Trinity college origins?

[Bob Wiegers]

I just got back from a visit to Ireland. great times and a great place. I toured Trinity College a little and enjoyed it thoroughly (the Book of Kells and the library are both amazing). I asked around, but couldnt find anyone who knew anything about a connection between this ancient school and my OM. so, anyone out there know what the story is? I couldnt resist getting a TC t-shirt, by the way.

also, while in the shopping district near Grafton St, I went poking around the music stores. only the big one (Walton's) had even one mandolin, much less a CBOM. so I played what they had there (zouk, OM, dola), which were clearly the same as the TC line, but branded McBride's. nothing more interesting than that.

and one more random thought...the buskers on Grafton St were mostly kids with guitars playing American tunes. they were OK, but nothing too special. there was an old couple playing traditional stuff with flute and concertina, but they were out-of-the way in a not-so-great alley.

anyway, anybody know how my TC is related to the school in Dublin?

[MikeEdgerton]

I have no idea of the origin of the name but here (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=13;t=52803;hl=trinity+and+c ollege) is an old thread that covers the country of origin of the instrument.

[JEStanek]

SHort answer... it's not. The Trinity College Brand is owned by Saga Music (http://www.sagamusic.com/) that imports them from Asian factories along with Kentucky and Rover and many other brands. Here is the Saga FAQ. (http://www.sagamusic.com/faqs.asp) The only relationship is good branding of instrument family shaped "appropriately" for Celtic music having a good Celtic brand name.

I really enjoy my TC OM too.

Jamie

[Bob Wiegers]

I understand that the instrument I'm playing is made in China. I'm fine with that. but is that where the brand originated? or was it perhaps started in Dublin and then manufacturing moved later? or is it all just an exercise in clever branding?

[MikeEdgerton]

It's an exercise in clever branding.

[Clyde Clevenger]

I married into a TC OM that I also like very much, a great porch player. However, it doesn't hold up very well when played with "better" instruments. I tried it in a Christmas mando quartet a couple of years ago and it just didn't sound good against a couple of old Gibsons and a Collings. I had to play my old K-1. This one has a TC brand inside but no "made in" sign anywhere. Just took it off the wall and played a couple of tunes, it sounds lovely, I'm keeping it.

[Jim MacDaniel]

It's an exercise in clever branding.
As is Saga branding their bluegrass-style mandolins "Kentucky". (I'm not sure what they were referencing when their named their other line "Rover" ;)

(Nevertheless, I think Kentucky all-solid A's, and TC dolas & CBOM's are great values.)

[man dough nollij]

As is Saga branding their bluegrass-style mandolins "Kentucky". (I'm not sure what they were referencing when their named their other line "Rover" ;)
Exactly, just as "Savannah" sounds more southern than "Johnson".

Plus, it sounds a lot more dignified to say "I'm going out on the porch to play with my Savannah" than to, well, you know... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Jim MacDaniel]

LOL!

[JeffD]

and one more random thought...the buskers on Grafton St were mostly kids with guitars playing American tunes. they were OK, but nothing too special. there was an old couple playing traditional stuff with flute and concertina, but they were out-of-the way in a not-so-great alley.
I played with a group of street musicians on Grafton St. many years ago. We played traditional Irish, on guitar, recorder, mandolin (me), and trombone.

[TeleMark]

I was in Dublin a month ago and also stopped into the Waltons (bought a couple of whistles... #eyed the bodhrans but between the carry-on space and exchange rate thought better).

There were some buskers in Temple Bar that were playing an interesting Irish fusion thing which was really entertaining. #Drew quite a crowd:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/2668828915_de867385e6.jpg

Also caught a cool band (Sliotar) at the Porter House just off temple bar. #Best beer in Dublin, and a really cool place.

[Bob Wiegers]

yeah I got the wife a G whistle and the kids little bodhrans, which they seem to like. we stopped for an excellent pint at The Temple Bar, and there was a guy on guitar doing traditional as well as american folk tunes, which was nice.

getting back on topic: now that I think about it, it's pretty clever to name the brand McBride's in Ireland at least (and elsewhere?), since Trinity College is a protestant school built on the site of an ancient catholic monastary. I'd go into more detail but would perhaps violate the posting guidelines. so it's probably a good idea to name the brand after a name that recalls a traditional anti-English song.

[allenhopkins]

C'mon, folks, let's not be naive! #They're called "Trinity College" to appeal to people who play Celtic music. #They were never made in Ireland, any more than Michael Kellys were -- or any more than Kentuckys were made in Kentucky, or Blue Ridge guitars anywhere near the Blue Ridge Mountains, or Galveston resonator instruments in Texas, or Ibanez classical guitars in Spain, etc. etc.

It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine (maybe more than a "bit") when American or European distributors of Asian instruments give them nameplates that suggest a connection to places they've never seen -- not until they get off the boat from Shanghai. #And I get even more irate when the same distributors and importers annex old American nameplates from defunct companies with established reputations (Epiphone, Flatiron, Washburn, Regal, Oscar Schmidt are all examples), and stick them on instruments that have nothing to do with those made by the original American companies.

Don't get me wrong: Trinity College instruments are well-respected, and perhaps if they'd been called "Szechuan Strings," they wouldn't have sold as many. #I have nothing against Asian import instruments, own several Eastmans and Gold Tones myself, and am pleased with the value I got for the money.

But I have respect for Yamaha and Takamine and other instrument companies who aren't reticent about identifying themselves as Asian. #After all, Toyota doesn't feel it has to call itself "Studebaker" or "Michigan Motors" or some such, to market in this country. #I don't see Sony or Nikon or Nintendo hiding behind a pseudo-American name.

So, why not "Forbidden City" instead of "Trinity College"? #I'd give them extra bonus points just for honesty -- "truth in advertising." #If that's not a, whaddaya call it, oxymoron...