This is my 22.75" scale Joe Gallacher bouzouki built in Albury, NSW, Australia. Now the woods are interesting (See pictures above) The front is Italian Spruce, possibly Sitka Spruce grown in the mountains of Italy. THe neck comes from a mahogany skirting board from the old Albury hospital white it was being demolished. The back and sides comes from a slab of mahogany timber salvaged from a bar top in a pub in North Melbourne, a suburb of Melbourne. Behind the strap button on the instrument is a triangular piece of black inlay made from 20,000 year black Red Gum found buried in a billabong beside the Murray River, one of the most important rivers in Australia that separates the State of Victoria from New South Wales. The fretboard is made of Rosewood. Joe believes that rosewood provides a better timbre to an instrument than ebony. It is not often that you see an instrument made mostly of recycled timbers. This instrument is resonant and nicely balanced. It has a nice low action. I tune it mostly to GDAD, and very occasionally to GDAE.
What a terrific instrument. Every piece of wood used in its construction... has an interesting story behind it. If it sounds as half as good as it looks....it's a keeper for sure. All the Best BB
I have posted a video clip of my Gallacher bouzouki this weekend. I give the background to the instrument and then play a jig called I buried my wife and danced on top of her. Enjoy. Feedback and more discussion welcome. Comparison with your bouzoukis even more so. Cheers Nic
Definately a unique and beautiful sounding(and looking) instrument , Nic. The sustain and bright tone, really stand out nicely. Nice job on that tune, also .....well played. i will see if I can put up a quick clip of a tune, in the next week or so( it will likely take me that long ...to record one that isn't full of mistakes..lol). Cheers Dale
Lovely instrument, Nic. Your playing certainly brings out the qualities of it and there is a great sustain and depth there.
Thanks John and Dale for the feedback. It has given me some extra impetus to record some more tunes. I am going to add some more tunes in unusual rhythms soon. One is called Planxty George Galiatos, named after a Greek cafe owner in Sydney by an Irish Bouzouki player called Jimmy Gregory. Unfortunately Jimmy is no longer with us. And Paul Bardy's Out the Door and Over the Wall which I discovered the other day listening to Andy Irvine and Paul Brady. I had n't played it for over 20 years.
Really nice zouk Nic. I love the story that goes with the different woods used, it makes that particular instrument that much more special. I can see the similarities mostly in the body to my Spira bouzouki, although mine has a slightly longer scale at 620mm. I'll try and post a video of the same tune for comparison when I get time. cheers
Nicely played Nic, and a cool zouk.
Nic, for comparison, here is a quick video of me playing the same tune on my 620mm scale jack Spira zouk. Recorded it on my iPad, so sound quality isn't fantastic unfortunately. And ignore the brain fart at the very end. Haha Cheers!
Lovely tone to that instrument Kyle, and a nice job playing it...wonderful pace. ...You just inspired me.....I hope to put up a few more videos in the near future Cheers Dale
