Product: Ibanez Talman TCM50
Price Paid: USD 350
Submitted
12/01/2006
at
03:54pm
by
Wolf Loescher
Features
:
8
Finish: Transparent figured ash top, mahogany back and sides
Body Style: Custom thinline cutaway
Hardware: Chrome
Neck: Mahogany
Pickup: AP2 magnetic soundhole pickup
Year: 2005
Electronics: Built in 2 band eq, volume
Sound
:
8
Thin acoustic sound (due to the slightly funky body shape), but nice full sound when amplified.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
Felt and sounded great right of the box from Musicians Friend.
Reliability/Durability
:
8
I've used this for a moderate amount of rehearsals and gigs, and it seems to be doing just fine in general. I did have to replace the input jack...a quick fix...probably due to a combination of fairly cheap parts and me jumping around all the time. Still looks and plays great, and don't rely on a backup.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I have not dealt with either Ibanez or Musicians Friend for returns, and I would expect that with an instrument at this price point it would be cheaper and easier to simply buy a replacement if anything went seriously wrong.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been a semi-professional guitarist since 1999 (a drummer since 1990), and I've gone through several different instruments to find this one. My other primary axes are a Taylor 312ce (stock), and a Fender American Classic Telecaster (slightly customized).
I started playing Irish bouzouki around 1999, but have never been able to find a solid instrument that I felt comfortable with. I've done assorted experiments, creating a hybrid "bouzr" from assorted 12 and 6 string guitars (both electric and acoustic). I ordered this guitar sight unseen from Musicians Friend, and have been delighted with it from day one. For the price, I don't think you'll find a better instrument out there...and it competes with similar guitars that are twice as expensive.
I really feel like I finally knocked the ball out of the park with this one...it's a really solid instrument, plays easily, and the small / funky body shape actually makes it sounds more "bouzouki-like".
If it were lost or stolen, I'd immediately order another. In fact, I'm probably going to order another one to have on hand as a back up...and just in case they stop making this model.
