Me latest creation...

[nkforster]

Hopefully the new owner will make a video to show you it being played properly!

It's worth staying to the end - we've fitted a single pickup for the bottom pair of strings so the new owner can use midi. Simple system.

Best,

Nigel
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog...ltic-mandolin/

[Charlieshafer]

Interesting pickup idea! Oh, and a lovely bouzouki, too (to say the least..)

[Spruce]

I always love to see luthier's wood stashes, even if it's fleeting glance...
Nice sounding instrument...

[nkforster]

I always love to see luthier's wood stashes, even if it's fleeting glance...

Oh that's the tip of the iceberg....moving workshops is a big pain. The other room has all the wedges, mahogany and more rosewood. Back in the UK is all the Brazilian....

nigel

http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog...ltic-mandolin/

[Reinhardt]

Hi Nigel, beautiful instrument as always!! Whats the scale length and how does it compare sound wise to your normal arch top bouzoukis ( I'm the proud owner of one!!). You're coming on nicely on your bouzouki playing by the way!!

John

[Jill McAuley]

Looks and sounds gorgeous, thanks for sharing!

[Dagger Gordon]

I have to say I find your delivery pretty funny, especially the stuff about Boney M.

[Reinhardt]

I can personally guarantee that Nigel is a better luthier than Boney M impersonator!!!!

John

[nkforster]

Hi Nigel, beautiful instrument as always!! Whats the scale length and how does it compare sound wise to your normal arch top bouzoukis ( I'm the proud owner of one!!). You're coming on nicely on your bouzouki playing by the way!!

John

It's a bit shorter. No point in making life hard is there? Soundwise - I prefer flat top fixed bridge zouks normally. I like the power and the depth. You get more volume. The archtops are no slouch's but I really prefer the fixed bridge sound. But many folk feel a bouzouki should have a carved top and a floating bridge (like yours) so I make 'em. And I make a good 'un. But every time I make a fixed bridge instrument, I really like them. The guitar bouzoukis I make have proven very popular over the years - and they're fixed bridge. They don't sound like guitars either - whilst they have plenty of sustain, I brace them so you get a lot of initial power. Usually they are played in a percussive role so that power is needed more than sustain.

nigel
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog...ltic-mandolin/

[nkforster]

I have to say I find your delivery pretty funny, especially the stuff about Boney M.

I heard a line years ago from a very good Aikido instructor, Terry Ezra. Terry is a great teacher, and he's as dry as sticks. He said "Take what you do seriously, but don't take yourself seriously." I think he said that just before chucking me fifteen feet across a room.

Mind, I'm serious - by the end of the year, expect that Christmas hit to be spot on. You wait!

n
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/inst...rish-bouzouki/

[nkforster]

Had a bit of a mess about with the camera this afternoon....











There's a few more over on THE BLOG.


Nigel

[CES]

Looks and sounds great, and I like the sound hole plug pickup...nifty solution!

[Reinhardt]

Had a bit of a mess about with the camera this afternoon....











There's a few more over on THE BLOG.


Nigel

Jeez Nigel, you're turning into a right old sadist puttin us thru the torture of watching but not touchin that fantastic bouzouki!!!

Was talkin to the new owner by email today. You'd better get that in the post quick or he might die of anxiety!!!

John

[nkforster]

Jeez Nigel, you're turning into a right old sadist puttin us thru the torture of watching but not touchin that fantastic bouzouki!!!

Was talkin to the new owner by email today. You'd better get that in the post quick or he might die of anxiety!!!

John

Wait 'till you see the other one I'm making him. This is the plain one!

n

[Reinhardt]

Wait 'till you see the other one I'm making him. This is the plain one!

n

Is it that guitar bouzouki on the blog with the fantastic wood on the back and sides?? It looks brilliant from the back. Whats that wood??

John

[Denny Gies]

Pretty cool, you should be proud.

[nkforster]

Is it that guitar bouzouki on the blog with the fantastic wood on the back and sides?? It looks brilliant from the back. Whats that wood??

John

Bubinga.

[Pete Brown]

A large part of my enjoyment of Nigel's videos is in hearing his broad Geordie accent. It reminds me that I may have grown up sounding just like him had my parents not decided to leave Northumberland for warmer climes when I was a young boy!

[Nick Gellie]

That is on CITES II now as a protected species.

[nkforster]

That is on CITES II now as a protected species.

I think you're reffering to my line "bubinga." Well, one varaiety of many buning's is now on CITES II, you are correct. Not all. That said, I've no idea which varaiety this one is. I didn't know there was more than one until it got listed on Jan.2.

Oh the irony - I saw the way things were heading with rosewood a while ago so bought a lot of bubinga to avoid any future CITES trouble. Then it got listed the same time. What's next? Probably ebony.

n

- - - Updated - - -

A large part of my enjoyment of Nigel's videos is in hearing his broad Geordie accent. It reminds me that I may have grown up sounding just like him had my parents not decided to leave Northumberland for warmer climes when I was a young boy!

Where they from Pete? Were they "£10 Poms"?

[Nick Gellie]

Nigel

'Here is an excerpt of what woods are listed in Appendix II of the CITES convention:

"...the entire genus Dalbergia spp. (except for Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), which is listed in
Appendix I), the three bubinga species of Guibourtia demeusei, Guibourtia pellegriniana, and Guibourtia
tessmannii, and kosso (also called African rosewood) (Pterocarpus erinaceus) were listed in Appendix II.)...

It does not matter which species of Bubinga wood you have in your wood stash, they are all listed now. As we all know the problem is China exhausting the native forests where such tree species grow. This is now becoming a real ethical problem about instrument making. We have large companies making too many wood instruments from an ever decreasing supply of forest products. So the small luthier is caught up in all this madness.

Anyhow for most instruments exported from one region to another, it only requires a CITES export permit costing about $65 USD, 65 GBP, or $59 AUD. However the catch is the importer has to pay if the wood is post 2 Jan 2017. If prior to that date, you just need to proved that it came from a stabilised cured wood stash 2-5 years ago. If you are carrying your own instrument according to the guidelines you dont have to carry a CITES certificate although I think it would be worthwhile just in case a customs agent gets difficult and if they take your instrument and case, you can't prove the instrument's provenance.

Yip I think ebony is soon going to be on the next Appendix III. Rocklite may very well be the next best alternative to ebony.

[Pete Brown]

Where they from Pete? Were they "£10 Poms"?

Nigel, I was born in Rothbury, but lived in Morpeth until I was eight years old, after which we joined the ranks of the £10 Poms!

[ukrobbiej]

That is on CITES II now as a protected species.

Is it only me who thought he was referring to Nigel's Northumbrian accent?

[Reinhardt]

Same here Robbie. maybe all luthiers as good as Nigel should be protected species!! ( Sorry Nick, only kiddin!!)..

[nkforster]

Nigel, I was born in Rothbury, but lived in Morpeth until I was eight years old, after which we joined the ranks of the £10 Poms!

Rothbury is a lovely place, as is Morpeth. The accent in both towns is stronger than Hexham where I'm from. My old pal Johnny Dickinson is a Morpeth lad. His accent is great.