Irish Bouzouki #1

[Pete Brown]

I thought it worth posting a few shots of my first Irish bouzouki, which I strung up a couple of weeks ago.

With no prior experience building bouzoukis, I researched the web sites of the usual suspects but came away feeling as though there are very few design elements that could be regarded as "standard". I decided on a scale length of 24.9" because it seemed to land in the middle of the range of acceptable scale lengths (and I already owned such a fretting template).



After many attempts, I came up with a body outline that pleased my eye, and decided on a neck to body join at the 15th fret in the hope that the instrument would not be too neck heavy. The downside of this decision was that the bridge position was moved further towards the tail of the instrument than I would have liked, and I may rectify this on future instruments.



I had some beautiful straight-grained Port Orford Cedar in my modest stash, which I matched with a decent set of Indian Rosewood. I managed to secure a chunk of quarter-sawn Honduran Mahogany some time ago, and it seemed a good choice for the neck. I embedded carbon fibre bars on either side of a double-action truss rod and extended them into the headstock to add strength and stability.



After an unavoidable hold up while I fabricated a range of templates, and an outside body mold, construction of the instrument went fairly smoothly, although there were other unavoidable interruptions along the way.

At the request of the new owner, I fitted a Fishman Prefix Pro pre-amp and undersaddle pickup. This wouldn't have been my first choice, however, the amplified sound is actually quite satisfactory, and the range of usable sounds is surprisingly good.

Acoustically, the instrument isn't as loud as I'd anticipated, but I believe there's another thread hereabouts pointing out that excessive volume isn't a feature of this member of the mandolin family.

With the instrument finally completed and safely in the hands of its new owner, I can contemplate the refinements and changes I might make when I next build one of these intriguing instruments.







A tip of the hat to Graham McDonald and his excellent publication, "The Bouzouki Book". It helped me tremendously as I launched into this project.

[NotMelloCello]

Well done!

[citeog]

Good job...

Paul

[Eric F.]

That looks lovely. I bet your next one is even nicer.

[Pete Brown]

That looks lovely.

Thanks Eric!

I bet your next one is even nicer.

If I didn't believe that, I'd hang up my chisels! I definitely have plans to build more of these, and I'm already hatching plans to improve the next instrument.

[Nick Gellie]

Hi Pete

Well done! Gerat bouzouki!

We will have to catch up some time. I live just down the road from you.

Cheers

Nick

[Bertram Henze]

...the bridge position was moved further towards the tail of the instrument...

...

Acoustically, the instrument isn't as loud...

These two things just might be connected. Both were a feature of the early Fylde CBOMs as well.

[Pete Brown]

These two things just might be connected. Both were a feature of the early Fylde CBOMs as well.

Thanks for that observation, Bertram. I'm thinking I either have the neck join the body at the 17th fret, as others do, or I elongate and perhaps widen the body shape somewhat next time around. Fortunately, the new owner plays through an amplifier, so volume is very much up to him!

[Pete Brown]

Well done! Great bouzouki!

Thanks, Nick!

We will have to catch up some time. I live just down the road from you.

Given that I live in a tiny village with a population of around 300, that's funny! I'll definitely be in touch.