Cittern/bouzouki makers in Europe.
(Countries are now alphabetically ordered)
Hugo Valcke
Guitars, banjos, slide guitars/resophonics, mandolins, citterns & bouzoukis,
dulcimers.
Hugo Valcke Handmade Stringed Instruments Nieuwstraat 14A 8581 Waarmaarde Belgium Phone/fax: (+32/0) 55 305555 E-mail: info@hugovalcke.be Homepage: www.hugovalcke.be
Stefan Sobell
mandolins, citterns, bouzoukis, guitars
high quality materials and workmanship,
archtop instruments, with round soundhole (NOT f-hole)
Stefan Sobell, The Old School, Whitley Chapel, Hexham, Northumberland NE47 0HB England Phone: (01434) 673567 or 637338 E-mail: stefan@sobell.cix.co.uk Homepage: http://www.cix.co.uk/~sobell/
Andy Manson
all sorts of stringed acoustic and electric instruments.
also builds to customer specifications.
Andy Manson The Ark 18 High Street Crediton Devon EX17 3AH England Tel/fax: +44 (0) 1363 773119 E-mail: andy@andymanson.fsnet.co.uk Homepage: http://www.andymanson.co.uk/
Peter Abnett,
guitars, bouzoukis, banjos, mandolins and almost any other stringed instrument.
Peter Abnett has been making instrument for about 30 years now. Both Donal
Lunny and Andy Irvine (I had one too, till about a year ago - you can still see
pictures of it here) own instruments made by him.
Peter Abnett 63 Whitehouse Crescent, Burham NR., Rochester, Kent, ME1 3SU, UK Phone: (01634) 865254 E-mail: DAbnett@aol.com (This is the e-mail of Dan Abnett, Peter's son, who will forward any inquiries)
Bruce Cook
Peter Anderson reports:
"The maker of my bouzouki wasn't in the makers section, so I thought I'd send you his contact info. I'm not sure if he's still making instruments, or whether he's mostly a bouzouki maker, since I haven't tried to get in touch with him yet.
I bought the instrument secondhand at MacNeill's in Dublin. It's an 4-course Irish bouzouki, 24 frets. It uses ball-end strings, with the bridge set up a bit like a steel-string accoustic guitar. I'm not sure about the materials, I should have asked when I got a new saddle made for it at HMT... It has a very nice sound, though. The soundbox is like that of a typical bouzouki except that there are two small indentations, one on each side of the bottom end. These are kind of nifty since they fit into the leg and elbow when playing sitting down, and keep the instrument steady."
Bruce Cook 2 Rock Cottages Treales Kirkham, Preston, Lancashire. PR4 3SR
Paul Hathway,
bouzoukis, mandolins, guitars, lutes
Paul Hathway, 47 Langley Drive, Wanstead, London E11 2LN England Phone: (020) 8530 4317 Fax: (020) 8925 9879 E-mail: p.hathway@ntlworld.com Homepage: http://www.paulhathway.com/
John LeVoi,
guitars (including Selmer-style acoustics), mandolin-family instruments
John LeVoi, West Street, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 9EZ, United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) 1 507 463341 E-mail: john@johnlevoiguitars.co.uk Homepage: http://www.johnlevoiguitars.co.uk
Fylde
bouzoukis, citterns, guitars, mandolins.
Made at a small factory, but good workmanship.
All instruments feature a dark cedar top, and
(except for the guitars) a distinctive teardrop-shaped body.
Their usual bouzouki model (called the "Octavius") features a guitar-like
pin-bridge, and is set up with octave strings. Their mandolins and mandolas
feature the more common bridge & tailpiece setup.
Fylde also offers two carved-top, bridge & tailpiece type bouzoukis,
one shorter (596mm) and one long (668mm) scale, with a more rounded body and a
round soundhole, and a cittern in the same style.
As a major addition to their product line Fylde now offer a range of what they
call "High Specification
Models", which includes fancier versions of most of their mandolin-family
instruments.
