Ozark Irish Bouzouki

So this is a Romanian built Ozark Irish Bouzouki. I bought it a couple of months ago from Hobgoblin music in the UK as an upgrade to my existing Hora Concert model. It cost roughly twice what the Hora did, ($1,550 shipped from Britain, plus another $300 for a proper set up by a luthier and decent quality strings) and there's no doubt that the workmanship on it is vastly superior to the Hora instruments, (Though they are made by the same company)

But, in my rush to buy this, I wasn't taking a detailed look at one particular feature that I should probably have examined a bit closer, namely the bridge.

This bridge is set really high, like on an archtop instrument. The base of the fret board is raised from the body and the bridge is high to meet it. If I'd taken the time to realise this I wouldn't have hit the 'Buy' button, because a high bridge is completely unsuited to my playing style. (Which is why I've never bought or used any guitars, mandolins or bouzoukis with arch top/high bridge configuration)

I play with my right hand resting on the bridge and keep time with the knuckle of my little finger as I play. For this to work, the bridge needs to be as low as possible and on this one it's a full 23mm elevation from the top, leaving me with nowhere to hold my right hand in my normal playing position.

Like I say, I REALLY should have looked closer at this configuration.

I'm listing it as 'new' because it really is. It's also heart-breakingly beautiful.