Mandolins:
1996 Nugget Two-Point
2017 Apitius Yorkville Jazz
2004 Collings MF5
1987 Stevens “Paul Glasse Model” 5-string electric mandolin.
Strings:
D’Addario EJ75 (11.5, 16, 26, 41).
Straight Up Strings Med/Hvy (11.5,17,26,41).
Picks:
Tone Slabs
TS Tear Drop, 1.5 mm in green
Pickups:
Mike Kemnitzer installed an L.R. Baggs transducer in the bridge of the Nugget. Oliver Apitius installed a K&K in the Yorkville Jazz. Occasionally a Baggs Radius is placed on the Collings. Custom 5-pole Duncan humbuckers in the Stevens. Acoustics with pickups run into a Radial “Tone Bone” PZ Pre preamp.
Instrument cases:
Calton (Nugget), TKL (Collings),Hoffee(Apitius)
Microphone preferences:
For my own records the mandolin is usually mic’d by a stereo pair of Schoeps CMC6-U (small diaphragm condenser). Other ones I’ve run into that sound good for mandolin include the Nuemann KM 84 (of course) the Coles(?) ribbon mic (!) and various members of the Shure KSM line. At home I use the Shure KSM 137. I’ve also had pretty good luck with that on stage too, even though it’s a condenser. I keep a 30-year-old SM57 in the trunk of my car! Frequently stage amplification is handled by the pickup alone, either through an amp or direct to the house and monitors.
Amps:
The Nugget runs into an AER Compact 60, the Stevens and various electric guitars into a Quilter MicroPro Mach 2.
Miscellaneous:
For the mandolin: I use a Tone-Gard.