My husband reminded me a couple of days ago about my old dream of learning to play the bouzouki, something that I haven't even thought about since I've moved to Italy. There certainly aren't any to be bought around where I live (in the Alps of NW Italy), so I think I'm going to have to do the dreaded thing of buying one online. However, I know very little about different makes of bouzoukis, and since I can't try one before buying, I'm hoping to get some advice. I've been playing the fiddle for about 20 years, and also play the guitar, mando, and banjo (old time for the latter 3, not Irish trad), so I know my way around stringed instruments. Being somewhat low on funds, I'd like to spend as little as possible (under 500 euro), but have something that sounds decent.... any recommendations? I think I can get a Johnson bouz for wholesale, but I don't know about the quality.
you've got musicalia in Sicily
bit down south from you, but I bet that if you'd contact them
you might not just get a nice deal but get a custome made zouk.
Hi fiddle
I have been playing bouzouki for a long time and two things come to mind,
1,buy the best you can afford even if you buy used.
The reason I say this is because if you buy a second rate instrument you will have a hard time selling it if you decide it's not for you.
2,You will experience a world of trouble from the lower quality instraments , set up issues , intonation, and a not so good sound.I say this because I come across a lot of aspiring players who are frustrated with there zook and find that they have to buy better models to solve there problems.
Ashbury/Ozark/Trinity College/Johnson.......it's badge luthering, or Pizza Engineering, as Jeremy Clarkson said once, same base, different topping.
All these instruments are made to the same design, just given a different emblem on the headstock.
They're good, dependable, factory-made instruments. Mine was made in Korea about 7 years ago, and I prefer it to the new ones, but some of that is the tone development from a lot of playing, plus my modifications, as I've often listed before; a heavier brass tailpiece, and a Red-Henry-pattern bridge, bot of which boost the percentage of string energy that goes to the soundboard, thus improving volume and tone. I recommend these modifications strongly.
Davy Stuart is highly recommended by many, when my boat comes in, etc....
Stefan Sobell, worth the wait and still the best IMNSHO. I can't afford one, alas.
The Johnson one sounds the best deal you'll get, try it first if you possibly can to be sure.
Thanks y'all. I'm feeling a bit stuck with this, as I can't bare to even hardly be in the same room as a bad instrument, but I don't want to break the bank on an instrument that I don't know if I'll keep on playing in the long run. I'll take a look at these brands, and maybe hop on over to Ireland at some point to see if I find something in the shops there.
I also just found out that I can get a trinity college zouk for wholesale price (dad's an instrument dealer).
As I can get a really good price on a Johnson and Trinity College... anyone know which would be the better instrument? I'm assuming they'd be about the same. Also, are they utter crap that will make me cringe, or be good enough to play around on? I've borrowed mandolins made by Saga before (the parent company of Trinity College), and they sounded remarkably good for cheap instruments, but as I haven't ever played with their zouks, I don't know if the same holds.
The ONLY difference between TC and Johnson is the badge on the headstock, plus the difference between individual instruments made to the same specifications, possibly in different factories in different countries.
Try before you buy, if at all possible.
PLUS, if you can afford to go over to Ireland, why not save your money and get a local, luthier-made instrument INSTEAD ?
You know, you CAN overthink the decision you are about to make.
You're American aren't you ? And middle-class. It's a basic problem, trying to work out all the permutations and get the best deal ever, for what ?
Go to a shop, try a few. THEN come to a decision.
OR, if you have all this time and money, for why go to Ireland ? The instrument is neither exclusive nor particularly do the best ones live in Ireland. I'd say, come over to one of the big English Folk Festivals in the summer, Cambridge or Towersey, say, where there will be a number of luthiers displaying the best products of their craft. If you can afford that much, don't p1ss about with a mid-range factory instrument.
But don't buy a Romanian-made Ozark, they are less satisfying.
PS; did I make an assumption, about you being American ? If so, sorry ( But I am married to one myself, so I know the patterns of behaviour and thinking, a little. )
But you are trying to overthink the situation.
PPS, or is it PSS ?; a good gig bag is worth its weight. But there aren't so many of them. And always check how the adjustment is threaded through the buckle - on some the weight is carried on a very thin piece of plastic, which is really useful if you get your bag stuck in a life or death situation, but when you simply want to keep the bag safely over your shoulder can be disastrous. I speak from experience.
Mine currently lives in a medium-quality banjo case, but you need to modify a standard banjo case to carry a 'zouk, the balance point is very different so the handle is in the wrong place, plus 'zouks have a longer heel on the neck, so often the neck compartment in the case for your spare strings is too long and needs modification. I had to do all that to mine.