(also available through Hobgoblin Music)
Fylde Guitars Hartness Rd. Gilwilly Industrial Estate, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 9BN, UK Phone: xx44-1768-891515 Fax: xx44-1768-868998 E-mail: RogerBucknall@fyldeguitars.com Homepage: http://www.fyldeguitars.com/
Oakwood,
bouzoukis, mandolins, guitars, citterns,
various models available, both flattop and archtop.
Also banjos, harps, hammer dulcimers.
Oakwood Instruments, 8 Ladywood Road, Leeds LS8 2QF England Phone: (0113) 2658585 E-mail: workshop@oakwoodinstruments.co.uk Homepage: http://www.oakwoodinstruments.co.uk/
Andy Tobin - Tobin Instruments,
handmade bouzoukis, blarges, citterns, mandolas, mandolins, guitars.
Andy Tobin, Spindleberry Cottage, Church Lane, Compton Bishop, Axbridge Somerset, BS26 2HB England Tel: +44 (0)1934 733197 E-mail: info@tobininstruments.co.uk Homepage: www.tobininstruments.co.uk
Phil Davidson,
makes carved-top mandolins, mandolas, bouzoukis in a style reminiscent of
Gibson's "A" style instruments.
(also available through Hobgoblin Music)
Phil Davidson Bury Hill Farm High St, Wick, Bristol United Kingdom Phone: +44 0 117 937 4920
Neil Brook
bouzoukis, citterns, octave mandolas, mandolins, hurdy-gurdy's.
Also double-neck instruments that combine f.e. bouzouki and mandolin
in one instruments.
Neil W. Brook. 1. Shire Bank Crescent. Fulwood, Preston. PR2 9QE. Lancashire. England. Phone: (0)1772 774650 E-mail: hurdy.gurdy@virgin.net Homepage: freespace.virgin.net/hurdy.gurdy/
From his website:
Kai Toenjes has been making musical instruments for the past ten years. After a thorough training first in Germany, then Scotland and London, he has set up his workshop in Sittingbourne. He is concentrating on making Irish bouzoukis and violins and their relatives (mandolins, citterns, violas, viola d´amores). Each instrument is individually made by hand to a high standard of craftsmanship.
Kai Toenjes 46 Grange Rd Ramsgate Kent CT11 9LP UK Tel./Fax : (0044) 01795 42 33 99 E-mail: mail@kai-toenjes.de Homepage: www.kai-toenjes.de
From his website:
Although I make primarily early instruments these days, I have also made members of the mandolin family. Bouzouki is my favoured instrument for personal recreation ----- I've had one for about 10 or 12 years. Check out my site,you won't be disappointed."
George Stevens 11 Ness Road Lydd Romney Marsh Kent TN29 9DR UK Tel : (+44) 01797 320152 E-mail: George.Stevens@btopenworld.com Homepage: www.btinternet.com/~george.stevens
Formerly an apprentice to Stefan Sobell, since 2003 he has his own workshop where he builds mainly guitars, but also mandolins and bouzoukis/citterns.
Nigel Forster NKForster Guitars Tel : (+44/0) 191 222 0447 E-mail: [No e-mail address given - use the web-based mail form in his homepage]. Homepage: www.nkforsterguitars.com
Daniel Lafontaine
violins, cellos, bouzoukis, dulcimers, psalteries, bodhrans.
Daniel Lafontaine 192 Rue de Belgique 56100 Lorient France Tel./Fax: 33 2 97 83 04 07 E-mail: Daniel.Lafontaine@wanadoo.fr Homepage: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/lutherie (Warning: it's in French !)
Marc Boluda
8 & 10 string bouzoukis, acoustic & electric guitars.
