Antonio Carvalho Bouzouki PTB305 Reviews

4.6 Rating 7 Reviews

Antonio Carvalho Bouzouki PTB305 This is a 22 fret, Irish style bouzouki by Antonio Carvalho, handmade in Portugal. With pear shaped flat back body, solid spruce top, sapele sides and ebony fingerboard, this bouzouki produces a clear, resonant sound - ideal for playing Irish music. Features of the Antonio Carvalho Bouzouki PTB305
22 fret Irish style bouzouki Floating bridge Steel strings Bright tone
Product Specifications
Solid spruce top Sapele sides Ebony fingerboard Top nut width: 40mm Total length: 975mm Scale length: 650mm Weight: approx. 3kg Made in Portugal
Please note that photographs are to be used as an illustration guide. Aesthetic specifics can change due to different batches of production by Antonio Carvalho's workshop. However product specifications remain the same. Antonio Carvhalo Instruments Founded by Antonio Pinto Carvalho in 1976, APC Instruments is a Portuguese company with over 40 years experience in the manufacture of high-quality string instruments. Carvalho, a descendant of the famous 19th century school of guitar players in Porto city, has been a luthier since 1961, having learned the art from his grandfather. Today, APC Instruments is one of the largest producers of high-quality instruments in Portugal.
What are the Advantages of a Floating Bridge? Floating bridges are more versatile than fixed bridges and can be easily adjusted. This allows for ease of adjustments to intonation and string height. The floating bridge is one of the main features that helps to create the bouzouki's characteristic biting sound, creating a bright top-end sound with plenty of attack. What's the Difference Between an Irish Bouzouki and a Greek Bouzouki? The bouzouki first became popular in Irish music in the 1970s. The so called Irish bouzouki is an adaptation of the much older original Greek string instrument. The three main differences between the Irish bouzouki and Greek bouzouki lie in the shape of the body, the length of the fingerboard and the tuning of the strings. Greek bouzoukis feature the typical rounded back, and can be either three course (6 string) or four course (8 string) instruments. Greek bouzoukis are typically slightly larger instruments with a longer scale length of approximately 27 frets. The Irish bouzouki features a shallow, flat back which some find easier to hold. Irish bouzoukis typically feature a shorter scale length of approximately 24 frets. The string sets or string pairs on a Greek bouzouki are typically tuned to a octave intervals. Standard tuning for a Greek bouzouki is CFAD. Irish bouzouki pairs are tuned in unison to GDAE or GDAD. This tuning lends itself well to accompanying traditional Irish music. Need advice on purchasing an Irish bouzouki? Whether you're looking to buy a bouzouki online or looking for a vintage bouzouki for sale, you've come to the right place.
Our in house team of expert advisors is here to help. Get in touch by emailing info@mcneelamusic.com. We're happy to answer all your questions and we cater to all experience levels - beginner, intermediate or advanced. There's no question too big or small! Good to Know:
14 day money back guarantee from the day you receive your bouzouki. See our Shipping & Returns Policy. 1 year warranty - all our new banjos offer a one year guarantee for parts and service. Free backup service for one year. If purchased before 12pm (Monday-Friday), we ship it the same business day. Priority Shipping Worldwide.
ESTIMATED SHIPPING TIMESAll orders placed before 12pm are shipped the same day.IRELAND (Next Day)UK (5 - 7 days)EUROPE (7 days)USA and CANADA (7 - 10) days)REST OF WORLD (10 - 14 days)

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Phone:

18322432

Location:

Unit 137 Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Baldoyle,
Unit 137 Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Baldoyle
Dublin
D13 X958

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“I really enjoy the bouzouki. It is great for the price. The only issue is the bridge does not have a hard bone nut so the strings dig into wooden bridge lowering the action of the strings causing a buzz when fingering the first and second frets. I have a replacement bridge coming from Greece which should fix the problem. Other than great fun!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I’m quite happy with the bouzouki; it needed a tune up after arriving to Canada, but plays well (I love the “ring” sound that it makes). Really enjoying playing it.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“This is an excellent beginner bouzouki. It is well made and sounds great. I bought it because I did not know if I would like playing the bouzouki and did not want to invest a lot of money. I enjoy playing this instrument so much that I cannot allow myself to pick it up after sunset because I'll play until midnight. The only thing missing is a strap.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“3.5/5 Stars A Good Instrument with Some Quality Control Issues Roughly a year ago acquired the Antonio Carvalho Bouzouki PTB305, and while it has its strengths, I've experienced some disappointments. As a reasonably priced instrument, I didn't have high expectations, but I did hope for a certain level of quality. The bouzouki's tone is its redeeming feature - it produces a clear, resonant sound ideal for Irish music. The woods used have an amazing tone, and with the right strings, it truly comes alive. The playability is also excellent, making it easy to work with. However, I've encountered some issues. The nut broke after a restring, which I believe is a quality control problem. The string gauges weren't too large, but the corner of the nut still snapped off. Additionally, the frets have worn down dramatically, creating dips and divots that occasionally cause buzzing. McNeela, the retailer, was fantastic in addressing the issue (I received this instrument by mistake, and they quickly refunded the difference). If I could go back, I would save a little more and invest in the next price point up. That being said, the instrument still sounds beautiful and warm. *Pros:* - Beautiful, resonant tone - Easy to play and work with - Excellent woods used - Good playability *Cons:* - Quality control issues (nut breaking, fret wear) - Average build quality - May require more maintenance than expected”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Lovely sounding instrument at a very reasonable price. Communication was good and delivery was smooth and quick - especially considering it was over the Christmas period, which was especially chaotic for couriers given the Royal Mail strike action over here in the UK. I would definitely buy from McNeela's again - thank you!”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Thank you so much Ian for your 5 star rating of the Antonio Carvalho Bouzouki PTB305. We really appreciate it! We are also grateful that you would choose to shop with us again.

Posted 2 years ago

“My mom and I ordered this as a Christmas present for my dad who is a DADGAD accompanist. Shipping to the United States, the Bouzouki arrived in very decent time and in perfect shape. It is a gorgeous instrument; nothing fancy, but very elegant. The finish is really nice; I'd call it a satin - fairly glossy, but without a hint of plastic feel or look. The tuning machines feel really smooth and solid. The nut seems maybe not quite premium, and I can hear the strings catching on it a bit while tuning. I'd say the action at the nut is also a bit high, so I think a little work there might be in order. Regardless, it plays really well and has a full, rich, ringing tone and great projection and sustain. It just has that Bouzouki sound. The G strings are in octave format as it comes, and that gives it a little bit of a brighter sound than you'd get with unison strings all the way across. We'll see which Dad ends up preferring (you would have to do a bit of work on the nut to put unison strings on it - not a big deal). Strap buttons would have been a nice thing to include, as it's wide, round body is difficult to keep in place even when sitting, so I think most anyone will want to add those to their instrument. Overall, it is a fantastic instrument and better than I had anticipated. It's a lot of instrument for the money and I have no regrets in the purchase of it.”

4 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Thank you Jared for this fantastic review and your feedback! We hope your Dad enjoys it for years to come.

Posted 2 years ago

“Nice entry level Bouzouki Well packed, nice basic bouzouki, replaced the octave string, tweaked the truss rod slightly, and it plays and sounds great-”

5 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago