8 string 'newzouki'

[ken cierp]

I would have thought that with a zero fret there is no need to capo? Since the nut end of the string is as low as it can go -- am I missing something?

[Dave Bagwill]

Probably not missing a thing, I really had not even thought of it!

[Dave Bagwill]

I've had it strung up and been playing it for a few days now.
First impression: gosh, it sounds like a bouzouki
Second: I am not that fond of the sound of a bouzouki
Third: after changing the configuration from 2 each of G,D,a,e strings to ONE D, ONE G, and 2 each a and e, I'm much happier. Some of the muddiness inherent in instruments like this is gone, I get a nice clear bass line and the trebles still sound like they did, which is ok. It's also better for fingerstyle.

Everything else about it is fine, and after another week I will do final intonation, make a new nut, cut a groove in the bridge for the single strings, then start the finishing process. NO pores!!!!! Yay!!!

Will post a clip at that point - before the finish.

edit: to clarify, I now have a .052 tuned to D, a .047 tuned to G, 2x.017 tuned to a, and 2x.010 tuned to d.

[Dave Bagwill]

Did a little more fooling around. Mainly, I swapped out the bass strings for lighter ones - still using the dgad tuning - and it made quite a difference. So now I have a d (.032), a g (.023) , two a's (.017) and two d's (.010). More resonance, I'm a bit happier now but will mix it up a bit tomorrow to see what happens. I may go down an octave.

[John Parchem]

Sounds like it is ready for some Irish music. The instrument looks so good in the picture I thought it was finished already.

[Dave Bagwill]

No mic, just raw from a small camera.

[John Parchem]

Sounds good for its size.