Indianrock2020 Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Anyone managed to get a decent mandolin sound out of a JTV / HD500x type combination? For guitarists I'd think you want to mute the low A and E strings in workbench and basically have a 12-string guitar tuning on the four higher strings. That way you can use your familiar guitar chords instead of the standard Mandolin tuning shown below. 4 pairs of strings (two E Strings, 2 A Strings, 2 D Strings, and 2 G Strings), Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_Brown Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I've thought about doing a uke tuning but never got round to it so if anyone can help here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah_Cowboy Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I would be interested and have thought about a mandolin sound also. With the Variax/HD combo. I don't get my 89F till the end of the month, so I can't try until then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmunge01 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I have tried, but have not achieved a decent sound yet..... Thought it would be kind of cool to do the intro to Maggy Mae then filp to the main guitar with a turn of a knob :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koebi Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Just do on eBay and buy a mandolin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brue58ski Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Just do on eBay and buy a mandolin Gee golly that's sure clever. But it still won't get a mandolin sound out of a Variax. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arislaf Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Don't know if this can help you. People said it sounds like a mandolin. https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=9647.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsdenj Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 The sound of a mandolin isn’t enough. It need to pay and feel like one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgamache Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 You can use an IR from 3sigma with the Helix and Mag or Variax Acoustic (and a capo) to get in the ballpark. https://www.3sigmaaudio.com/items/category/mandolins/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codamedia Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 The Albert Lee approach to tuning a mandolin works well for me on the Variax... just the top 4 strings of a guitar - D,G,B,E. It sounds good, but won't get the familiar voicings of a traditional mandolin. This is my approach with the Variax to fake a mandolin sound. Use one of the 12 string acoustic models Set the D & G as unison, not octaves (the B & E should already be unison) Optionally... turn down the volume on the low E & A... Now, put a capo on the 12 fret... or simply stick to playing in that range. IMO - that sounds way more realistic than attempting to alter the tuning that dramatically. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sornord Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 I used a capo'd Rick 12 to play way up high on the fretboard to mimic a mandolin in years past. I think this should be doable with Workbench HD tweaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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