I would go with what Pete says . He talks sense but remember if you get the money to go top of the range they have kept their value over the past 30 years. ( sobel , ablett , Foley etc ) I bought mine over 17 years ago for £750 still after some hard use worth over a grand I would think
Good advice-
Yes, I am an American, married to an Italian. The reason why I'm trying to buy one on a budget is because I am unemployed, and when I do get a job, I don't expect it to pay much (as in my rent will eat all of my pay) as nothing pays here...a masters degree in physics isn't worth anything in the Italian Alps. So, while I would absolutely love to buy a good zouk, it is between not getting one at all and getting a cheap one.
I mentioned Ireland, because I have plans to get there to visit friends at some point this next year (used to live there), and while I'm there I may as well try out some instruments. It's not that I have a lot of time / money (time yes, money, no), but it is really inexpensive to fly to Ireland from Italy. However, I don't know when I will go, and there aren't any zouks in the ballpark of where I live (well, I know someone with a couple of greek ones, but that's a different animal altogether), so I am still probably stuck with buying one online. The logical thing would probably be to wait, save my money, and get a quality instrument, but I've been itching to play the bouzouki for about 5 years now....and, well, when you got an itch for that long you got to scratch it!
Thanks again for all the advice. Also regarding using a banjo case- I hadn't thought of that. I may even have a spare banjo gig bag laying around, come to think of it. Now to find a bouzouki to stuff it with....
Ah flying and bouzouki of such a combination are nightmeres made . See lots of other threads on this topic
Ryan Air =evil empire their chif exec = ......... you will get the idea soon enough,better to buy in Eire and ship it to Italy insured
Yeah, Ryan air + instruments = bad. Until about 5 years ago, I never had problems with them, and carried my fiddle and other instruments without problems... but wouldn't dare chance it anymore. I've carried a banjo on Easyjet this past year without problems, though, and I think it's the same size, so it should be OK, I imagine. I've learned to read instrument as carry-on policies thoroughly, measure instruments to the mm, and print out airline policy for testy flight attendants in case they give me problems.
You guys are right. There's no point of getting a cheap bouzouki I don't like. I'm currently looking around at different makers, and saving my money!
Anyone have a zouk by Valerio Gorla? Apparently he's in Milan. One of my friends has a really great mando by him that I played around on last night, so I'm assuming his zouks are of similar quality.
Bouzouki buying advice
Bouzouki buying advice
My husband reminded me a couple of days ago about my old dream of learning to play the bouzouki, something that I haven't even thought about since I've moved to Italy. There certainly aren't any to be bought around where I live (in the Alps of NW Italy), so I think I'm going to have to do the dreaded thing of buying one online. However, I know very little about different makes of bouzoukis, and since I can't try one before buying, I'm hoping to get some advice. I've been playing the fiddle for about 20 years, and also play the guitar, mando, and banjo (old time for the latter 3, not Irish trad), so I know my way around stringed instruments. Being somewhat low on funds, I'd like to spend as little as possible (under 500 euro), but have something that sounds decent.... any recommendations? I think I can get a Johnson bouz for wholesale, but I don't know about the quality.
Thanks!
# Posted on January 10th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Not sure about the Johnson zouks but Ashbury do some very nice models! I got this over the summer for £300 and it is a very nice model1
http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/GR3315_p_Ashbury-AM375-Irish-Bouzouki-Page.htm
# Posted on January 11th 2011 by mandolinist
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
you've got musicalia in Sicily
bit down south from you, but I bet that if you'd contact them
you might not just get a nice deal but get a custome made zouk.
# Posted on January 11th 2011 by padre
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Hi fiddle
I have been playing bouzouki for a long time and two things come to mind,
1,buy the best you can afford even if you buy used.
The reason I say this is because if you buy a second rate instrument you will have a hard time selling it if you decide it's not for you.
2,You will experience a world of trouble from the lower quality instraments , set up issues , intonation, and a not so good sound.I say this because I come across a lot of aspiring players who are frustrated with there zook and find that they have to buy better models to solve there problems.
# Posted on January 11th 2011 by gubnet
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Ashbury/Ozark/Trinity College/Johnson.......it's badge luthering, or Pizza Engineering, as Jeremy Clarkson said once, same base, different topping.
All these instruments are made to the same design, just given a different emblem on the headstock.
They're good, dependable, factory-made instruments. Mine was made in Korea about 7 years ago, and I prefer it to the new ones, but some of that is the tone development from a lot of playing, plus my modifications, as I've often listed before; a heavier brass tailpiece, and a Red-Henry-pattern bridge, bot of which boost the percentage of string energy that goes to the soundboard, thus improving volume and tone. I recommend these modifications strongly.
Davy Stuart is highly recommended by many, when my boat comes in, etc....
Stefan Sobell, worth the wait and still the best IMNSHO. I can't afford one, alas.
The Johnson one sounds the best deal you'll get, try it first if you possibly can to be sure.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
....BOTH of which......
