Banzouki

The Banzouki is a stringed musical instrument based on the designs of the banjo and the Greek or Irish Bouzouki. It is a hybrid instrument similar to the [http://www.goldtone.com/products/details.asp?subarea=specialtybanjos&subarea2=banjola] Goldtone Banjola. Although, the Banjola is a five string instrument with a Mandola style body. And, the Banzouki is a 9 string instrument with an F hole style body based on the Cittern or Irish Bouzouki. The instrument uses four courses of two strings paired, similar to the Bouzouki. And, like the Bouzouki, the lower courses are octave pairs, while the two upper courses are paired in unison. However, the instrument also includes a fifth string below the lowest course, much like a five string banjo. Tuning is similar to the banjo as well as the instrument was designed to picked or strummed in much the same fashion. Instead of the banjo's skin or fiber head, the Banzouki uses a wooden soundboard of Spanish cedar or other traditional soundboard wood.

The first official Banzouki was built in 2007 by luthier Eric Butler.