Sound Samples of Laughlin Instruments

Timothy McGuinness playing a variety of Laughlin instruments.

Hi-rise Dex playing a Laughlin guitar.

Don Kellett and Sue Vigneux playing Laughlin instruments.

Laughlin Mandolin/Bouzouki

Sixes and Sevens (MP3 5.8MB)   Timothy McGuinness recorded this improvisation on his guitar-shaped bouzouki after changing to octave strings on the G and D strings.

Bouzouki Improvisation #1 (MP3 5.7MB)   Timothy McGuinness recorded this improvisation a few days into his first venture into playing an instrument tuned in 5ths.

Rivalité (MP3 3.4MB)   This track is an Italian accordion tune written in 1953 and features Bruce Clausen a talented Vancouver multi-instrumentalist. The lead instrument is Bruce's Cocobolo Laughlin Mandolin. Bruce also plays guitar on the track.

Laughlin Guitars

All the samples feature Vancouver composer Timothy McGuinness who wrote the music and played all the instruments, including the two featured here, Tim's 1980 Laughlin 24-fret Large cutaway steel string, and his 1999 Medium nylon string.  

Tim has evolved an unusual guitar style.   He plays with sitar picks know as Mizrab on three fingers for both steel and nylon strings.   He uses an extra-light string guage with an unwound G on the steel string.

Blondies on Guitar   This 2014 piece was recorded on Tim's 1980 large cutaway with Little Blondie microphones. The organ is also Tim.

Spruce   This piece was graciously written and recorded by Tim in the 1980's to feature the Laughlin steel string sound.

That Place Excerpt   Tim's steel string Laughlin is the lead instrument on this hauntingly beautiful excerpt.

Never Alone Intro   This 104 second piece is also an excerpt from a new piece.   It was recorded with Tim's nylon string Laughlin pictured on the right.   It is recorded pianissimo as an introduction to a much longer composition.