Trinity College Bouzouki

[pettyman]

Right here's the deal.

I'm working over the summer (still at uni!) and will have about £300 to spend on an instrument (MAS is really kicking in).

I want to venture into the world of CBOM and am thinking a bouzouki would be a good line to go down. Once I am working I plan to venture into Mandocellos but they are out of my pricerange by far so that is going to have to wait...

So my question is this - what is the Trinity College Bouzouki like? I can get hold of one from Trevor at the acoustic music co for £195 and that seems a great price. But then again, I don't want to buy something that aint of any quality at all.

So what do you all think of it?


Cheers
Matt

www.thebluegrasstale.com

[catmandu2]

As has been said here -- many times, many ways -- the TC is among the best value in that price range.

[Danny Packer]

I had a chance to play one recently at my local shop and was really impressed both by the tone and the playability for the money.

d

[Jim Yates]

I'm quite happy with my TC OM.

[JEStanek]

I like my TC OM. The neck is good, the tuners hold. The only modifications I may entertain is a better nut/bridger tailpiece combo... I don't like the trad stamped tp and the plastics in the nut and bridge can certainly be improved. Granted... I haven't made those changes and she plays great for me (I play alone). Others have said they are thin in a group but it is a 300-500 USD OM. It's great way to get your feet wet in the "grown up" world of mandolins. I would trust Trevor to deal well with you (or you could send DanB back to give him a scowling!

Jamie

[Jim Yates]

I have made some modifications to my TC OM. After playing it for a few months, I found my fingernails wearing through the finish below the first course. I keep my nails long for guitar and clawhammer banjo. I added a pick guard to cover the scratches and prevent further wear.
I found after about a year of playing that the G strings were straightening out the hooks on the stamped tailpiece, so I replaced it with a cast tailpiece. I think the stamped tailpieces weren't made to take the tension of those heavy strings. I use either Flatiron OM strings or d'Aderio(sp?) mandola strings, which ever I can get.

[Mandovark]

I have the TC OM from TAMCO (actually branded with their logo on the headstock). Trevor is a great guy to deal with and they did a great setup on the instrument. I was pleasantly surprised by the tone - it sounds like a budget model, sure, but much better than I've heard from equivalently priced instruments.

The TC range don't usually come with a heel strap button as standard, so it would be worth asking Trevor to fit one for you if you plan to play standing up.

[aimee]

I like mine. Just got it a few weeks ago.

The Celtic band from Juniata folk college said they thought the TC zouk's were a good value. I think their exact quote was "they do hold up".