Trillium OM's

[otterly2k]

Does anyone here have any hands-on experience with Trillium OM's/zouks? Any Trillium owners around? They sure are purty... would like to hear some first hand experience of these instruments.

[Bob DeVellis]

I have a trillium OM. Although I find that I don't use the OM as much as I thought I would, the Trillium is a great instrument. The fit and finish are superb and the tone is big and rich. OMs have their own sound, not like guitar and not like regular mandolin. I think the Trilliums (Trillia?) are very representative of that sound. They don't cut the way a treble instrument does when playing melody, but they're capable of pretty good volume and chords really can boom out. Because I'm a melody guy, the latter quality isn't one I make much use of. Playability is also first rate on these. Mine has a somewhat shorter scale length (21") than standard (23"), that makes getting around the neck somewhat easier. I use John Pearse mandola strings on it,which are heavier than most OM sets but seem to work well with the shorter scale. It's a quality instrument and I think a good value for he price, relative to better-known OMs of comparable quality. Bob Abrams, who makes them, is a wonderful guy to deal with.

I think I saw that Mike Dugger had a used one for sale recently. Mike is also a really wonderful guy and a great musician. It's a shame that problems with his hand apparently are interfering with his playing some instruments. I wish him well.

[otterly2k]

Thanks, Bob.
I'm looking at that Trillium that Mike is selling, and trying to figure out if I can afford it. It is certainly a shame that he is having hand trouble and can't enjoy the beautiful instrument he just had made!

I've had a little bit of correspondence with Bob Abrams, who does seem to be a genuinely nice and helpful fellow...

I tend to play accompaniment and countermelody more than melodic lines, so I thought I'd enjoy the bouzouki (a used Freshwater)-- and I do, but my hands are just too small for the reach it requires and I wind up playing it w/capo on 2nd or 3rd fret... which has led me to the conclusion that what I really am looking for is a short-scale octaves and I'm really drawn to the Trillium.

I'll probably have to sell a couple o' things ('zouk and mandola) in order to afford it, tho. I wish I had enough money to fully explore MAS, but alas, I'll have to trade off...

anyone else out there with Trillium experience?
KE

[jmcgann]

I've played David Surette's Trillium and was impressed; a very nice instrument.

[otterly2k]

Thanks for chiming in, John... I have your book, and as a clear expert in the field, your opinion really carries some weight. Would either of you (or anyone else) have any comments on action and sustain? I'm pretty close to buying Mike's Trillium... it's always strange purchasing w/o laying hand/ears on the thing, so any input helps me...

thanks!!
KE

[Lee]

A few years ago I visited Bob Abrams. #I was able to play one that he had. #The quality of his work is superb. #It played and sounded excellent. #At the time I also owned a Flatiron 3MB Octave mando. #I liked the tone of the Trillium better and it was nicer to play with a slightly radiused fretboard and shorter neck. #Go ahead and buy Mike's. You'll be glad you did.

[Bob DeVellis]

The action on mine is comfortable. That'll depend somewhat on how the particular instrument is set up, of course. But the necks are nice and straight, so quite low action is certainly achievable. Mine is low enough that I can do hammer-ons and pull-offs with no difficulty (other than my own limitations). The sustain is very substantial. You can strum it and it just keeps on ringing. This is especially good for accompaniment but gives it a bit less "cut" or projection on melody. But that's true of the breed as a whole, I think. Although I find the neck very comfortable, it's pretty substantial. The day I got it, it kind of felt like a baseball bat after the slim necks of regular mandos. But most people like the feel once they get used to it and the arched fingerboard is great, as are the frets.

Mike's a real good guy and I'm confident that he will give you an honest description of the instrument. An in-hand description from him would be very useful and I'm sure he'd be happy to oblige. I first met Mike at the Swannanoa Gathering, a fair number of years ago. He was there as a student, despite having worked professionally in a band that had several successful recordings. The next year, he was back but as a staff member. He also worked at Boston College's Gaelic Roots festival. On all these occasions, Mike would seek out people at all levels -- especially beginners -- and offer whatever help, support, suggestions, and encouragement he could. He was as willing to play with a total beginner as he was with Paddy Glackin or Noel Hill and would adapt to their skill level. A very generous guy and a fine multi-instrumentalist.

[otterly2k]

Thanks for all the good info, Bob and Lee. I'm ready to buy the Trillium... just waiting for responses from Mike who is on the road with his band. I have no questions about his description of the instrument, and have also gotten some good info from the luthier, Bob Abrams, about the specs.

Thanks for the description of action and sustain...since I'm more a guitarist than mandolinist, I don't think the size of the neck will be a problem for me... it'll probably feel more toothpicky than baseball battish coming from the guitar side-- then again this opens up possibilities for using left hand thumb in chording...

Great character reference on Mike, too... (assuming he's not paying you on the side, Bob *(-; ) Buying something via email connections is a matter of smarts, caution, research and trust... it helps to know more about who I'm dealing with so I don't have to feel nervous about being scammed. It's also one of the reasons I feel more comfortable dealing with MandoCafe's classified than ebay... we have a community here where people are somewhat known to each other, which results in a kind of honor code...

Anyway, thanks, and I'll let you know what happens.
KE