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Thread: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

  1. #1
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    Default Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    I love the appearance of traditional bouzoukis but notice that many builders also offer bouzoukis with "guitar bodies."

    I have assumed that the reason for these guitar bodied bouzoukis is that they provide a bigger sound chamber to increase volume and depth of sound.

    Is that the only reason or are there others?

    Thanks.

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    Registered User meow-n-dolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    Well, they do fit better in one's lap. I think a major reason is that if one's shop is already set up with the jigs, templates, etc, to produce guitars, then turning out a bouzouki or an OM or a tenor guitar, or even a 'cello, saves a lot if work.

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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    I'm sure others have heard him say this too, but Tim O'brien says the advantage is in the airport.
    The case looks like a guitar case, and he says when someone in an airport asks "hey, what's in the case?" you don't want to say "bouzouki".

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    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    I'm sure others have heard him say this too, but Tim O'brien says the advantage is in the airport.
    The case looks like a guitar case, and he says when someone in an airport asks "hey, what's in the case?" you don't want to say "bouzouki".
    And you wouldn't want to say it's a Hamlett bouzouki with a killer burst.
    still trying to turn dreams into memories

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    Lord of All Badgers Lord of the Badgers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    one comment you might get is that they 'sound too guitar like' - but as a former (regrettably so!) owner of a forster gzouk, I can tel you that's utter bobbins in my experience.
    They are dead comfy and though in other ways I prefer my shippey (typical zouk body) to the forster; I'd have another if I was in the market. If James Fagan ever feels like parting with his sobell that is ha ha (that's not even a remote possibility)
    My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers

    Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
    Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
    Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
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    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advantages of Guitar Bodied Bouzoukis?

    I have a real nice Pono short scale, with beautiful rosewood back and sides. It is set up with flatwound strings with very low action. I'd say that it is really a small guitar with 8 strings set up like a mandolin. The neck feels more like a guitar neck. And the sound is very much like a rosewood guitar body. It can easily be over driven and sound like a brassy bouzouki. (Even with the flatwound strings.) But played lightly, the sound is rich and beautiful like an old Martin guitar. I have to remember to be 'light' when I play it, but the rewards are pretty cool.

    I also have a Collings mandola, set up with flatwound strings and it needs no 'special handling'. It sounds great driven hard, played light or in between. It's neck feels like a big mandolin, and it has a rich sound, but from the 'mandolin family'.
    Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile

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