Anyone tried this instrument? If so, I was wondering if I could have your assessment.
What's its tone like and volume like? How is it to play, are the frets too wide so it's a pain to try and reach up to the high B? Or are is it quite easy?
I play one of these and I'm fairly pleased with it. I've not played many other bouzoukis so take this assessment for what it's worth. It's tone is fairly soft, too soft for melody play in a loud session, but as a chording instrument it booms. I have medium-sized hands and I have no trouble reaching up to the B, and the neck profile makes shifting up to high D pretty simple, too. It's a big hit whenever I take it out to the pub; I usually ending up sharing it around the circle.
I can't see much significant difference between this instrument and those other 'badge-marketed' 'zouks; Trinity College, Ozark over here in the UK, Johnston, et al. They all seem to come from the same line of factories and built to the same template.
You could make significant improvements to the sound by substituting a Red-Henry-pattern bridge, and a heavier brass or bronze tailpiece; I made my own bridge and purchased a pleasing brass tailpiece inlaid with mother-of-pearl via ebay from the Far East.
A re-stringing is usually an improvement too; no idea what they are fitted with when they arrive in the shops.
Oh, and the original questioner asked "are the frets too wide ?"
No, they're quite narrow.
I think he meant "Is the scale too long ?"
No, it's just right, it gives a lovely tone with the correct strings. But it's not a tenor banjo, nor an Octave Mandola/mandolin; you do have to be prepared to move your hand about a bit to get all thew notes you want. After all, no electric guitarist worth his salt would complain that he has to move his hand about to get all the notes that he wants; nor should you. It just goes with the territory.
Gold Tone BZ-500 bouzouki?
Gold Tone BZ-500 bouzouki?
http://www.goldtone.com/products/details/w/instrument/441/Bouzouki
Anyone tried this instrument? If so, I was wondering if I could have your assessment.
What's its tone like and volume like? How is it to play, are the frets too wide so it's a pain to try and reach up to the high B? Or are is it quite easy?
# Posted on November 20th 2011 by Deaf Frets
Re: Gold Tone BZ-500 bouzouki?
I play one of these and I'm fairly pleased with it. I've not played many other bouzoukis so take this assessment for what it's worth. It's tone is fairly soft, too soft for melody play in a loud session, but as a chording instrument it booms. I have medium-sized hands and I have no trouble reaching up to the B, and the neck profile makes shifting up to high D pretty simple, too. It's a big hit whenever I take it out to the pub; I usually ending up sharing it around the circle.
# Posted on November 20th 2011 by dinglealltheway
Re: Gold Tone BZ-500 bouzouki?
I can't see much significant difference between this instrument and those other 'badge-marketed' 'zouks; Trinity College, Ozark over here in the UK, Johnston, et al. They all seem to come from the same line of factories and built to the same template.
You could make significant improvements to the sound by substituting a Red-Henry-pattern bridge, and a heavier brass or bronze tailpiece; I made my own bridge and purchased a pleasing brass tailpiece inlaid with mother-of-pearl via ebay from the Far East.
A re-stringing is usually an improvement too; no idea what they are fitted with when they arrive in the shops.
# Posted on November 21st 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Gold Tone BZ-500 bouzouki?
Oh, and the original questioner asked "are the frets too wide ?"
No, they're quite narrow.
I think he meant "Is the scale too long ?"
No, it's just right, it gives a lovely tone with the correct strings. But it's not a tenor banjo, nor an Octave Mandola/mandolin; you do have to be prepared to move your hand about a bit to get all thew notes you want. After all, no electric guitarist worth his salt would complain that he has to move his hand about to get all the notes that he wants; nor should you. It just goes with the territory.
# Posted on November 21st 2011 by Guernsey Pete