July 2010
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Here's a Large Body Octave Mandola all ready now to go off to Salamanca in Spain. The instrument has a slightly shorter 600mm scale length which gives it a slightly more punchy and percussive tone but still with the depth and richness that the larger body gives it. It has Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top and is also fitted with a Headway Music Audio HE2 FEQ pickup fitted. |
7th May 2010
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Here are a few pictures of a guitar just finished and about to be packed off to its new owner. This is a 12 fret 00 size instrument with Indian Rosewood back and sides and a Sitka Spruce top. This is a great guitar for fingerstyle playing. The neck width at the nut is slightly wider too. The tone generated from the small 00 size body provides a really clear and focused sound with great projection, sustain and clarity. |
6th April 2010
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Ibon Ordóñez came over from the Basque Country in Northern Spain yesterday to collect his new bouzouki. Ibon plays in a band called Ruaille-Buaille which is a folk music sextet who play their own compositions and a fusion of music from Ireland, Scotland, England, Galicia and the Basque County. The instrument is a Large Body Bouzouki with a full 650mm scale length. It has Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top. It also has a Headway Music Audio HE2 FEQ pickup fitted. You can find out more about Ruaille-Buaille here: www.ruaille-buaille.com |
March 2010
| Here's a couple of bouzoukis finished and just about ready to go off to their new homes. The big one is going to Northern Spain and the other up to Scotland. This is a good illustration of the difference between the two body sizes I make for the Bouzoukis. They're both 650mm scale length instruments with Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top and both also have a Headway pickup fitted. |
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January 2010
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Andy Morgan popped over earlier from his new home in the South West of France to collect his new Bouzouki. This is a Large Body Bouzouki with a scale length of 620mm, Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top. It also has a Headway Electronics fixed EQ on board pickup. Andy wanted the body on this instrument is very slightly narrower than the standard depth. The bouzouki compliments the Cittern I built for Andy last year. |
November 2009
I'm about to start making a bouzouki for Paul McKenna - of The Paul McKenna Band. It'll be a Standard Bouzouki with a 650mm scale length, Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top. It'll also be fitted with a Headway bouzouki pickup and come complete with a Yellow Calton case.
I'll post some images of this instrument as it is under construction.
The Paul McKenna Band have recently won the Up and Coming Artist of the Year at the MG Scots Trad Music Awards.
June 2009
Benji Kirkpatrick has recently taken delivery of his second instrument. This time he wanted a Large Body Bouzouki to compliment and add to the Standard bouzouki he has been playing since 1996.
The new bouzouki has a 650mm scale length, Indian Rosewood back and sides and a European Spruce top. It's also be fitted with a Headway bouzouki pickup and come complete with a Calton case.
Benji is a really great player and as such is in constant demand, playing with Seth Lakeman, Bellowhead and Faustus and of course his solo work too.
August 2006
Here's a couple of pictures of Steve Byrne on receipt of his new bouzouki delivered in August 2006.
Spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides
tuned GDAD
L.R. Baggs Dual Source pickup
"I ordered this from Andy rather by chance, as I was in the area at a gig and dropped by to visit his workshop. Andy had an instrument half-made for a customer who'd changed his mind, so his usual waiting time was significantly reduced. After visiting him in June, I received the instrument in mid-August.
I'd first heard about Andy's instruments from the late Davy Steele, and had been impressed by the number of players I came across who also played a Tobin, such as Quico Comesaña from Berrogüetto and Manus Lunny of Capercaillie.
I'd been after a really typical Irish bouzouki sound, as the Fyldes I play have a bigger, darker sound, when that tight, punchy, Lunny-esque sound is sometimes what's needed! With the work with Fred Morrison beginning to take off, I took the plunge and plumped for the Tobin and I've been thrilled to bits with it since it arrived.
Needless to say, the picture you see here of me playing it on the first morning is thankfully minus the few scratches the delicately-finished spruce top has since gained through a good few gigs' worth of playing. But it's the sound that matters, eh??!"
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