I've had my new bouzouki for a couple of months now, have played it and passed it around at a few sessions, and the general consensus is, "Wow, great instrument; a beauty." And indeed, I'm quite happy with it. It's very well made (and I was in on choosing the woods as well as being on hand for the beginning stages of its construction, as seen in
this post from last March), is a gorgeous instrument, and has a rich, full sound (though, to my ear anyway, it doesn't sound exactly like a bouzouki; its voice being more like an eight-string guitar, but it's a very subtle difference), and has very comfortable action (though I've had to adjust to the neck width, which is a bit wider than my old bouzouki). All in all, I love it, and look forward to spending more time with this instrument, sussing out melodies, counter-melodies, and chords; using it for backing as well as accompanying myself (all of which the bouzouki lends itself to very well, and are the qualities that attracted me to it in the first place), preferring it more than my guitar these days. Lovely. Oh yeah, and as anticipated, it's very comfortable to hold and nestles into my lap perfectly.
The only problem is what to call the thing - all of its possible nicknames (guizouki? boutar?) - to me, anyway - sounding a bit gimmicky and less than dignified. I'll probably just keep calling it a bouzouki, though bouzouki doesn't seem quite adequate or accurate.
This is the model of the Galway hooker that was given to me by my friends Lee and Barbara Smith when I was in Maine last March, the traditional Irish fishing boat model that inspired the pearl inlay in the headstock of my (and many subsequent, so I am to hear) bouzouki.
Back in July, we had a total of seven of Nick's instruments on the premises. Seen here are five of them (from L-R): my bouzouki, Susie Bowman's six-string (with catboat inlay), Nick's bell cittern, Nick's 12-string, Bob Denton's bouzouki.
Here's Nick, playing a tune he composed on my bouzouki, with Yours Truly accompanying him on my then-brand-spanking-new zouk:
