Amazing sounding "Gouzouki"

[DCannon]

One of my all time favorite singers, Julie Fowlis and her husband Éamon Doorley on "Gouzouki". Does anyone know what make of gouzouki this is? Incredible sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJFcbHOgXOc

[royd]

it is a great sounding instrument and a wonderful performance all of the way around

[philjs]

Originally Posted by DCannon

One of my all time favorite singers, Julie Fowlis and her husband Éamon Doorley on "Gouzouki". Does anyone know what make of gouzouki this is? Incredible sound.

The proper name, such as it is, for these guitar-shaped bouzoukis is a "bouzar" (from bouzouki-guitar, name coined by Stefan Sobell for the instruments he made for Andy Irvine). The one Eamon is playing has the distinctive headstock of instruments made by Joe Foley. My own is made by Nova Scotia luthier Russel Crosby.

Phil

[DCannon]

Originally Posted by philjs

The proper name, such as it is, for these guitar-shaped bouzoukis is a "bouzar" (from bouzouki-guitar, name coined by Stefan Sobell for the instruments he made for Andy Irvine). The one Eamon is playing has the distinctive headstock of instruments made by Joe Foley. My own is made by Nova Scotia luthier Russel Crosby.

Phil

Yeah, I've seen references of Bouzar, Guizouki, Gouzouki, Dredzouki, etc. I'll have to check out Joe Foley and Russel Crosby. Love to have one of these, especially if it sounds as good as the one Eamon is playing, with that depth, balance and projection.

Denny

[philjs]

Originally Posted by DCannon

Yeah, I've seen references of Bouzar, Guizouki, Gouzouki, Dredzouki, etc. I'll have to check out Joe Foley and Russel Crosby. Love to have one of these, especially if it sounds as good as the one Eamon is playing, with that depth, balance and projection.

Denny,

I imagine that any luthier could make one but those built by well-known makers like Sobell (who, as I had mentioned, invented them for Andy Irvine), Crump, Forster, MacDonald, Fylde (Roger Bucknall) have a certain cachet. Most of these makers make both 4 and 5 course instruments (often either guitar-shaped or tear-drop-shaped) and many use archtop designs.

In contrast, my Crosby is a flattop based on a 40's Martin Tenor guitar (right down to the 23" scale), just with a wider neck to accommodate the doubled courses. Unlike both a typical tenor guitar and most modern bouzar players, I tune mine to GDGC. It has a very rich sound with deeper bass and more resonance than can be achieved by a tear-drop-shaped bouzouki..

Phil

[DCannon]

Phil, thanks for the info. I just did some backtracking via one of your previous posts about Russell Crosby's instruments and found the Papilio web site. VERY nice! Love the instrumentation and high level of musicianship. All three of you are very talented. The Crosby is a fine looking bouzar, and sounds excellent....and your playing is very tasteful. Think it's time to get rid of one of my guitars...probably my Martin D-41, and get a bouzar.

BTW, GDGC is an interesting tuning. How did that come about?

Denny

[philjs]

Originally Posted by DCannon

Phil, thanks for the info. I just did some backtracking via one of your previous posts about Russell Crosby's instruments and found the Papilio web site. VERY nice! Love the instrumentation and high level of musicianship. All three of you are very talented. The Crosby is a fine looking bouzar, and sounds excellent....and your playing is very tasteful. Think it's time to get rid of one of my guitars...probably my Martin D-41, and get a bouzar.

BTW, GDGC is an interesting tuning. How did that come about?

Denny

Thanks for the kind words, Denny. The Papilio website will, before the end of May, get updated to have all new tracks from the new CD, First Flight. Some of the new tracks, finally, include the bouzar as my primary instrument. As I recall, the only track up currently that bouzar is on is Amanda (enters as the 4th instrument in the intro).

Russel makes fine instruments and I'm very happy with all 3 of mine. Am considering a 4th...it would be a 5 course cittern-like instrument in an OM body, I think...but probably not this year.

GDGC is the same intervals as DADG and I play DADGAD 100% of the time (albeit with use of partial capos...for example, the guitar part for Amanda is done with a capo on the 5th fret covering 5 strings, 055555 giving an equivalent tuning of DDGCDG). It was just easier for me to translate from DADGAD to GDGC than to GDAD or ADAD.

I highly recommend getting a bouzar...they can be a lot of fun, especially if you play them fingerstyle. Are you familiar with Joseph Sobol (not to be confused with Stefan Sobell)? His recording Citternalia, all fingerstyle cittern, might appeal to you.

Phil

[DCannon]

Originally Posted by philjs

Thanks for the kind words, Denny. The Papilio website will, before the end of May, get updated to have all new tracks from the new CD, First Flight. Some of the new tracks, finally, include the bouzar as my primary instrument. As I recall, the only track up currently that bouzar is on is Amanda (enters as the 4th instrument in the intro).

Russel makes fine instruments and I'm very happy with all 3 of mine. Am considering a 4th...it would be a 5 course cittern-like instrument in an OM body, I think...but probably not this year.

GDGC is the same intervals as DADG and I play DADGAD 100% of the time (albeit with use of partial capos...for example, the guitar part for Amanda is done with a capo on the 5th fret covering 5 strings, 055555 giving an equivalent tuning of DDGCDG). It was just easier for me to translate from DADGAD to GDGC than to GDAD or ADAD.

