The Bass Bouzouki
Andy playing a Bass Bouzouki in Ireland 2001.
Once again the Bass Bouzouki is another ‘addition’ to the mando-family and again a name that Andy calls the instrument. A very full, deep, resonant sound comes from a very large body. Excellent for solo song accompaniment, or as a guitar replacement in a band situation, while still keeping elements of the 'bouzouki' sound.
“I also play a bass bouzouki, made for me by Davy Stuart in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is a large bodied bouzouki shaped bouzouki with heavy strings. At present I have .056s on the 4th, 38s on the third, 26s on 2nd and unwound 16s on the top. I have been tuning it DAEA--a 4th down from the usual Irish bouzouki tuning of GDad but recently found that it would go down to CGdg--a 5th lower.” Andy Irvine
The first time I ever saw a Bass Bouzouki was on stage in Galway, Ireland in 2001. It was played by Andy Irvine and it introduced it as “ his new toy !” This instrument was also made by Davy Stuart in New Zealand. This was a very powerful instrument, with a huge bass response and a very clear difference in tone to the guitar shaped bouzouki, he had been playing previously that night.
Andy sang and played the Bass Bouzouki on ‘ Johnson’ ‘Green Grows the Laurel’ and ‘Rainy Sundays, Windy Dreams’ that night. A very impressive sound for the first two, but didn’t fit as well with ‘Rainy Sundays’. I think with this instrument, there needs to be a very careful choice of songs to accompany, as the bass is very over powering in places, where the bouzouki would have been much mellower and much more fitting. In later years I have heard him play 'Kellswater' and 'Empty Handed' on it, and both seemed to work very well but my heart still falls for the bouzouki tone over these songs.
Andy uses this instrument mainly in the UK and Ireland gigs and it seems to remain in London mostly.
Tuned DAea and capoed at the 5th fret gives you GDad ( Andy’s standard bouzouki tuning ) or can be strung GDAD for a very big bouzouki sound. With such a long neck and such thick gauge strings the only thing you will need is very big, powerful hands !
Woods; Indian Rosewood back and Spruce top
Length; 102cm Width 38cm
Tunings; DADG DAEA or similar
Scale length; 65.5cm/251/2"
For more info on ordering a Bass Bouzouki have a look here Davy Stuart
Enjoy
Kieron