What Gear Do the Mandolin PROS Use?

[@Mrsadams1]

So fun. I love "nosy" videos. 😁 The mandolin community is the best. I am nobody special, but I have had the immense privilege to meet a lot of the musicians you have in your videos, to go to events like the Santa Cruz Mandolin Symposium, and "the greats" are always so nice and so friendly, even to "nobodies" like me. Best community there is. 💕

[@Mandoslicer]

Lynn told me after he worked on my Duff F5, that it was the best x-brace that he had ever heard. Of course, I told him he says that to all the boys, his mandolins are phenomenal, every single one of them.

[@lucylindblommusic]

Really neat video, thanks for doing this David! Love Alan's monogramed tone-gard too! I'm playing a Randy Wood 2021 mandolin, using D'Addario XS medium strings, ToneSlabs picks, and I like a tone-gard! :)

[@MeneerHerculePoirot]

My choice is a Richwood RMA-110-VS. It's an intermediate/pro A model, but the reasons I got it are it's bright and LOUD. Like ridiculously loud. lol As I'm primarily a vocalist it works really well for me. I can always pull back from the mic and never really have to hammer it to get the necessary volume. Like I said it's loud. It's all solid wood, but I'm ptetty sure the back is pressed. If it was carved I think it would have a more rounded tone. But, it mics like a dream. It allows me to roll back the treble and mids thenl boost the bass. I use an old Rode broadcast/studio mic w/a pretty wide volume arc. I use a mic because I simply HATE the sound of a transducerized mandolin. No amount of processing in the world takes the place of a good mic. That's my story. Thank you for all the great, informative videos. Oh, I use D'Ad XS 11-40 PB strings. Cheers from New Zealand! 🇳🇿

[@DamienDalton]

Fantastic video David. Really enjoyed it. For me Toneguards are night and day when it comes the tone that the player hears. That's the real advantage. I play a David Sefl 2 point mandolin mostly for Irish Trad music. I use a Dunlop primetone pic

[@douglascole5729]

Well it's a good start. This topic goes on forever. And there are many more 'pros' out there. Builders too. (I'm actually more interested in the builder's community). Thanks for sharing the interviews. I've got a custom Collings MT2, Thomastik strings and a Bluechip pick. It is my bit of heaven this side of MandolinCafe. Thanks

[@rickmoore52]

What a bunch of nerds we are. That being said, I couldn't stand the Tone-Gard simply because I like my body to touch the wood. I don't hold the mandolin tight to my belly, just a bit of the back rim, so I get plenty of vibration and tone. I've tried most all the strings available but keep coming back to the EJ-74s. And I fell in love with David's new signature pick. Like most of us, I have a tin full of most of the mando picks available and occasionally rotate through them, but for now I'm quite content. Recently got an arm rest but I'm not sold on it. It's all fun.

[@Mandoslicer]

Olin moved from Lexington to Lexington. SC to NC. I have known him for many years and almost sold my Duff to get one. Almost. Olin Davis is the man!

[@violinmke]

Joe K walsh uses the same pick and strings I use. You just made me very happy

[@garyleonard9178]

Tonegard, Thomastik mediums, Blue Chip TAD-3R 35 with my Girouard Studio Custom oval hole mandolin. Nice videos from Swannanoa, I really want to go back there next year.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

Fascinating. I use the humble Fender 351 Extra Heavy Celluloid pick for everything (guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo, plectrum banjo).

[@TomMoose]

Lovely to hear what everyone is using, cool vid! I use bluechip, primetone, clownbarf and that casein pick when I can find it. Still never lost a BC, on year 8 w the first one. Km1050 w armrest and toneguard

[@karlpayton522]

Another fun video, David! My primary mandolin (my wife doesn't understand why I have more than one...) is a relatively unknown delight that I took a chance on through eBay. The Feeling f-80 came to me directly from the builder. Solid hand-carved spruce and maple with beautiful inlay on the fretboard. I paid a bit less than $500 about a year ago, but it has a sound and playability that surpasses $4K Northfields. I'm still exploring strings... currently playing the GHS Bobby Osborne signature set. For picks, I rotate from your old favorite Golden Gate clown barf, to Dunlop Ultex 1.14, to a 1.2 Toneslab, and a Blue Chip CT 55. I've found sometimes the pick is as much about feel as it is sound. Thanks for always making this fun!

[@karlpayton522]

Forgot to add... I'm a Tonegard guy.

[@samsaxetaller]

I see the Feeling F-80 is listed on AliBaba as well

[@RobertRedBard]

9:25 true Story: Some Germans like myself polish their pick with a piece of paper + a coinpurse. Now that's a bit of a culture shock, isn't it? 😂 Also true story: 95 % of German professionells use similar gear of Caterina Lichtenberg. Her Mandolin has a German chassis (I believe the origin chassis was developed by 'Seiffert'), that's produces by artisans in western and eastern Germany alike and sounds partoculary round. (even a bit dull for foreign ears) For the Black cloth and picks there exists only a few manufacturers. So everyone plays 'Trekel' or 'Wolle' Picks.

[@kyd2868]

I've really enjoyed the D'Addario XS Mediums on my Holoubek. It also very much likes the tone slab darth tone pick.

[@greggcoppolo8430]

Nice video. A lot of good information, thanks. Started making my own picks, so family wouldn't hear me practice.

[@Chewee394]

My dad would have loved to show his Montleone off

[@utbutch13]

Looks like the headstock scroll has the round thingy broken off on Casey Campbell mando(?).

[@huntergivens2442]

I run an Eastman 515 cs, tone guard, blue chip td 60 and ej75

[@thomp9054]

Pros use nice mandolins for one thing Really nice mandolins

[@jameschristiansson3137]

Didn't know I needed a Wolle pick.

[@ross5066]

What's the tune at 3:58? I need to learn it. Very beautiful

[@markoshun]

"Saltspring" John's own song, very popular instrumental.

[@jtoddmusic7090]

Geeking out over gear is not unique to the strings world. Saxophone players, for example, can go on and on about mouthpiece, reed, and ligature combinations.

[@adamblock5141]

Exciting and Inspiring video! Thank you 🎶