From Politiko bouzouki to Steriano

Tampourobouzouka & Laoutobouzouka!

1900 Tampourobouzouko & Laoutobouzouko

As I had mentioned on an earlier post, my next goal after the completion of the Politiko bouzouki, was to reverse the time further back, into the 1700s, with an attempt of creating a unique Baroque style meso-bouzouko.

I had also expressed my opinion that, the design, and shape of this instrument, was surpassing, any other design, I had conceived in my mind, until now.

I was very exited for the new turn that my research was taking me, and I was looking forward to find the right luthier who would construct such a unique instrument.

But during the last weeks, something unanticipated happened, which changed my priorities, and made me stay for a little longer at the years of 1880s.

For more than a year, I had dedicated my free time, researching information regarding the ancestors of the trichordo bouzouki, the days before A.Stathopoulos bouzoukia, and their mandolin-style bowl shape, which dominated the bouzouki design after the 1900s.

My latest Politiko tampourobouzouko, (created by the hands of Tasos Theodorakis), was the fruit of that research.

During the years before 1900, the first hybrid bouzoukia, were constructed, by alternating two well known, and well used, instruments.

The tampoura, making hybrids of Tampourobouzouka
and the laouto, making hybrids of Laoutompouzouka.

The philosophy and the design of early laoutobouzouka, followed later by the luthiers Karabas and Gretsis in USA.

Were the hybrid tampourompouzouka ancestors of the hybrid laoutompouzouka? The other way around? Or the two hybrid styles constructed and developed in different geographical regions of Greece and Asia Minor, at the same time?

One theory proposes that, during the passage from the tampoura to the new hybrids,( the elevation and the extension of the fretboard on the soundboard, the replacement of the mobile (animal gut) frets to metal stable frets, and the replacement of the wooden pegs to mechanical keys), some luthiers started to use the body of laouto, since that one, could offer a safer construction in the high tendencies and tunings of the steel strings.

From my research and the recent evidence I collected , I have extracted the conclusion that the above theory is wrong!

Having at my possession in few weeks , the Politiko tampourobouzouko, the possession of a Steriano laoutobouzouko, from the same era, became an immediate necessity.

The route of this blog will return to its initial origins, and the Laconic mainland, where the luthier Giannis Tsoulogiannis will be called to revive this Steriano hybrid bouzouki.

The uniqueness , beauty , and details of this bouzouki will likely surpass the Politiko one!

I am sure that the shape, scale, tuning, number of strings, and sound of this bouzouki, will become the center of further conversation and research.

Usaly at the beginning of an instrument construction I am giving some specifications of design and materials which the luthier will use. Not this time.

I will ask for your understanding!
I promise that the outcome will worth all of your anticipation, as the attempt to construct a Steriano laoutobouzouko , will may become the cause to rewrite history !