The “Axe” features an unusual combination of flat-top with carved-back. The carved back gives me a great deal of control over the tone of this bouzouki and plays an important role in the Axe’s projection and dynamic range.
My design for this instrument followed a commission from Benji Kirkpatrick (Bellowhead, Faustus). Here is how he describes the sound:
“It has a great range of sound; perfect clarity when you’re playing melody lines or delicately picking and a considerable amount of punch when strumming hard. The carved back really projects the sound forward and it feels incredibly robust and able to withstand a good hammering without sonically falling apart. There’s nothing contained about the sound either, it’s immediately open and wants to fill the space generously.”
Specification
Cedar top
European maple Carved-back
Ebony Fingerboard
Brazilian Mahogany neck
Polished Ebony bridge
Ebony head facing
Ebony binding front and back of body.
Ebony and birch bound fingerboard
Rosewood or Ebony handmade truss rod cover
Satin lacquer finish
Shippey handmade rosette
Shippey designed and made tailpiece.
Mini enclosed black Gotoh tuners (Gotoh 510 tuners optional)
Bone nut and saddle
648mm scale length
35 mm nut width
9.5″ compound radius fingerboard
Two way adjustable truss rod
