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2-4-1
Aug 10, 2016 17:28:11 GMT
Post by seren on Aug 10, 2016 17:28:11 GMT
Nice 'Zouk!
Is that Black Limba or Oregon Myrtle you have as back and sides?
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Post by alexanderreay on Aug 12, 2016 21:26:06 GMT
I think GDAD has become the unofficial standard tuning for bouzoukis, at least in British and American music. Opinion seems to be more divided over octave mandolins - I think GDAE is more common, though a lot of people use GDAD. I think it probably comes down to the playing styles: GDAD is more friendly for chord-playing, and bouzoukis probably get used this way more than OMs do. As far as I know, the only difference between an octave mandolin and a (celtic-style) bouzouki is the scale length - anything over about 23" tends to be called a bouzouki. Interesting stuff, thankyou. It's standard guitar, 24.75" scale. GDAD has certainly come up a lot and seems to be peoples preference on here. My concern with GDAD, although it may make some of the chords less of a stretch it would in effect render a whole tone sharp on that string unreachable. With only 4 notes to play with, essentially, that seems quite a big sacrifice, to me. I am not against it, I just want to learn GDAE first, I think. I shall re-post in here when I try GDAD properly down the line and conclude I was mistaken, we all like to make our own mistakes though, don't we? Alex |
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Post by alexanderreay on Aug 12, 2016 21:32:21 GMT
Nice 'Zouk! Is that Black Limba or Oregon Myrtle you have as back and sides? Thank you very much! Nothing as exotic, I am afraid. It's English walnut back and sides, western cedar top. The whole thing is remarkably light as a result. I dug right though the walnut looking for something that was quite interesting and had enough flaws/was small enough to convince Roger to part with it! I like the dark lines that occur in English walnut sometimes so I looked hard for them in particular. Alex |
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2-4-1
Aug 13, 2016 16:56:07 GMT
Post by seren on Aug 13, 2016 16:56:07 GMT
Thank you for your reply. Wow, lovely Walnut - the chatoyance is amazing. You chose a lovely set.
Do you have plans to make any more instruments?
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leoroberts
C.O.G. 
Posts: 26,144 
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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2-4-1
Aug 13, 2016 21:03:26 GMT
Post by leoroberts on Aug 13, 2016 21:03:26 GMT
Chatoyance? I thought that was only in gem stones...
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Post by seren on Aug 14, 2016 9:49:19 GMT
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Post by alexanderreay on Aug 20, 2016 6:53:35 GMT
Thank you for your reply. Wow, lovely Walnut - the chatoyance is amazing. You chose a lovely set. Do you have plans to make any more instruments? No problem, thanks for the compliments! Apologies for the late reply, it has been another busy week. I am planning to build an Alexander next, I shall take more progress pictures with that one as to be more suitable to the 'build' thread. I have various jobs I want to do on my other instruments first, but I intend to start it September/October. Most likely it shall be a much plainer instrument, however. My Ariel is a bit fancy for pub gigs and the thought of some clown spilling beer on her frightens me. The Alexander is to be more of a 'work horse' as people like to call it. I had been debating mahogany back and sides for warmth as we have made a few with this as a customisation, although having tried both Sapele and Mahogany side by side, I actually think I prefer the extra bite of the Sapele, I also think it suits my playing better. So, Sapele back and sides, Cedar top (probably colourful in some respects), ebony board 'n bridge, although rosewood is a possibilty. This isn't to say I shan't sneak a custom inlay in the fingerboard while Roger isn't looking :-) I don't think it will happen as it is a bit tacky, but, I had this fantasy of a Pacman themed guitar. Stained black back, sides, top, neck, blue lines featuring in the bindings and surrounding the fingerboard. Dots in the fingerboard but a mother of pearl pacman ghost at the 5th and perhaps some cherries at the 12th. If I really wanted to go all out, a Pacman tattood on the back of my left hand, to eat the dots and ghost as it moved up the neck! In fairness that would be taking things to the extreme, I enjoyed imagining it, though. Alex |
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Jo whoever he is.
