1980s Unmarked Greek 8-String Electrified Bouzouki

Overview: This old bouzouki is unmarked but more than certainly made in Greece and from the late '70s or early '80s judging by its features. It has kick-butt original single coil pickup fit at the soundhole and will do that classic, plugged-in, electric zouki thing. Currently we've got it strung GDAE with octaves on the G&D, like "Celtic style" in the '70s per Planxty and the like. It could be restrung and setup for standard CFAD easy-peasy.

This one arrived here in quite the state -- a terrible neck angle, warped top around the soundhole (that's still true, but it's been removed from worry by adding a stiffening rod in the body), and the usual other stuff needing to get done. Post-repairs it plays a treat and has a loud, zippy, saucy sound even strung with fairly light gauges. What's not quite so obvious about actual Greek zouks is that the fret access is even better than on most modern, flatback instruments -- you can easily play it like a mandolin out of the second-octave position -- it's pretty wild!

Repairs included: Tim gave this a neck reset (which is a difficult job on these as it's a buried, long tenon joint), added a reinforcement dowel running from neckblock to endblock (hovers inside the instrument like a banjo dowel), added a shim for the fretboard extension, and shored-up bracing near the neckblock. Molly and Jacobi leveled and dressed the frets. I did a little wiring work, shimmed and adjusted the bridge, and set it up. 

• Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz
• Scale length: 26 7/8"
• Nut width: 1 1/4"
• Neck shape: medium-deeper V
• Board radius: flat
• Depth at first fret: .89"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1.02"
• Body width: 11"
• Body depth: ~6 1/4"
• Top wood: solid spruce
• Back & sides wood: solid walnut
• Bracing type: ladder
• Bridge: unknown
• Fretboard: ebonized unknown
• Neck wood: maple
• Action height at 12th fret: a hair below 3/32"
• String gauges: 14/36w, 10/26w, 13/13, 9/9
• Neck relief: hair of relief tuned to pitch
• Fret style: narrower/taller

Condition notes: The celluloid has warped and distorted a lot around the soundhole and that has warped and distorted the top in that area, too. It's all been stabilized, however, and we added an internal rod that connects the neckblock and endblock (floats in the middle of the body) to keep that problem from getting worse. The original tuners are not bad but they're also not modern. There's finish clearcoat "milking" on the bowl and at the headstock's rear. There are light scratches and scuffs here and there throughout. The headstock rout for the tuners is rather clumsy and has "grain fuzzies" left that were never sanded-away. It's original throughout, though I've added side dots and shimmed the bridge bass and added a hair of compensation to the saddle. I also added a ground for the wiring harness to the tailpiece. The two strap buttons are unoriginal (but very useful).

It comes with: It has its original hard case.

Consignor tag: PLRI