leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 4, 2013 22:44:59 GMT
In the late winter of 2003/4 Dave White decided that his 6th project as an instrument maker should be a travel bouzouki. By early Spring 2004 the project was completed in the shape of Celtic Tigger - a small guitar bodied, short scale bouzouki, with a European spruce top and African padauk back and sides.   9 years on and, in a moment of hastily regretted generosity, Dave offered me the opportunity to foster Tigger for a while. I had been moaning on about wanting a mandocello and, in an effort to assuage my cravings, I'd bought a cheap (and increasingly less cheerful) octave mandolin from eBay. It's nice, but it ain't quality! Fostering Tigger has given me the chance to have some quality  The first thing to say is that he's small - much smaller than I expected. To be honest, he's too small to be comfortable for me but, boy, does he have a big mouth! This is him next to Suki, a Moon 0003:  The second thing to say is that I'm amazed by how much sound he produces with even a gentle strum (and I'm not a gentle strummer!). This despite a fairly substantial crack in the back.... I can only imagine what one of Dave's full size models must sound like! But I'm trying not to cos.... No, I daren't even dream! Dave readily admits Tigger is rough and ready - and it is easy to see how Dave's craft has developed over the ensuing years - but let's take nowt away from Tigger; he's ace! Over the next few days I hope to put a couple of recordings in the Plucky Duck (and VFC in 'the other place'). Please be brutally honest.... but not, y'know, too brutal...  |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Jan 4, 2013 23:18:18 GMT
Leo,
As I said he's rough as a badgers arse but we've seen a lot of "action" together over the years and we've been to many Burwell's and other sessions. He's definitely loud and punchy and doesn't have the smoothness and depth of my bigger guitar bouzoukis but he's great fun to play. He's slightly bigger than a mandolin and you play those so I'm sure you'll adjust. Just remember to turn the recording level down or experiment with the levels a little further away from the recorder. Looking forward to the music ;D
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 4, 2013 23:29:41 GMT
Sounds like he's cracked the record level thing Dave!
Nice pics Leo - I'm sure you'll have lots of fun.
Keith
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 5, 2013 8:49:27 GMT
Leo, He's slightly bigger than a mandolin and you play those so I'm sure you'll adjust. I've no problem with the neck or scale, Dave, comfy as anything! It's his body size I find disconcerting - I feel that he might disappear into a fold if I hold him to close but, as there are strap buttons available, playing standing up is the solution... I took advice about the recording levels and *think* I've got it sorted(ish) |
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andrewjw
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Post by andrewjw on Jan 5, 2013 15:42:25 GMT
Lurverly Padauk back and the sound on "Love in Vain" belies the diminutive proportions! |
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 6, 2013 15:12:39 GMT
So, here be a question for players with more experience than I.....
What are the relative benefits of GDAE and GDAd?
Anyone any thoughts?
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Jan 6, 2013 15:25:02 GMT
Leo,
GDAE puts all of the strings a fifth apart and is the same relative tuning as on a mandolin so all of the tunes/chords you play on mandolin transfer straight to the zouk. It's supposed to be better for playing tunes in. GDAD gives a more modal sound and to my ear "celtic" feel. Much easier to accompany tunes in this tuning and not so hard to do tunes either. I use this tuning pretty much exclusively on both zouk and mandolin. I have a crib sheet of GDAD chords that I got from a James Fagan workshop that I'll e-mail to you - it's a word document.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2013 15:29:33 GMT
Ahhh..
I prefer GDAD as I have small hands and can just about do the stretches in GDAE tuning, but GDAD sounds so much nicer...
GDAD is prefered by musicians playing Irish music as most tunes are in the key of G or D.
I just love that Celtic Tigger. Will you record any sound samples?
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 6, 2013 15:54:32 GMT
Ta, Dave. I'm keeping Tigger in GDAd just to see how it goes - and I reckon it's giving me the 'drone' sound I like (is that what you mean by modal?). I've not tried any tunes (don't actually know many!) The OM is in GDAE and, at the moment, is easier to play as, like you say, I already know the chords Sam, there's a sound file in the Plucky Duck - "Is Your Love In Vain". I hope to do another couple but, for the moment, I'm just basking in the glory of getting record levels correct LOL |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 6, 2013 16:58:39 GMT
GDAD is lovely for rhythmic strummy accomp and for doing just what you did on Love in Vain, Leo - some nice droney stuff together with some picked out lines on the bottom and/or middle strings.
Although some people also use this tuning for flatpicked melody playing, I can't hack that at all, which is where I revert to GDAE. Many tunes need that top B on the top string - this is just about doable for me on bigger-than-mandolin scale instruments in GDAE - 7th fret. In GDAD that B is at the 9th fret - no thank you!
For flatpicked tunes that don't go that high then GDAD works for me as there's always top string droney things to help the melody on the middle strings along.
But for me the nice thing about mando family instruments in GDAE for melody is that there's always a 7 fret interval between any pair of strings - makes picking things out more intuitive, and means whole tunes and fills can be transferred across the strings to play in a different key with the same fingering.
However, I try to get the best of both worlds on my bouzouki, by tuning the thing to GDAE intervals, but a whole tone down - ie FCGD. I keep a capo ( a slightly cut down Shubb) at fret 2 for standard pitch, and shorter stretches - yay!
I have also cut the rubber sleeve on the Shubb into a large and a small section so that the end bit is removable to leave the top pair open to give GDAD tuning when applied at fret two.
keith
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 6, 2013 17:01:52 GMT
I have also cut the rubber sleeve on the Shubb into a large and a small section so that the end bit is removable to leave the top pair open to give GDAD tuning when applied at fret two. keith Is that an "Ocarolan Top Tip"? What Bouzouki do you have, Keith? How come I've not heard it? Have you not posted or have I just missed 'em? |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 6, 2013 17:28:52 GMT
I have also cut the rubber sleeve on the Shubb into a large and a small section so that the end bit is removable to leave the top pair open to give GDAD tuning when applied at fret two. keith Is that an "Ocarolan Top Tip"? What Bouzouki do you have, Keith? How come I've not heard it? Have you not posted or have I just missed 'em? It's a Fylde Octavius - like the one Dave sold at HB2. I've used on on one or two things I've posted in the past, though not sure waht offhand! As for the "top tip" - I've not come across anyone else doing it, but it's so obvious I'm sure other folk must have come up with the idea too! Keith |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Jan 6, 2013 19:10:42 GMT
Keith,
You've mentioned that capo trick before. Do you just play the GDAD chords that use the open top D string course when you do this? As soon as you fret the first string you need to be playing GDAE chord shapes for it to work relative to the other three courses and then be careful not to play any GDAE chords with the open first course of strings. That would confuse me even more I think.
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 6, 2013 21:07:27 GMT
It's a Fylde Octavius - like the one Dave sold at HB2. Keith Aah, I remember that - Martin took it home. I always regretted letting him do that but, as I recall, it had octave strings which I've decided I don't want ... I'm a unison pairs man, myself; Celtic Tigger has convinced me of that (Waits for Scanbran to jump in and tell me I'm mistaken) |
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leoroberts
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Posts: 26,268
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 6, 2013 21:09:43 GMT
. That would confuse me even more I think. it isn't take much to confuse me! I'm loving this thread, thanks to you all or your contributions... It's what this forum is all about. |
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