Proofreader was taking a coffee break.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Thanks y'all. I'm feeling a bit stuck with this, as I can't bare to even hardly be in the same room as a bad instrument, but I don't want to break the bank on an instrument that I don't know if I'll keep on playing in the long run. I'll take a look at these brands, and maybe hop on over to Ireland at some point to see if I find something in the shops there.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
I also just found out that I can get a trinity college zouk for wholesale price (dad's an instrument dealer).
As I can get a really good price on a Johnson and Trinity College... anyone know which would be the better instrument? I'm assuming they'd be about the same. Also, are they utter crap that will make me cringe, or be good enough to play around on? I've borrowed mandolins made by Saga before (the parent company of Trinity College), and they sounded remarkably good for cheap instruments, but as I haven't ever played with their zouks, I don't know if the same holds.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
The ONLY difference between TC and Johnson is the badge on the headstock, plus the difference between individual instruments made to the same specifications, possibly in different factories in different countries.
Try before you buy, if at all possible.
PLUS, if you can afford to go over to Ireland, why not save your money and get a local, luthier-made instrument INSTEAD ?
You know, you CAN overthink the decision you are about to make.
You're American aren't you ? And middle-class. It's a basic problem, trying to work out all the permutations and get the best deal ever, for what ?
Go to a shop, try a few. THEN come to a decision.
OR, if you have all this time and money, for why go to Ireland ? The instrument is neither exclusive nor particularly do the best ones live in Ireland. I'd say, come over to one of the big English Folk Festivals in the summer, Cambridge or Towersey, say, where there will be a number of luthiers displaying the best products of their craft. If you can afford that much, don't p1ss about with a mid-range factory instrument.
But don't buy a Romanian-made Ozark, they are less satisfying.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
PS; did I make an assumption, about you being American ? If so, sorry ( But I am married to one myself, so I know the patterns of behaviour and thinking, a little. )
But you are trying to overthink the situation.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
PPS, or is it PSS ?; a good gig bag is worth its weight. But there aren't so many of them. And always check how the adjustment is threaded through the buckle - on some the weight is carried on a very thin piece of plastic, which is really useful if you get your bag stuck in a life or death situation, but when you simply want to keep the bag safely over your shoulder can be disastrous. I speak from experience.
Mine currently lives in a medium-quality banjo case, but you need to modify a standard banjo case to carry a 'zouk, the balance point is very different so the handle is in the wrong place, plus 'zouks have a longer heel on the neck, so often the neck compartment in the case for your spare strings is too long and needs modification. I had to do all that to mine.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
I would go with what Pete says . He talks sense but remember if you get the money to go top of the range they have kept their value over the past 30 years. ( sobel , ablett , Foley etc ) I bought mine over 17 years ago for £750 still after some hard use worth over a grand I would think
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by bazouki dave
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Good advice-
Yes, I am an American, married to an Italian. The reason why I'm trying to buy one on a budget is because I am unemployed, and when I do get a job, I don't expect it to pay much (as in my rent will eat all of my pay) as nothing pays here...a masters degree in physics isn't worth anything in the Italian Alps. So, while I would absolutely love to buy a good zouk, it is between not getting one at all and getting a cheap one.
I mentioned Ireland, because I have plans to get there to visit friends at some point this next year (used to live there), and while I'm there I may as well try out some instruments. It's not that I have a lot of time / money (time yes, money, no), but it is really inexpensive to fly to Ireland from Italy. However, I don't know when I will go, and there aren't any zouks in the ballpark of where I live (well, I know someone with a couple of greek ones, but that's a different animal altogether), so I am still probably stuck with buying one online. The logical thing would probably be to wait, save my money, and get a quality instrument, but I've been itching to play the bouzouki for about 5 years now....and, well, when you got an itch for that long you got to scratch it!
Thanks again for all the advice. Also regarding using a banjo case- I hadn't thought of that. I may even have a spare banjo gig bag laying around, come to think of it. Now to find a bouzouki to stuff it with....
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Ah flying and bouzouki of such a combination are nightmeres made . See lots of other threads on this topic
Ryan Air =evil empire their chif exec = ......... you will get the idea soon enough,better to buy in Eire and ship it to Italy insured
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by bazouki dave
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
Yeah, Ryan air + instruments = bad. Until about 5 years ago, I never had problems with them, and carried my fiddle and other instruments without problems... but wouldn't dare chance it anymore. I've carried a banjo on Easyjet this past year without problems, though, and I think it's the same size, so it should be OK, I imagine. I've learned to read instrument as carry-on policies thoroughly, measure instruments to the mm, and print out airline policy for testy flight attendants in case they give me problems.
# Posted on January 12th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy
Re: Bouzouki buying advice
You guys are right. There's no point of getting a cheap bouzouki I don't like. I'm currently looking around at different makers, and saving my money!
Anyone have a zouk by Valerio Gorla? Apparently he's in Milan. One of my friends has a really great mando by him that I played around on last night, so I'm assuming his zouks are of similar quality.
# Posted on January 24th 2011 by fiddletreegypsy