Irish Bouzouki - a First Attempt

Back in the fairly recent past when the necessity of a day job interfered with my more creative pursuits, my instruments would sometimes take years to complete. The prospect of posting a "build thread" when updates could sometimes be months apart seemed out of the question; I couldn't imagine subjecting readers to progress reports at what was typically a glacial rate!

My sole project at present is the construction of a purpose-built workshop whose completion will undoubtedly coincide with a significant increase in my rate of production and, perhaps, a few blow-by-blow journals of instrument construction.

Until that happy day arrives, I thought I'd post a couple of images of my most recent instrument, an Irish bouzouki that I built for someone in my little village who was generous enough to offer me the use of a temporary workshop space after my wife and I left city life behind and downsized in a serious way three years ago.







Vital statistics:

- Soundboard: Port Orford Cedar

- Back and sides: East Indian Rosewood

- Neck: Honduran Mahogany

- Fingerboard and bridge: Ebony

- Rosette: Zebrano and Macassar Ebony

- Tuners: Gotoh 510 mini

- Pre-amp: Fishman Prefix Pro

- Finish: pre-catalysed lacquer (oil-finished neck)

- Scale length: 24.9"


I can't wait to put into practice some of the ideas that have been brewing while I've been without a workshop. More bouzoukis are definitely on my to-do list!