Post a Pic of Your Giant Bouzouki

**Goodin** · Nov-01-2010, 7:01pm

I'm trying to come up with the criteria for a "giant bouzouki"...I'm thinking 24"+ scale length, and 5 courses, but post pics of what you consider a monster bouzouki!

I'll start. This is my 5 course Andy Manson zouk built earlier this year. It's a 27" scale length with Indian rosewood back and sides, spruce top, and mahogany neck. I tune it to DADAD and use it mostly for backing trad. Irish music.

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**Steve-o** · Nov-01-2010, 7:10pm

Wow, nice zouk, er cittern you have there Goodin!

**pelone** · Nov-01-2010, 8:03pm

Nice!! What gauge strings are you using on that puppy?

**Eddie Sheehy** · Nov-01-2010, 8:13pm

Width of body? Depth of Body at base?

**Charles E.** · Nov-01-2010, 8:53pm

Wow! That is a beautiful instrument. I really like the bridge, nice work.

**Goodin** · Nov-02-2010, 7:18am

Originally Posted by pelone

Nice!! What gauge strings are you using on that puppy?

I am still trying to nail down the perfect string gauges, but right now i have .53w, .38w, .32w, .18 nickel wound, .14steel.

eddie - ill get back to ya about those widths.

**crazymandolinist** · Nov-02-2010, 3:38pm

That's a beautiful instrument. I need a closeup of that headstock.

**Goodin** · Nov-02-2010, 5:48pm

The zouk measures 15 3/4" wide and 4 1/8" deep.

Here is a close up picture of the headstock. The horn is a throwback to old citterns of the Renaissance period.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Nov-02-2010, 10:47pm

1984 Joe Foley BLARZ (Bloody Large Zouk)...

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**Eddie Sheehy** · Nov-03-2010, 1:23pm

With a better view of the headstock:

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**Fliss** · Nov-03-2010, 3:05pm

I used to own a Manson Blarge like Goodin's. This one was made in 1979, and I bought it (used) a couple of years ago. I sold it because it was just too big for me, but the sound was incredible!

Fliss

**Goodin** · Nov-04-2010, 7:37am

Originally Posted by Fliss

I used to own a Manson Blarge like Goodin's. This one was made in 1979, and I bought it (used) a couple of years ago. I sold it because it was just too big for me, but the sound was incredible!

Fliss

hey fliss! nice to see you again. i was just a few days late in buying this zouk from fliss before it sold, so I had andy manson build me one just like it, hence the zouk of the original post.

Andy calls these a "Blarge", short for Bouzouki Large; a step below in size from Foley's BLARZ (Bloody Large Zouk) I reckon!

**Fliss** · Nov-04-2010, 2:17pm

Originally Posted by Goodin

hey fliss! nice to see you again. i was just a few days late in buying this zouk from fliss before it sold, so I had andy manson build me one just like it, hence the zouk of the original post.

Andy calls these a "Blarge", short for Bouzouki Large; a step below in size from Foley's BLARZ (Bloody Large Zouk) I reckon!

How are you doing, Gil? The question that's been in my mind for a while is what specification you gave Andy - did you just email him and say "I want a blarge like Fliss's"?

Andy is such an incredible artist - those photos he took of your blarge are works of art in their own right, especially with the bookcase and his wife's pottery accompanying it. If there's one thing that's better than an amazing luthier, it's an amazing luthier who takes amazing photos of his work - Andy definitely fits that category, and a couple of others that spring to mind are Brian Dean and Haans Brentrup.

Fliss

**Dobe** · Nov-04-2010, 2:35pm

I'll have a JUMBELLO video up shortly . (Madera ie; Guild Jumbo flattop - cello conversion) 25 5/8" scale 17 1/8 lower bout. Gives good boom !

**Goodin** · Nov-04-2010, 5:30pm

Originally Posted by Fliss

How are you doing, Gil? The question that's been in my mind for a while is what specification you gave Andy - did you just email him and say "I want a blarge like Fliss's"?

Andy is such an incredible artist - those photos he took of your blarge are works of art in their own right, especially with the bookcase and his wife's pottery accompanying it. If there's one thing that's better than an amazing luthier, it's an amazing luthier who takes amazing photos of his work - Andy definitely fits that category, and a couple of others that spring to mind are Brian Dean and Haans Brentrup.

Fliss

Doing great. Im playing the manson more now that my wrist tendinitis has calmed down some. my band is finishing up a nice run of gigs in the region with a final gig this sat at home. how are you? how is the mando restoration coming along?

yes thats exactly what i did...i sent him a pic of yours and said can you build me one like this? and he said yes. he said he has made 10-12 of them over the years, so i imagine he had the plans tucked away.

**Fliss** · Nov-06-2010, 3:15am

Originally Posted by Goodin

Doing great. Im playing the manson more now that my wrist tendinitis has calmed down some. my band is finishing up a nice run of gigs in the region with a final gig this sat at home. how are you? how is the mando restoration coming along?....

I'll send you a pm so as not to sidetrack your thread too far away from the big zouks

Fliss