Marc Boluda 686, Chemin De La Grande Bastide 84800 L'Isle-Sur-Sorgue France Phone/fax: 04 90 20 64 86 E-mail: marc.boluda@wanadoo.fr
Philippe Joanes
Mandolas, bouzoukis, guitars, violins, violas
Philippe Joannes 4, Rue du Moulinot 88300 Neufchateau France Tel : 03 29 06 04 05
Philippe Moneret
makes bouzoukis, citterns, mandolins, jazz guitars, folk guitars.
Atelier GEROME Philippe MONERET 12, quai Lebreuil 88500 MIRECOURT Tel : 03 29 37 11 85
I'm living in the south of Germany and I'm building Irish-Bouzoukis since six years. Wellknown musicians in the german scene like Manfred Noll, Jens Schneider (Flap), Barbara Steinort (More Maids), Kerstin Blodig (Touchwood) are already playing my instruments. I'm also building guitars and other stringed instruments.
Heiner Dreizehnter Herbrazhofen 25 88299 Leutkirch Germany Phone: 07561/71980 Fax: 07561/913513 E-mail: mail@irish-bouzouki.com Homepage: www.irish-bouzouki.com
I am specialized in building: Irish Bouzoukis, Guitar-Bouzoukis, Mandolins, Tenor-Guitars, Bariton-Guitars, Ukuleles, Low Whistles and Guitars.
Andreas Koepke "Pendennis handmade folk instruments" Augustental 38 24232 Schoenkirchen Germany Phone: +49 (0)4348 8385 E-mail: pendennis1@yahoo.de Homepage: www.bouzouki.de
Main activity of the company is the development and construction of musical instruments, such as steel string guitars, jazz guitars, Irish bouzoukis, acoustic basses and custom instruments.
Stevens Custom Guitars (Werner Kozlik, Stefan Zirnbauer) Mühldorfstr. 8, Aufgang 5, 81671 München, Germany Tel./Fax: 0049 (0) 89 49 000 785. E-mail: [No e-mail address given - there's a web-based mail form in their homepages]. Homepage: www.guitars.de
Hans de Louter,
violins & violas, guitars, mandolins, citterns, bouzoukis
Built a lot of Maccaferri-style (gypsy-jazz) guitars, and some
archtop guitars, including a Gibson Style "O" copy. Up to now
he has produced one cittern and 6 bouzoukis, of which I own the first flat-top and the first carved-top.
Hans de Louter, Arnhemseweg 139, 7331 BG Apeldoorn, The Netherlands Phone: (055) 5342931
Joe Foley,
bouzoukis, citterns, mandolas, mandolins and guitars.
Joe Foley, 4 Braemor Road, Churchtown, Dublin 14, Ireland Telephone : (+353/0)1 298 2537
Paul Doyle,
guitars, mandolins, bouzoukis, harps,
violins, bodhrans, hurdy-gurdies
Electric versions of most instruments available.
Repairs to all instruments.
Paul Doyle, Musical Instrument Maker, 38A Dominic Street, Galway, Ireland Phone: (091) 566948
Andrew Robinson & Antony O'Brien,
bouzoukis
[According to recent information they are out of business !]
Donal Lunny owns one of his instruments, also the lady who plays the bouzouki with German band "Limerick Junction" uses a 10-string made by him.
35 Marlborough Rd. Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland. Phone: +353-(0)1-2698618
Martin Faherty
guitars, bouzoukis, violins, violas, mandolins, mandolas, cellos.
Martin holds a diploma from Cork School of Music and has been building bouzoukis, violins, cellos, mandolins and guitars since 1978.
Martin Faherty, Clearach, Lissarda, Co. Cork, Ireland Phone: (+353/0) 857640179
Tony Ryan
guitars, bouzoukis, mandolins, mandolas.
Though only a part-time instrument builder (he also has a busy music shop),
the instruments he makes are of good quality and he sells at fair prices.
Worth checking out if you're ever in Cork.
