Bouzouki Maker Unveils New 3-Neck Bouzouki

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"Bouzouki enthusiasts around the world have been wetting themselves over the unveiling of the newest addition to the dreaded stringed instrument's family: a 3 necked bouzouki.

Renowned Dutch luthier Martin Von Hatesthezouk unveiled his newest creation this afternoon with observers quickly baptising the monstrosity the 'Bouzouk-3', in reference to the triple neckedness of the 'instrument'.

Von Hatesthezouk described the instrument as the next step in bad accompaniment and said that the addition of 2 extra necks ensures that the Bouzouk-3 will be able to slot into any session and ruin it."

Continued with photos at "The Drone"....

http://www.thedronenews.org/#!BOUZOU...f21d84af5b64e7

[NotMelloCello]

It's April Fools, ain't it?

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It sure is, although that site is foolin' all the time. I like the current one about the Low-Low-D Concertina.

[allenhopkins]

I'm waiting for the piezo bodhran pickup. What music needs is more bodhran.

[Bertram Henze]

It sure is, although that site is foolin' all the time. I like the current one about the Low-Low-D Concertina.

My current favourite is this:

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A bit late for both April 1 and St. Patrick's Day, but I finally found a link I've been searching for; originally posted on thesession.org site

The Session Shoppe:

http://joefago.com/SessionShoppe_StPatSale_Welcome.html

Be sure to check out the traditional Irish instruments on offer there (follow the Instruments link), including the Stroh Piano Accordion, the Flazoo, the Traditional Irish Djembe, and the tuned set of shaky eggs in common session keys.

[tmsweeney]

Regardless, I still want a triple neck

[Mike Anderson]

I'm waiting for the piezo bodhran pickup. What music needs is more bodhran.

Absolutely right, and I know Cathy Jordan, Colm Murphy, John Joe Kelly, Tommy Hayes, Ringo McDonagh, Eamon Murray, Donnchadh Gough, Cormac Byrne, Martin O'Neill (and Julie Fowlis who he collaborates with) and far too many more bands and solo artists in the Celtic tradition to mention would agree.

Unless of course that was a totally inappropriate, musically and culturally ignorant uncalled-for "The Session"-style bodhran put-down. The Irish and Scots don't seem to have anything against it, from The Chieftains to Tony MacMahon, so why should anyone else? Any instrument poorly played is a trial to hear; any instrument well-played is a joy. I was going to ignore this comment, but it was eating me, so there you go.

[Colin Lindsay]

Any instrument poorly played is a trial to hear; any instrument well-played is a joy. I was going to ignore this comment, but it was eating me, so there you go.

You got the last bit spot-on, Mike. I think we’ve too many ‘players’ who buy a bodhran and aspire to the ‘thumpetty thumpetty thumpetty look at me I’m a real musician’ type of 'clatter-along-to-the-music' sort of thing and couldn’t hold a rhythm in a pint glass, rather than good players who can not only know the proper accompaniment but can elaborate and make the bodhran a joy to hear.
(Not these pseudo-steel drum types neither, by the way… the bodhran that looks like a tyre off a Formula 1 racer and can play Strauss waltzes too.)

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Any instrument poorly played is a trial to hear; any instrument well-played is a joy. I was going to ignore this comment, but it was eating me, so there you go.

I have no issues with bodhran played well by professionals in performance bands, which are (mostly?) the players you mentioned. It's an intrinsic part of the sound of many bands.

A typical Irish/Scottish pub session isn't a performance band though, and the players are usually all amateurs. That makes a difference! The way one feels about bodhrans tends to be in direct proportion to the number of sessions that have been either nicely supported, or totally wrecked, by bodhran players in your local area. In my area, the ratio isn't good. The better ones are melody instrument players who play a little bodhran on the side. The 'wreckers tend to be occasional visitors who drift in and out with a bodhran in hand, and play nothing else.

For what it's worth, I think the same goes for guitar backers in sessions. The few really good ones around here are also melody instrument players on fiddle or other trad instruments, so they actually understand the music. But that's a whole 'nother discussion.


/end session curmudgeon

[Bertram Henze]

For what it's worth, I think the same goes for guitar backers in sessions.

I have rarely been distracted from playing by mediocre bodhran players, but guitar players without ears are definitely a force to reckon with; especially those who shout "what chords?" in the middle of a set.

[allenhopkins]

Belated New Year's resolution: no more bodhran jokes.

Guess I'll stick to dis-ing banjos; it's safer, yes...?