Melbourne - 11-18-2006 at 11:18 PM
Hey guys - this is for all you bouzouki experts out there...
I would love some assistance here. I picked up this bouzouki from a second hand place the other day. As can be seen in the photo below, it's a very
decent instrument. However the problem is that it has been sitting there for God only knows how many years; unplayed, and the strings in full tension
- very unhealthy for any stringed instrument. So as a result, a nasty bend had developed in the neck, as illustrated in the diagram below. At the
middle of the fingerboard, the strings are about 6mm high; the strings are very hard to finger and the instrument is almost unplayable.
I'm sure some guys in here have dealt with bouzoukis. Would any one know if this problem is fixable?? I knew this guy who used to heat bend guitar
necks back into place, but I'm not sure if this can work with a bouzouki, especially with all the enlays and the plastic veneering at the back of the
neck. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks guys... 
Melbourne - 11-18-2006 at 11:20 PM
Ok for some reason the diagram wont load up...But here's a pic I took earlier
Melbourne - 11-18-2006 at 11:22 PM
the attachment would help 
...
will_oud - 11-20-2006 at 02:55 PM
If the bouzouki ha a truss rod, and the bend is not too terribly bad, you can ajust the truss rod.
Wiliam F. Sparks
mavrothis - 11-21-2006 at 11:54 AM
Hi there,
I used to play bouzouki, and have had to deal with a lot of bent necks. Without a truss rod, it's very difficult to fix this problem unless there is
enough fingerboard/neck material to plane it down. Otherwise you might have to replace the neck if you really want this to be easily playable.
I've had necks heated and pressed many times, and it never works in the long term b/c of the string tension.
You should have a luthier take a look at this, especially if they have bouzouki experience, and see what they say. They might have better news for
you I hope.
Take care,
mavrothis
sidjones - 11-21-2006 at 05:00 PM
Hello Melbourne:
This is a common problem for all but the best of bouzoukis. The easiest correction would be to remove the fingerboard, shave the neck until it is
straight, then re-attach the fingerboard. For the same reason this neck warped, it will warp again. The full correction would be to remove the
entire neck and replace it with one that is properly constructed. This would involve removing the head from the neck. I would say that only a master
bouzouki maker would be capable of improving the entire neck/head. A properly made neck should not warp badly within your entire lifetime, but the
same errors that led to the warpage of your neck are probably incorporated into the rest of the bouzouki body. The easy (first) correction mentioned
above is probably the easiest to justify. However, it's been my observation that warped necks are not the most common action-raising failure. Most
often, the problem is that the glue joint between the neck and the top block in the body has relaxed, and that sets the neck at an angle that promotes
deflection, not warping, which looks like a warped neck. If this is the case, a re-glue job may fix the instrument. The worst kind of defect related
to all this is when the top block in the body cracks, from weakness. In such a case there is no long-term fix, and your instrument has become a
beautiful ornament to place above the fireplace. LOL
Regards,
Sid
Melbourne - 11-24-2006 at 05:34 AM
Ouch....
Hey thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. Ive managed to track down a luthier here in Melb who has dealt with bouzoukis in the past. I will
be seen him tomorrow, so fingers crossed. And if she has to end up on top of the fireplace....
I've learnd a good lesson...
spyros mesogeia - 11-28-2006 at 06:55 AM
Hello my friend,
Try to get instruments that they are vgood for the sound,and not for how they look.
If you like bouzouki[greek bouzouki] contact me,I can give you some details.
Regards to all
Spyros Koliavasilis
Melbourne - 11-30-2006 at 03:35 AM
Hi Spyros
Thanks for your reply. I may be looking at getting a bouzouki in the near future, once I overcome the nasty sting of this one 
. I think I would be more interested in a trechordo bouzouki, and I will contact you
for advice.
Take care;
Samer