Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?

Subject: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 04 Jun 11 - 11:32 AM

Is anyone else puzzled/amused?

Throughout the current series of the Transatlantic Sessions, which I think dates from 2010, there has been a mandola/bouzuki/cittern thingy (can't tell which from the telly) parked, complete with capo on the third fret, in front of the piano. Looks to me like a Sobel. I've never seen anybody play it and it usually goes missing for one number in each programme only to mysteriously return!

Is this some form of product placement or something entirely more sinister????

I can't be the only one who's spotted it.

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 03:43 AM

It's a Sobell, probably Phil Cunninghams, only people who know about these things will spot it.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: Stu
Date: 05 Jun 11 - 06:54 AM

It is Phil Cunningham's, he does play it and it looks wonderful.

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 11 Jun 11 - 03:31 PM

Obviously a very expensive prop. The capo on the 2nd fret and at one point disappeared completely but its not actually been played during the whole of the current series.

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Jun 11 - 04:39 PM

Can anybody find an online photo of said product placement?

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 12 Jun 11 - 09:09 AM

The latest "episode" is still available here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gtlnv

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: Willie-O
Date: 12 Jun 11 - 11:14 AM

Re nomenclature" "mandola/bouzuki/cittern thingy"

Steve Earle, of all people, happened to explain this matter very well when recently asked what instrument he was playing. He explained to the CBC radio interviewer Jian Ghomeshi: "It's a bouzouki. Except when I'm going through airport security. Then it's an 'octave mandolin'."

W-O

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,mc fat
Date: 12 Jun 11 - 01:51 PM

as there is a long waiting list for stefan's instruments i would hardly call it product placement.

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 12 Jun 11 - 04:28 PM

First the capo is on, then it's off, this because the show doesn't follow real time, It's edited.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 13 Jun 11 - 03:07 AM

On the same principle there's product placement going on for the piano as well, they keep failing to move that out of shot when they're not using it.

And product placement for the Scottish countryside as well, all those gorgeous external shots are nothing but blatant propaganda for the Scottish Tourist Board.

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 13 Jun 11 - 05:22 AM

At least the piano gets played. I appreciate that the show doesn't follow real time, Dave, but that doesn't explain why its just stood there for the whole series. Perhaps its so resonant that it adds to the ambiance of the music? Incidentally, I nearly called the capo police the other week as Dan Tyminski was using one on Russ Barrenberg's snakehead!

Subject: RE: Transatlantic Sess. - Product Placement?
From: GUEST,davemc
Date: 13 Jun 11 - 06:10 AM

It's probably used on the songs they edit out...