I highly recommend getting a bouzar...they can be a lot of fun, especially if you play them fingerstyle. Are you familiar with Joseph Sobol (not to be confused with Stefan Sobell)? His recording Citternalia, all fingerstyle cittern, might appeal to you.

Phil

Sounds like you and I would have a great time playing tunes. I play in DADGAD 100% of the time as well, but tune my bouzouki to a more standard GDAD. As a relative newcomer to bouzouki, I'll have to try different tunings.

I also love the sound of a cittern, though I've never played one. I'm sure you're familiar with the very fine cittern player, Aaron Jones from the band Two Duos (seems to me they changed the band name recently, but don't remember the new name). Like yourself, a very tasteful player.

Yes, I'm familiar with Joseph Sobol and enjoy his playing very much.

I'll look forward to hearing the new tracks with the bouzar.

Denny

[philjs]

Originally Posted by DCannon

Sounds like you and I would have a great time playing tunes. I play in DADGAD 100% of the time as well, but tune my bouzouki to a more standard GDAD. As a relative newcomer to bouzouki, I'll have to try different tunings.

I also love the sound of a cittern, though I've never played one. I'm sure you're familiar with the very fine cittern player, Aaron Jones from the band Two Duos (seems to me they changed the band name recently, but don't remember the new name). Like yourself, a very tasteful player.

If you're comfortable with GDAD, I'd stick with it. I think it has more facility with that typical bouzouki sound. I play my bouzar like an old dog (more on that below) that can't learn new tricks, in other words, like a guitar. I have to work at it to make it sound more like a bouzouki!

Aaron's "other" band could be OBD (Old Blind Dogs)? I'm familiar with his work with Claire Mann (who I knew with Aidan O'Rourke's Tabache) but not the newer quartet you mentioned.

Phil

[geordie]

What on earth have the image makers done to wee Julie's hair (spoken in a broad west highland accent) they've turned her into a granny

the daddy of players on this hybrid with his Stefan Sobell guitar shaped bouzouki.


others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrJGXadcGNA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN16lL5lDE4

and the very wonderful antidote to the hype culture 'Custom Shop' et al

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN16lL5lDE4

Jimmy Moon in Glasgow offers one -
http://www.moonguitars.co.uk/index.p...-series/bazar/

[DCannon]

Originally Posted by philjs

If you're comfortable with GDAD, I'd stick with it. I think it has more facility with that typical bouzouki sound. I play my bouzar like an old dog (more on that below) that can't learn new tricks, in other words, like a guitar. I have to work at it to make it sound more like a bouzouki!

Aaron's "other" band could be OBD (Old Blind Dogs)? I'm familiar with his work with Claire Mann (who I knew with Aidan O'Rourke's Tabache) but not the newer quartet you mentioned.

Phil

As you say, GDAD is probably best suited for that typical bouzouki sound, but I'd still like to do some experimenting with tunings.

Just did some searching and Two Duos changed the band name to Litha. http://www.lithamusic.com/index.php/en/

And yes, Aaron is definitely part of Old Blind Dogs. He's a busy guy. Check out Litha (Two Dous) on YouTube. Great stuff. Claire is quite talented and love her flute/whistle playing.

Denny

[DCannon]

Originally Posted by geordie

What on earth have the image makers done to wee Julie's hair (spoken in a broad west highland accent) they've turned her into a granny

Ha! I was thinking the same thing. I think it was just for that particular video since recent photos show her looking not so "granny".

Thanks for the links. I'd seen the Forster clip before and I agree with one of the comments referencing the "diabolical sustain". Pretty amazing.

Denny

[GerryinAZ]

I have played my Phil Crump GOM (guitar-bodied octave mandolin) for almost ten years now. It sounds great and does the Zouk thing quite well, but definitely sounds much more like a guitar than a traditional Zouk or Octave Mandolin.

Here's a pic from a couple years ago;



...and a closer shot;





My tuning depends on the gig I am playing. If I am doing background-comp stuff I pretty much use GDAD.

I will use standard GDAE from time to time when I am playing fiddle tunes. This doesn't happen often as there aren't very many fiddle tunes that can be played on a 24" scale instrument!

[DCannon]

Very nice, Gerry. One of our band members plays a Phil Crump bouzouki and it's a fine instrument.

I was in Boulder, CO a couple years ago and while playing a session at Connor O'Neill's, I played a Herb Taylor bouzouki and it was great. Herb is a local luthier in Golden, CO. Offered to buy it from the owner, but he wouldn't part with it....and I don't blame him.

Denny

[GerryinAZ]

Hi Denny, and thanks, it is a fun instrument to play.

I envy your bandmate. I have had the chance to play one of Phil's Zouk's and agree, they are a fine instrument. I'd like to own one some day...one can always dream!

I have owned one of Stephen Sobell's Zouks and while he may have an edge over Phil in construction (the induced arch top is something else) I think Phil's sound and tone reproduction is quite close to the much more expensive Sobell.

I would love the chance to try out a Herb Taylor. I have heard really good things about his builds. I have seen pics and they look pretty darned good.