Mandolin with a pickup through a steel amp?

Greg Milton · From: Benalla, Australia

Hello there,

I was just wondering whether anyone plays a mandolin with an internal pickup through a steel amp?

If so, what amp and what pickup, and do you use a preamp?

I am thinking of getting a K & K internal twin pickup, and was wondering whether it would sound okay through my NV400.

Thanks, Greg

Bill Rowlett · From: Russellville, AR, USA

Greg,

I use a Schatten VVM Series Pickup into a Fishman Aura to my Nashville 400. It sounds fine with both violin and mandolin. As a matter of fact, the NV400 sounds good with pretty much anything. I've also used it for piano / organ and light bass work.

Bill

Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

I was playing in a band with ridiculous stage volume. I tried a Fishman mando bridge on my Kentucky KM-505. It sounded pretty harsh. I ran it thru a Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre into several different amps. Sounded best runing into a Ken Fox vintage single 15" combo. I finally ditched that setup and got a Godin acoustic electric mando. That worked well for that situation. Now I am in a quieter band, so I am using a Rode NT5 mic and really love it.
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Walter Killam · From: Nebraska, USA

I play a solid body Mandostrat into my Bass rig with an A/B switch, I used to run an EQ pedal to help with the Harshness and volume issues, but recently ran the Mando into a Goodrich Matchbox and that's probably my go to "effect" from here on out. It's not as authentic sounding as an 8 stringer, but it's easy to work with, and a nice novelty if I don't use it too much through the night.
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Dave O'Brien · From: Florida and New Jersey

I play a Rigel when I need to plug in.
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Dave O'Brien
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Greg Milton · From: Benalla, Australia

Thanks all!

Bill - I'm guessing that the Fishman preamp is essential?

Greg

Sandy Inglis · From: Christchurch New Zealand

I play a cheap mandolin with pickups straight through my NV1000 (set for steel). It sound just fine.
Sandy
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01'Zumsteel D10 9+9; Sho Bud D10 SuperPro; 6 String Lap Steel (Homemade); Peavey Nashville 1000; Fender Deluxe 85;
1968 Gibson SG; Taylor 710 CE; Encore Tele Copy; Peterson Tuner; HIWATT T40 C 40W/20W Combo

Per Berner · From: Skovde, Sweden

Playing mandolin through a 15" speaker? Surely, it should be at least 2 x 18"... Winking

Bill Rowlett · From: Russellville, AR, USA

Greg,

I use the generic Fishman Aura Spectrum DI with it's standard patches. The Schatten VVM Series Pickup is sandwiched into the bridge adjuster rather than stuck to the body with putty. I like the VVM because it has a body mounted volume control although you could just as easily use a belt pre-amp with a volume pot.

To me, the Fishman Aura makes the mandolin sound a lot more like an acoustically miked instrument and takes away a lot of the peizo tone while letting me play at dance band levels. Even though I don't use a Fishman pickup, it still sounds way better than a standard preamp with a pickup.

I use the same amp/preamp setup with dobro, although I have the Fishman Nashville Spyder pickup instead of the VVM. Most of the time I just run into the PA from the Aura since my steel is running into the Nashville, but have used the Nashville 400 with the mandolin also.

Bill

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I also play a Rigel, which I think has a K&K passive pickup.

You can do it, but it will sound like crap without a good preamp. I use a Baggs millennium preamp and run straight to the board rather than through a guitar amp. A guitar amp is NOT voiced correctly for acoustic instruments. But in a pinch it'll work. However, the Baggs or comparable Fishman preamp will run you around $3-400. And you need it no matter WHAT pickup you use!
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No chops, but great tone
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Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

Just turn the bass WAY down on amp, turn treble down if too screechy. I have used Session 500, Nash 400 and 1000 with no problems, as long as settings are adjusted.

Thanx,
Jim

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

Using a K&K on mine. The Fender Mustang III allows me to customize a patch purely for the mando and it sounds pretty good. No pre-amp needed. Cannot seem to get a decent mando sound through my Twin Reverb.

Funny - the best mando tone I ever got was with one of those cheap quarter sized pickups that you stick on with putty. Wish I still had it!

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

I play a Fender mandolin (same as avatar) which has a similar design as Rigel. I plug it straight into a Peavey NV1000. Sounds great! I occasionally put either slap back echo (MXR CARBON COPY) or reverb (BOSS RV3) on it thru the post eq fx loop.

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

FYI, the first electric mandolin I ever saw was played by Billy Ray Hamblin in Clinton, OK in the mid 50's. He was a great western swing and square dance fiddler. Billy made friends with a young Johnny Gimble who was playing some clubs in Lawton, OK around Fort Sill. Johnny had a cheapo mandolin that he removed the unison strings from, stuffed the hollow body with cotton, a put on a DeArmond pickup. Billy did the same thing and learned everything he could from Johnny on it. (Billy Ray Hamblin's son, Bill has played fiddle in the bands for steel guitar conventions in Ohio and other midwest locations - around Detroit area.)

Billy used a Fender Deluxe amp with a DeArmond fiddle pickup which is what Bob Wills was using then. No reverbs, no effects on those amps them.

So turn down the bass, and off all the effects, and twiddle with the treble and middle range to kill the screech, and stop the honking - you can play fiddle through any amp.

A forumite and fellow steel player, Finis Spier played fiddle at our Manvel Texas Opry using a Session 500 - always sounded great.

Thanx,
Jim

Paul Honeycutt · From: Colorado, USA

I play an Ovation Mandolin which has a preamp and pickup built in. I played in a World Music ensemble and often ran the mando through my pedalboard and amp. The amp was a Mesa Boogie Studio .22+ that has a graphic EQ. I never use the graphic for guitar so I could dial in the graphic and turn it on when I played the mandolin.

I only played mando on a few songs with that band and have a four space rack with a tube preamp, tuner, line mixer and effects that I use when playing acoustic instruments exclusivly.

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