Eddie Sheehy
Dec-01-2008, 10:08pm
That's where this is from. Made to specs supplied by the Irish Importer. Check it out!
Vietnamese Bouzouki (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=300277544578)
Eddie Sheehy
Dec-01-2008, 10:08pm
Anyone familiar with the woods?
JEStanek
Dec-02-2008, 8:23am
A Google search didn't reveal much beyond other instruments in Ireland made of the same stuff!
It looks nice...
Jamie
allenhopkins
Dec-03-2008, 12:10am
A Vietnamese-made instrument, but not sold by Antonio Tsai or Bruce Wei? And without peacocks, swans, dragons or butterflies crafted of MOP and inlaid all over it? What are we coming to?
Martin Jonas
Dec-03-2008, 5:06am
It does appear that Vietnam may be becoming the new China and that the (slightly) bigger players are moving in to supersede the garish tastes of Messrs Tsai and Wei. I've just had a quick look at the Hobgoblin Music home page and found that not only are several of their entry-level guitars made in Vietnam, but much more intriguingly, they have a new line of own-brand (i.e. Ashbury, Hobgoblin's house brand) mandolins, all solid woods, designed by UK-luthier-extraordinaire Phil Davidson and made in Vietnam.
There are three models, priced from 349 Pounds to 499 Pounds:
Standard (http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR3116-p-Ashbury-Standard-Mandolin-Page.htm) ("rosecherry" body, whatever that is)
Deluxe (http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR3117-p-Ashbury-Deluxe-Mandolin-Page.htm) (burl cocobolo body, and maybe a Tsai touch in the abalone soundhole inlay)
Deluxe Electro (http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR3118-p-Ashbury-Deluxe-ElectroMandolin-Page.htm) (the same as Deluxe, but with an additional Headway Snake pickup, which are a pretty upmarket pickup for an Asian import mandolin).
From the pricing and the involvement of Phil Davidson, these would seem to be intended as premium instruments, to compete with Eastman, JBovier, the new-generation Loars and the like. I've liked whatever I've seen of Phil Davidson's work, so this is very intriguing. Has anybody played one of these?
Martin