Let's Build A Bouzouki
Last Modified - December 2017 (©Alan Dunwell 2009)
This dupliactes some of the information in Let's Build A Guitar and Let's Build a Mandolin but I include it here for completeness in either discussion.
As I build each instrument, I take photos along the way. I then turn each group of photos into a slide show and include the CD "Baby Book" along with the instrument. This allows the new owner to see the actual process by which his or her instrument was created. Folks seem to like this. This photo essay is intended mostly for other instrument builders, but it is also just a nice discussion of the building process and worthwhile for players to help understand what goes into making a instrument. It is also a good answer to the question often asked "Why do these instruments cost so much?".
Here I am including the photos from one of these slide shows to demonstrate the steps I take in the build process. This is a moving target since I am constantly changing jigs and designs with every instrument, so consider this a "snap shot". I will try to update this page as I make any major process changes. Near each photo is a brief explanation of what is happening Of course this can't cover all the steps or give all the detail a builder might like to see, so feel free to contact me with any questions you might have regarding the process.
The bouzouki being demonstrated is a Double-top Irish flat top with pin bridge, the top is made of Western Red Cedar and Adirondack Spruce and the back and sides of American Black Walnut.
These are very photo-heavy pages so folks with a slow internet connection may prefer to download the slide show itself which is made up of the thumbnail sized photos. However it is not lightweight itself, it is about 8.215 MegaBytes. To download click on the link below and you can save this file to your hardisk or off to a thumb or CD. This is an executable program that runs only under Windows or DOS. Each image will have the file name displayed in the upper left corner. I have tried to make the image file names explanatory of what the step is. To start the show, just double click on the executable you saved, it should come up full screen after loading. The show will progress through the slides without any intervention, but you can also step forward with Right Mouse Click, backward with Left Mouse Click, or pause on an image by using the Pause button as a toggle to stop/start the show. To exit you may press Escape, or use the mouse by clicking in either the upper Left or Right corner. Enjoy.