The Irish bouzouki

The bouzouki is a long necked lute developed in Greece from Turkish roots.  The Greek version  has 8 strings tuned CFAD and was developed in the 1950's.  In the 1960's, Irish musicians travelling in Greece picked up the bouzouki and adapted it for their use, by re tuning to GDAE or GDAD.  Modern makers started making them with flat backs - as these are easier to hold and give a fuller tone.

Keith plays a bouzouki made by Stefan Sobell from Hexham. It is tuned GDAE - as the tenor banjo - although it has a much longer neck and is double-strung. It is fitted with a L.R. Baggs bridge pickup.

He also plays a Greek-made bouzouki that he picked up while on holiday in Crete.   This has been restrung to GDAE tuning, but maintains octave stringing on the lower two strings to give a very full sound.

The Cittern

The Cittern used by today's bands has its ancestors in the renaissance Citterns and the English Guitar, but it is now more closely related to the flat-back Bouzouki - the main difference being that the Cittern has 10 strings in 5 courses, a slightly shorter neck and often a rather larger body. Brian tunes his cittern to DADAD.

 For more information see:

Han's Irish Bouzouki Homepage

The Cittern & Mandolin

The Cittern Pages

www.cittern.com

Mandozine

Mandolinist.com Home Page

Cittern FAQ