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The Celtic music world changed a whole lot with the emergence of bands like Planxty in the 1970s, with Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny bringing the Greek bouzouki into play. It proved to be a wonderful alternative to the guitar as a rhythm instrument in Irish music and was a new and exciting melodic voice as well. The Irish bouzouki evolved - using four courses, more modal tunings and different designs to the Greek instrument. Most Irish bouzoukis are now flat-topped and flat-backed instruments. There are many makers in the U.K., the U.S. and throughout the world. One of the pioneers of new bouzouki design was Stefan Sobell of Hexham, UK. He calls them “Citterns” due to their flat backs. He designed a carved-top, lute-shaped instrument on which be bases his bouzoukis, mandolins, ocave mandolins etc. He also makes fine guitars. Andy Irvine showed up a few years ago playing a beautiful guitar-shaped bouzouki from Stefan Sobell and started a new movement in the craft. For the solo musician, the guitar-shaped instrument has a fuller bass response whilst retaining some of the nasal, penetrating sound of the lute-shaped bouzoukis.
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