Electric Octave

[halfdeadhippie]

I have been running my freshwater through a Pandora's box - which really makes it sound cool, just raw through a reverb amp it has that kind of classic Gretsch sound familiar to Neil Young' type of heavy electric sound.
But I think I could be a bit more versatile with a solid body electric, with high gain and sustain ( been watching alot of Jimi Hendrix DVD's), was thinking along the lines of a 10 string with the low C added, but strings still in courses. Not sure where you get a pickup with that kind of string spacing ? I know at one time Ithica Strings was making a solid body electric mandocello -don't think they are still in production.
I think the body and neck would not tbe a big problem but the bridge and pickups might be hard to find.
Any ideas?

[Jacob]

Mark Fitzsimons built a number of solid-body ten-string electric citterns and is taking order for custom pickups.
You might contact him about bridges.

[jmkatcher]

Those are really gorgeous. Thanks for the link. It's a shame he doesn't make them right now.

[GD Armstrong]

Since Mark moved to the UK we have retired the Greenmanhumming lable for the time being - new instruments are marked with my logo.
There are still two Greenmanhumming e-zooks available. Both are 5 course 25.5 inch string length. One has a figured walnut top on an alder body with two Lace humbuckers, the other is an alder teardrop shaped body with two EMG Select humbuckers. Go to my website www.newbergmuscicenter.com & click on the bouzouki tab.

I can also build you one if you requirements are different than any in stock.

GD

[craigtoo]

I played some of Mr. Armstrong's instruments at Zoukfest... Real great work...!!!

craig

[dane]

Graham McDonald in Australia makes a solid body electric zouk that looks super. Haven't heard or played one, but he has a good reputation for his acoustic zouks.

McDonald Electric Zouk

[mandolman]

If you want some advice for electric zouk go here http://cbom.free.fr/28.htm, follow the link

[halfdeadhippie]

Thanks for all the replies - greenmanhumming has sort of exactly what I'm looking for - reasonable price too!

So with any luck.

Thanks for all the informative replies

The CBOM community here totally rocks!

[halfdeadhippie]

BTW I purchased the delux walnut E zouk - had it shipped to my office, but was away on travel when it arrived, flew back in home yesterday and was chomping at the bit- I haven't plugged it in -but all I can say is

SHHWEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!


Also my complimnets to GD Armstrong and all the folks at the Newberg Music center out there in Oregon- very professional - just plain decent!
And I'm not sure who exactly made that beast but between Mark Fitzimons and GD Armstrong - I dig , I dig it all the way.
When I purchased my Freshwater Mandocello it sent me in a whole new direction as far as playing and composing goes - I believe I am about to embark on an incredible Journey into Electric Mando space. Watch for Postcards.

[jmkatcher]

Please tell us how it works out plugged in. I have a new (to me) e-mando and I like it better than acoustic. It's enough to make me think of learning electric guitar, but if the e-zouk is comparable it's another option.

[halfdeadhippie]

plugged into a friends amp, not sure of the brand - I will say the high end (e string) did not have the sustain I was looking for, but that could be a number of things - from the A string down though - very nice - the bottom end is extremely heavy - "pure Grunge" you get that magnetic haze looming - otherwise it has a nice clear sound, and could easily substitute for an acoustic.
because of the way the headstock is, the middle strings did jump off the nut ( I tend to thrash at times), I will have to put a bar up on the headstock to pull the strings back down above the nut, either that or get a nut with deeper cut.
The scale is still a little longer than I am used to, but I will adapt, aslo not use to that bottom C string, teaching my fingers new tricks. All in all I am very happy with it.