The 12 important landmarks

For genuine Anastasios Stathopoulos bouzoukia!

In regards to a request from a blog follower, asking for a simple way in which someone can identify how close to its original State, a genuine  A. Stathopoulos bouzouki has been kept, I decided to create a simple guide showcasing the 12 most important ( in my opinion) landmarks.

1.- A. Stathopoulos bouzoukia were carrying 8  Mandolin A type tuners 

2.- At the back of the neck (where neck connects to the head stock) the neck was creating a V shape extension into the head stock

The neck usually was made by 3 laminate( kontres) of wood, but also sometimes by a solid one piece of wood. 

3.- The first fret marker was at the second fret and not at the third as we usually see on modern bouzouki instruments 

4.- Stathopoulos bouzoukia were really meso-bouzouka, as their scale was much shorter than modern bouzoukia

5.-At the back of the neck and the bowl, the " xelidoni" connection was not straight , creating a bevel ( small oblique angle)

6.-Stathopoulos bouzoukia were carrying a round sound-hole, which had  been decorated with a wooden carved rosette

7.-They had a symmetrical centered pick guard , usually made by tortoise shell or dark natural wood 

8.-Inside their bowl, someone could identify luthier's ,very hard to remove, label . Depending from what year the instrument was  made,  we see different labels, having luthier's name ( A. Stathopoulos) or company's name (House of Stathopoulo)

9.-Stathopoulos bouzoukia were not three course neither four course instruments, rather multi course instruments custom designed for the needs of their users. Their tuning may had been a three course bouzouki tuning (still under research), but carrying more strings usually  at the first place (kantinia) and the last (mourgkanes). The original bridge had usually more than 3 pairs of grooves. In the expensive models, the bridge was made by bone, where at cheaper ones from metal. 

10.-Their bowl usually was made by curly maple, Brazilian rosewood, or the combination of the two.

11.-Stathopoulos bouzoukia (most of them) carried a A.Stathopoulos New York, circled stamp, placed at the lower middle part of the sound board , between the bridge and the tailpiece.

12.- Finally, these bouzouki instruments had the characteristic soundboard step, we are usually see on Neapolitan mandolins