Tony Ryan/Leeside Music 20 MacCurtain Street (opposite The Living Tradition) Cork City, Co. Cork, Ireland Phone: (21) 503553
Frank Tate,
Custom made Bouzoukis Mandolins Mandolas Citterns Banjos Guitars (steel and
nylon string). Also restoration of all stringed instruments.
Frank Tate 40 North Great Georges St. Dublin 1 Ireland Phone: + 353 (0)86 3555700 E-mail: franktate@dublin.com Homepage: www.franktateinstruments.com
Valerio Gorla,
handmade mandolins, mandolas, bouzoukis, citterns.
I recently had a chance to try out a bouzouki made by this Italian maker, which
was bought from him by a Belgian musician at the festival in St. Chartier,
France.
I must say I rather liked it, especially when I heard the price the owner paid
for the instrument. It was a well-built and good-looking instrument, with a
fairly large body and a wide neck. As it was set up with rather light strings,
the instrument's volume was not optimal, but even so, it held itself well in
the session where I tried it. To my opinion, this builder deserved to become
better-known.
Valerio Gorla Via Monte Grappa, 53 20024 Garbagnate Milan Italia Phone: 02-9956710 E-mail: vagorla@tin.it
Harald Hougaard
Harald makes bodhrans, but also guitars, bouzoukis, mandolins, banjos and harps.
He also sells sitars, which he imports from India.
Harald Hougaard Strandpromenaden 154-02 1516 Moss, Norway Phone: (+44/0) +47 95227097 E-mail: haraldhougaard@hotmail.com Homepage: http://www.bodhran.no/
Jimmy Moon - Moon Guitars
Guitar and fretted instrument manufactureres and repairers.
Guitars, bouzoukis, citterns, mandolins.
Jimmy also plays double bass with the Glasgow-based bluegrass band
The Moonshiners".
Moon Guitars - Guitar Workshop 974 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G41 2HA, Scotland Phone: (+44/0) 141 632 9526 Fax: (+44/0) 141 632 9526 E-mail: moon@moonguitars.co.uk Homepage: http://www.moonguitars.co.uk/
David Freshwater
bouzoukis, citterns, octave mandolas, mandolins.
Freshwater instruments have been hand-built in the Highlands of Scotland for 12 years by the Freshwater family. The range comprises of 15 stringed instruments, personalised to customers wishes.
Our range of instruments can be seen on our new website at: www.frettedfolkinstruments.com
Fretted Folk Instruments, Stroma, Croyard Road, Beauly, Inverness-shire, IV4 7EX Scotland. Phone: (+44/0) 1463 782 459 Fax: (+44/0) 1463 783 573 E-Mail: generalenquiries@frettedfolkinstruments.com Homepage: www.frettedfolkinstruments.com
Bill Kelday
is the man who made the cittern for Aaron Jones of Craobh Rua.
He also made a guitar and a baritone guitar for Scottish guitarist
Tony McManus.
William C. Kelday The Guitar Workshop, Unit 3, Aldessan House, The Clachan, Campsie Glen, Glasgow G65 7AB Phone: 01360 311141 E-mail: BILLGUITMK@aol.com Homepage: http://pages.zoom.co.uk/kelday/
M.J. Vanden - Instrument Maker
Specialises in building custom archtop mandolins and guitars. Offering F5
mandolin, f hole mandolin, 'A' mandolin. Sound and quality are second to none.
All styles available as mandolin, mandola, octave mandola, and mando-cello.
M.J. Vanden The Old School House, Strontian, Acheracle, Argyll PH36 4JA, Scotland Phone: 0967 2114
Charles Fotheringham
Quote from his web pages:
"I design and build fretted acoustic instruments, mainly to order. Customers often commission an instrument with a neck designed to closely imitate another instrument that they are comfortable with! I use a range of traditional skills, and where appropriate, very modern techniques, to produce unique instruments of outstanding tonal qualities and playability."
