Just to update, with the encouragement of these and other comments, I decided to order the aforementioned Hathway instrument, which arrived today. You don't want to know how much extra customs tax I...
Type: Posts; User: Tim N
Just to update, with the encouragement of these and other comments, I decided to order the aforementioned Hathway instrument, which arrived today. You don't want to know how much extra customs tax I...
Thanks. I wonder how much difference one inch makes? It could be significant. I guess GDAE is what you'd use for playing tunes as that's mandolin tuning.
Thanks, that's really helpful. I note the bass string on yours is somewhat heavier. I wonder, did you experiment with gauges or did it just come that way? Its certainly quite a looker!
The bouzouki is traditionally a long scale instrument, and the Irish (flat top and back) bouzouki is a relatively recent derivation from the Greek (and originally Turkish, I believe) bouzouki. In...
I only learned to read music to a useful extent when I started learning mandolin and was building up my knowledge of Irish music. The desire to learn tunes was the motivation, although the best way...
I'm interested to hear the opinion of anyone who has played a short scale bouzouki for accompanying Irish session music. I AM talking bouzouki - tuned GDAD/E, and the particular kind I have in mind...
Thanks for the helpful response. I see this question has occupied a few minds, and that just talking technically about notation is not enough. It is very much to do with the feel of the tune, and I...
I don't think anyone would regret going to Hobgoblins in London. You can obviously check out what they have in various stores online, but its like walking in to a magic den of instruments. I remember...
Hello, as a bouzouki and mandolin player, I am familiar with the different kinds of Irish session tunes, and these include a relative small number of slides (12/8) that are represented in the local...
I had a very happy time a few years ago at Hobgobins in London. A whole pile of newly-delivered hand-made Hathway instruments were on the sofa at the back, smelling wonderful. I played a few...
The Irish Mandolin comes up regularly on my Youtube feed. Although I can't remember how that started, it's certainly an awesome resourse, which I only very occassionally use, but which could easily...
Jerry Rosa emphasises that he believes the Renaissance wax makes a difference to the tone, but he also emphasises the importance of rubbing it straight off again. Its not about building up an...
I imagine the main principle behind double strings is to increase volume - the same principle as having multiple instruments in a orchestra. Of course, the use of octave pairs on bouzoukis (if...
Anyone living in England might like to try out hand-made Newtone Strings. They are excellent, not too expensive, and can be ordered idividually or in standard or customised sets. Unfortunately,...
The mandolin isn't half as bad as the Irish Bouzouki!
Regarding tuning in general, my observation is that it seems to make more sense to tune the mandolin to itself, once you know that the...
I think "seductive" is the key word here. I've had a stand-offish relationship with my Ozark tenor guitar for a few years, to the point that I tried to get rid of it at one point, but in Germany its...
I've also wondered about this - whether it helps improve the sound? However, my first, relatively cheap bouzouki (which had no scroll) was too heavy at the head stock end, which made playing with a...
Just wondering how you clean your strings? I generally use Fastfret, but suspect that is not really "obsessive". I have occasionally used meths and a rag, but I'm not sure if this is good for bronze...
Somebody told me that those tiny inner pockets at the front of your jeans are especially for picks. I looked in mine, and, lo and behold, there were a couple that I dont remember ever putting in....
Beautiful sound and nice playing. Just not "St Annes Reel" as I know it, but names are flexible...
On the basis that I describe my bouzouki as an "inflated mandolin", I guess my mandolin must be a "deflated bouzouki". (but they still say banjo....)
I would say its important to check with a specialist that it IS arthritis and not rheumatism. I know its not black and white, but I had similar problems in the hand, and had coincidentally recently...
I got to have a few minutes on a Seagull S8 mandolin between sets at an Irish Session. It had a strong treble emphasis, and didn't seem to have the roundness of my Paul Hathway mandolin. Others have...
If you're guitar player who regularly changes strings, then you know the answer really. I don't think guitar players are really any different. (It''s less stressful changing guitar strings, by the...
Thanks for all the varied responses to my question! They are all really interesting and I value them. The idea of ear plugs helping to focus the sound is intriguing and sounds worth looking into....