1968 Gibson B-15 Guitzouki (Bouzouki Conversion)

Overview: I whipped this guitar-to-bouzouki conversion up for a customer of mine back in 2019. Click here for the info from then! At the time, it was strung in unison courses, though I have to admit that I really like it better in octave-strung courses as the main usefulness of this instrument is as a strummed or crosspicked "backup" instrument, giving nice, jangly, modal, moving-shape chordal stimulus to whatever music it's placed in. Because it can't be strung overly-heavy, it has limited use as a melodic instrument outside of smaller duo or trio units. That's only my opinion, though -- as I have definitely listened-in to a number of octave mandolin players tearing it up on this in the shop since it's been back here this year.

The story goes that I made this up for the first owner and then he sold it off the next year (2020) to the second. Said second owner brought it back here after some years of good use and it arrived back playing just as it left but needing a set of new strings and a cleaning. It's a good-looking instrument and the neck is just narrow enough to suit the 4-course, 5ths-tuning left-hand movements. Most folks that come in the shop assume it's a modified tenor guitar!

Repairs included: Previously, it got a neck reset, a level/dress of the frets, a new rosewood (non-adjustable) saddle, vintage mandolin tuners fit to the headstock, and modding of the bridge pin area and nut. The original nut, thankfully, had been cut too high at the factory and so it sanded-down and re-slotted just fine. It's playing spot-on and ready to go.

• Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz
• Scale length: 24 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 9/16"
• Neck shape: slim-medium C
• Board radius: 7 1/4"
• Depth at first fret: .79"
• Depth at seventh fret: .88"
• Body width: 14 3/8"
• Body depth: 4 1/2"
• Top wood: solid mahogany
• Back & sides wood: solid mahogany
• Bracing type: ladder
• Bridge: rosewood
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: mahogany
• Action height at 12th fret: hair-under 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: something like 16/40w, 11/28w, 14/14, 9/9 for GDAE tuning
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium/lower

Condition notes: Obviously, it's been modified. The tuners, saddle, and bridge pin holes are non-original. It has a number of scratches and scuffs throughout. The finish has pretty hefty/obvious weather-checking throughout. 

It comes with: It has a hard case.

Consignor tag: LCGB