C.A. Fotheringham Falkirk Scotland Phone: (+44/0) 1324 635512 E-mail: charlie@fotheringhams.co.uk/ Homepage: http://www.fotheringhams.co.uk/
Thomas Buchanan
bouzoukis, octave mandolas, mandolins.
Thomas Buchanan is a luthier working in the highlands of Scotland. Over the past 7 years he has been based in Inverness building individually crafted instruments including harps, dulcimers, acoustic guitars and hurdy gurdys for musicians including Phil Cunningham and Brendan O'Regan. The success of these soon brought further orders for folk instruments, prompting him to produce a range of custom designs from the mandolin family. Made from solid timber throughout, selected spruce and cedar for tops, and backs and ribs from maple, cherry and sisoo, these instruments are made with the Celtic musician firmly in mind.
Thomas Buchanan, Inverness, Scotland. Phone: (+44/0) Fax: (+44/0) E-Mail: tbluthier@aol.com Homepage: http://www.folkmandolin.co.uk/
Thornton Caldwell
Quote from website:
I build, Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Bouzouki, Fiddle, Clarsach, and all types of Guitar.
I strive to produce results which can be considered a fusion of two artistic fields, the audio and the visual, “Acoustic Art”.
Thornton Caldwell 23 Chestnut Grove Bo'ness West Lothian EH51 0PJ Tel: (+44/0) 1506 823102 E-Mail: tcluthier@yahoo.co.uk Homepage: www.thesitefactory.co.uk/thorntoncaldwell/home.html
Ola Soderstrom / OS Instruments
bouzoukis, mandolins, mandolas made in Sweden.
His instruments are played by well-known musicians such as Ale Moller and
Roger Tallroth (of Vasen).
Ola Soderstrom / OS Instruments Gamla Apoteket Vasbyvagen 36 194 36 Upplands Vasby Sweden Phone: 08-590 317 47 E-mail: ola.soderstrom@mbox301.swipnet.se Homepage: http://home.swipnet.se/gamla-apoteket/oseng.html (Now in English !)
Adin & Ekvall
Classical & steel string guitars, mandolins, bouzoukis, mandola
"Helge Ekvall and Christer Adin build premium, handmade instruments for
discerning customers all over the world."
Adin & Ekvall Luthiers Rorvik Pl: 6070 457 95 Grebbestad Sweden Tel/Fax: 46-525-143 80 E-mail: helge.ekvall@abc.se Homepage: http://www.luthiers.nu/
Mats Nordwall has focused on building steel string guitars and traditional
folk instruments such as mandolins, mandolas and bouzoukis.
Inspired by Irish, American and Swedish folk music, he tries to build his
instruments so that they work especially well with these types of music.
The instruments has to be easy driven and with a clear tone but still with a
legible tonal core, along with the highest quality aesthetically and in
playability. Everything to satisfy the high demands that each musician put
on their instrument.
Mats Nordwall Instrumentbyggare Drottningholm, Stockholm Sweden Phone: +46 (0)73-932 2427 E-mail: info@nordwallinstrument.com Homepage: http://www.nordwallinstrument.com/
Jon Piquet
guitars, mandolins, bouzoukis.
Jon A. Piquet Instrumentenbau Kreuzstrasse 3 CH-8610 USTER Switzerland (Schweiz) Telefon ++ (0)1 942 02 00 Fax ++ (0)1 941 83 00 E-mail: jonpiguet@bluewin.ch Homepage: http://www.piguetguitars.com/ (in German/English)
I am a Swedish instrument builder wich am now living and working in Switzerland.
I build all kind of stringed instrument such as guitar, mandolin, bouzuki,
tenorguitar, octavmandola and more. My creations are truly unique handbuilt
instrument and I like to build on custom orders.
Runesson Handmade Acoustic Guitars Switzerland Phone: +41 (0) 52 534 37 56 E-mail: info@runessonguitars.com Homepage: http://www.runessonguitars.com/< /A> (in Swedish/English)
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