcast.net . By the way, I've been using one for about 6 years now. It does help the volume, and by not having to play as hard, I'm able to develop better tone. Kenc

Thanks, but I've been in contact with Tony and he's going out of his way to take care of me. Really excellent customer service! I would more than recommend him, and the tone guard to anyone.

[sgarrity]

I hear a slight difference on mandos I've played with a TG. But it doesn't seem to be much more than if you just hold it slightly away from your body. I also don't particularly like the feel of them. Maybe I just need to buy one and live with it for a while to truly appreciate it.

I'm sure this has been covered before but will it fit in a Calton case?

Shaun

[fredfrank]

I'm sure this has been covered before but will it fit in a Calton case?

Shaun

Yes. My Red Diamond has one and it never leaves the back of the mandolin. I use a Calton case and when I put it in the case , I have to push it slightly to the treble side to allow the clamp on the bass side to fit. But fit, it does.

[Kevin K]

Shaun,
It will fit in a Calton, be careful of wear on the sides as you put the mandolin in wear the tone gard contacts the fabric.

[fredfrank]

One thing I'd like to add here, is that although I like the sound of my mandolins with or without the tone-gard, there is a side benefit to using one that few have mentioned. That is the stability one experiences while playing. It actually keeps the mandolin from sliding around on your belly, eliminating the need to clamp on with your right arm. Imagine being able to relax your right arm!

I've used one so long, it feels funny to play without it.

[BlueMountain]

Of course, generally a mandolin will sound better or at least different if you are sitting in front of it than if you are sitting behind it. So it's not easy to tell for sure how much a ToneGuard improves a mandolin merely by playing it.

However, I think that playing a great mandolin with that beautiful carved maple back pressed against your belly shows you what it would sound like with a plywood back and a ToneGuard. The back can't resonate as well because it's dampened by flesh. If you had someone press his hands against the front while you were playing, of course, you'd notice a lot more tonal difference, given that fronts are more important than backs.

I've also noticed that a ToneGuard is a very good selling point when you are trying to sell a mandolin. It may be the thing that leads to a sale.