My Jack Spira bouzouki - build in progress :)

[Kyle Baker]

Hey, I'm very excited to have received some photo's from Jack Spira of my bouzouki being built. I've been waiting since last fall for him to start work on my instrument and now it's all coming together.
The back and sides are Australian Blackwood, and the top is sitka spruce.
Now for the good stuff.

[Kyle Baker]

[Kyle Baker]

I'll add more photos as the build progresses! I can't wait to play this thing :-)
~Kyle

[Steve-o]

Thanks for posting these Kyle. Love that Australian Blackwood. What fun watching it come together. Keep the pics coming. You must be stoked.

[JEStanek]

You are going to be very happy. As a fellow Spira owner (I have a mandolin he built) I can attest to how great they play and sound. Jack's bindings and rosettes (along with those great looking and sounding Aussie woods) are mind blowing to me.

Jamie

[Jill McAuley]

Great stuff - I love build in progress photos, thanks for posting those, Kyle! I'm looking forward to following this thread and really looking forward to the day you're able to record a tune for the SAW social group with this!!

Cheers,
Jill

[Dolamon]

Congratulations! As great looking as the pix are, wait 'til you take delivery. After owning my octave and Mandola for over five years, they still amaze me for both the booming and subtle sounds. They just keep getting better as they age. There seems to be a little settling in with a fresh instrument which takes about two or three months. Then the sound just gets tighter and bigger at the same time.

Now granted, a lot of it due to the player understanding where the sweet spots are ... a lot of it deals with the amazing care Jack does in the choice of woods and the craftsmanship of his build. Prepare to be amazed! His instruments are truly like no one elses.

Tell Jack I said hello and that the Ditson bodied Tenor he built for me is just singing along.

Dion

[PhilGE]

Owning a Spira Mandola myself (blame it on Dion), you'll be very happy, I'm sure!

[Kyle Baker]

Jack sent me a few more pictures. I've made my choices for bindings and purflings now so the body should pretty much complete, or darn close by now :-)





Kyle

[Jill McAuley]

The back on that looks lovely, Kyle - thanks for posting those!

Cheers,
Jill

[JEStanek]

Shazaam! Looking good.

Jamie

[Jim Baker]

Gonna be sweet Kyle! When will you have pictures of the binding and purfling?

[Kyle Baker]

These are a couple example shots he sent me... these pictures are the ones I chose, there were other options but nobody needs to see those :p
Dark rosewood bindings, with angled purflings that matches the angled lines in the rosette. It's gonna be SWEET

[Jim Baker]

Mmmm.....that is gonna be nice!

[Kyle Baker]

Bindings are complete! It looks fantastic
The bindings are dark rosewood with an angled purfling.

[Steve-o]

Just gorgeous, Kyle. The bindings and purfling really complement the wood. Thanks for sharing the pics and keep them coming.

[Jill McAuley]

Great stuff - love the binding!

Cheers,
Jill

[MandoNicity]

That's really looking gorgeous.

JR

[Kyle Baker]

The headstock is complete... now he's gonna start the neck and there's going to be a nice custom inlay on the fingerboard.







-Kyle

[JEStanek]

Looking great!

jamie

[Jill McAuley]

Gorgeous!

Cheers,
Jill

[Steve-o]

Yes, really sweet nuances!

[Jason Kessler]

Can't wait to see that beauty all done.

[Kyle Baker]

I love the fact that Jack always keeps me in the loop. Always sending pictures of the progress and making sure everything is how I want it. Here are some more pictures already. The headstock is complete and the holes are drilled for the machine heads, bindings around where the body meets the heel, and the truss rod is in and fingerboard is getting set up. He is preparing for a nice custom inlay for me that's gonna be around the 11,12,13'th frets.
Here are some more eye candy pics!

[Steve-o]

That's got a very distinctive, aesthetic vibe going. Starting to look like a zouk!