An Elite tear-shape tampouro-bouzouko

And the talented underdog luthier Kostas Zarkadas !

Inside The Art Book illustrations resides a folder named " Elite instruments", which refers to tampouro-bouzouka concepts ideas, with a very unique shape and an elaborated design.

These instruments are the top-of the-line  illustrations, and their construction requires by a luthier, great talent and attention to every detail.

The beautiful Politiko bouzouki V2  made by the hands of the luthier Andreas Dellios, is one of these Elite instrument designs. 

Almost a month ago, I found some free time to update the Elite folder with two new personal designs.

My good friend and talented luthier Kostas Zarkadas, (a frequent member of  Luthier.gr forum)  inspired by the tear-shape bowl and design which one of them carries, asked me to use it as the blueprint for the construction of his new tear shape bouzouki

Concept design (c) 2016 S.Dimis

This latest design features a lower wide tear shape bowl, (with 1-2-1  Staves alignment ) a unique pick-guard design made by rosewood, three sound holes with unique wooden rosettes , a custom head-stock and a custom tail-piece. 

The luthier after creating the unique tear shape mold cut and started placing the rosewood / mulberry-wood staves and the in-between fillets,  following exactly the 1-2-1 original design.

The luthier also started shaping the unique rosewood pick-guard shape which follows the laws of a personal patent. (http://memoriesoftheinnocentage.blogspot.com/2013/10/artistic-lutherieunique-bouzouki-patents.html )

Accordingly to the patent, the shape of the pick-guard plays also the role of the soundboard decoration, creating a contrast between the rosewood plywood and the spruce soundboard

 The luthier placed the white filet around the pick guard shape, before recessing it into the spruce soundboard. 

Finally, the luthier Kostas Zarkadas started constructing the elaborated rosette around the main sound hole using Acrylic Celluloid / Jel Coat bi-component with "lampblack" for the dark parts.

Stay tuned as the luthier will continue to send me step by step photos in this difficult and commendable effort constructing an Elite tampouro-bouzouko.