My very own Bouzouki came in the mail yesterday. What a great deal. I tuned it up last night and am just letting it get used to the neighborhood. I went with the GDAd tuning because that is what I have all the cords for. The sound is like time travel. I kid you not. Thanks for the tip and the web site. Total cost was 125 bucks to my door. Now that cant be beat by anyone. In my search on the net for this same instument the cheepist price I found was 300 bucks plus shipping. Sure does pay to go to the source. The workmanship is much finer then I imagened. It has been years since I played my guitar and that has turned out to be a good thing. Although I still remember the cord progressions I used to use and work with my left hand and fingers dont. It will make learning to play this beauty much easer. And man does it sound great. Solid spruce top, pretty good machine heads, and reinforced neck. What a deal. I think I`m in love. Snakeman this is the way to go if you are still thinking about one.
Tom
Edited thanks to Trish and Cranberry. Though I didn`t get it until just now.
Well, um, uh, I suppose that WAS something to remember. Are you aware of Roger Landes’ annual event, Zoukfest? He has a great site for it in a national forest just outside of Taos, NM, an old military outpost on several hundred acres. The quality of the instruction and the atmosphere is really something. This year’s staff includes: The 2003 Staff includes Randal Bays, Mason Brown, Connie Dover, Dan Beimborn, Sonja Drakulich, Alec Finn, Gari Hegedus, Roger Landes, Grey Larsen, Kevin MacLeod, Angela Mariani, Susu Pampanin, Chris Smith, Rose Tan, Chipper Thompson. Have a look at: http://rogerlandes.com
All the best,
Steve
Sorry Steve but I am a Bouzouki know nothing. The only Bouzouki player I have realy listened to is Donal Lunny backing up Matt Molloy perfectly. But thanks for the tip and the site. Maybe you could suggest some listening. Though I do enjoy the quest and am discovering all kinds of sites out there.
I can certainly see that happening Walden. Flute, Whistle, and Bouzouki. This must be what heaven is like. (oh and blackbeer of course)
In addition to Roger Landes, Gerald Trimble and Joseph Sobol have albums featuring bouzoukis mainly playing melody. Actually, all the players on these albums play 10-string instruments which may be called citterns (or not, dependeing on the preference of the player). Robin Bullock has a show somewhere at the Kennedy Center and plays a short scale four-course instrument which, confusingly, he calls a cittern. Most people would call it an octave mandolin. He plays guitar too. I’m not sure of the date of that show. You’ll have to search. There’s a tape of Tommy Peoples (fiddle) accompanied by Manus Lunny on bouzouki and guitar. The nice thing about it is that the fiddle and accompaniment are on separate tracks and you can listen to the bouzouki by itself to try and figure out what he’s doing. I think it’s called 50 Irish Fiddle Tunes and may be available from Elderly Instruments. Here’s the address for the Kennedy Center.
Thanks again Steve. I`ll have to down load that Kennedy show.
Ya Nano, but no clones of me if you please. I wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy. Boy the flute, never in my life have I had such a love-hate relationship. When I finaly get a workable embouchure I am going to be hell to deal with. I will play that thing 24 hours a day. (well maybe 22 I need a couple of hours for the Bouzouki, a or a lets see I need a couple hours for my whistles too and my spoons and, well Ill work something out)
Hey Blackbear, could you kindly post the site where you got your bouzouki? Was this just a one shot deal, or are there more out there for the same price?
I must say that the bouzouki has taken over much of my whistle time…For some real great zouk,listen to Dervish..Live in Palma..Michael Holmes..he is wonderful..
My new bouzouki will be here in a few months…like 6 or 7..It’s a Phil Crump. Can hardly wait…
Sorry Aldon, http://www.HORA.ro This is the factory and it took many emails to get a response. The model number is M1089 which is the only model they make I think. Don`t let the price fool ya. This is a good quality enstrument. They do credit cards. Walden posted a picture of his a while back. It took about 2 weeks to get here from the time I placed my order. Well worth checking out.
Actually there are six-course versions available from some makers. Of course, if a special order, I guess most luthiers would offer it. Dusty Strings supposedly offered a gittern, that was something like a bouzouki setup as a 12-string guitar, but I’ve not found such a creature on their site.
I had a luthier make me a 6-course cittern. It was a pretty good instrument but I sold it. I just couldn’t manage to make it do anything I wanted. I much prefer four courses. Joseph Sobol has both 5 and 6-course instruments and he plays both on his Citternalia album. Both are made by Stefan Sobel.
Did it come with a case or do they make a case for it. I checked out their site and it didn’t seem to yield any clear cut answers. I’ve been working on my mandolin so of course my thoughts have turned toward something bigger.
Well Jim my guess is they dont make a case. But I didnt ask. It is a flat backed instrument so I don`t think a case would be hard to come by. I plan on making my own. Right now I got to go check out those cartoons.
Tom
PS: I wounder if I could tune my guitar to that B what ever I forgot the rest of it :roll: oh ya BAGDad
