My Paddy Burgin bouzouki

**NG53** · Mar-30-2012, 9:29pm

I am posting a picture of my Paddy Burgin bouzouki made in New Zealand. It has a 23.5" (596 mm) scale length. The top is made of spruce with the back and sides made of blackwood. I will post picture of what is looks like closer up. The headstock has a nice shape to it.

It has an interesting woody tone with good intonation up the neck. Actually I really enjoy playing it right up the neck. The neck has a nice profile and feel to it.

I love playing balkan pieces on it. It also sounds nice playing chords on it.

Any comments on it are welcome.

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**NG53** · Mar-31-2012, 3:30pm

Here are some extra photos to show it in more detail:

slight induced arch on the soundboard

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the front

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the headstock

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the back made of Australian blackwood

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**citeog** · Mar-31-2012, 4:10pm

If it sounds half as good as it looks, you've a cracker there.

Paddy's work has always been interesting.

Best of luck with it.

Paul

**NG53** · Mar-31-2012, 7:14pm

While it does not sound anything like a Sobell, it has a really characteristic bouzouki sound, with an interesting timbre produced by the blackwood back and sides. I really like the shape of the bridge. It is a bit quirky.

Paddy is a really nice guy to deal with. He has a great sense of humour. See the blog relating to the making of another bouzouki like mine.

http://wharfinexile.proboards.com/in...lay&thread=781

He also makes a 'Shanghai' version of the bouzouki. Refer to his web site: http://burginguitars.co.nz/instruments/cut-away/

He is also well known for his Weissenborn guitars.

**Gerry Cassidy** · Apr-02-2012, 1:53pm

Very nice! That one looks as though it will get you through any seisiun.

The blackwood is quite nice looking. It looks, to me, like walnut. Can you draw a comparison? Does it sound more like rosewood, or walnut? Maybe mahogany?

Regardless, nice instrument ya' got there!

**NG53** · Apr-02-2012, 10:12pm

[QUOTE=Gerry Cassidy;1038962]Very nice! That one looks as though it will get you through any seisiun.

The blackwood is quite nice looking. It looks, to me, like walnut. Can you draw a comparison? Does it sound more like rosewood, or walnut? Maybe mahogany?

I would say that it would tend towards a walnut sound. Yes, I suppose it has a clear nutty sound. I have a mahogany back and sides octave mandolin. It has a very different tonality to this one - the scale on the octave mandolin is 1" shorter than this one.

**Bill S** · Apr-04-2012, 4:25pm

I would love to hear a little sound clip or even better, a video. I really like the look of that instrument, especially the lovely carved top.

Bill

**NG53** · Apr-06-2012, 8:19am

Originally Posted by Bill S

I would love to hear a little sound clip or even better, a video. I really like the look of that instrument, especially the lovely carved top.

Bill

Hi Bill,

Ok, I will do a video - I have been meaning to do a video of it for sometime

As it is the Easter weekend, I have time to record a tune or two.

**ollaimh** · Apr-29-2012, 1:10pm

i was looking at his web page as well. very nice work but i have never heard one. i was thinking of a short scale cittern.he used a lot of southern woods. which can be nice. i bought a handmade local guitar with lacewood back and sides, from australia(the wood not the guitar). i had never heard lacewood before but it's beautiful, sort of half way between rosewood and mahagony. australian black wood ought ot be interesting.

let's hear a sound clp