Dio Dino
silencer bouzouki
SPECS.
- Designed and built by luthier Dino Bersis in Astoria, NY
- Solid body tetrachord Greek bouzouki
- Mahogany body
- Pearloid tuners
- Abalone dots
- Stereo output, one for the Fishman piezo pickup in the bridge and one for passive neck position magnetic pickup
- 13th Silencer made, and possibly one of the last. It wasn't popular in the community.
BACKSTORY
My Greek half of the family is very musical. Everyone either sings or plays and instrument. At Greek Easter parties there was plenty of dancing and singing to classic Rembetika music from the 50's and on. The music is very ethnic sounding in timing and instrumentation but the tempo will vary. All the songs are about lost love, drugs, drinking, or all of the above. Growing up in Astoria, these songs were everywhere and easily recognizable to people in the neighborhood.
Greek bouzouki is the lead instrument in Rembetika music. So when I was in high school I was taking bass lessons at school and greek bouzouki lessons after school. I was pretty overloaded with health problems, but this particular instrument got me through it. I played the walnut floor model and I couldn't believe how much better it played compared to a traditional acoustic bouzouki and how vibrant the piezo pickup was. I convinced my dad to commission Dino for my bouzouki and I gave Dino a drawing of the 2-color design.
Dino Bersis was anything but traditional in his builds, but "The Silencer" was born out of necessity rather than pure innovation. Part time bouzouki student, and full time meteorologist, Joe Witte needed a quieter way to practice the instrument in his NYC apartment. Joe suggested a solid body instrument that he could plug into headphones. Dino rose to the challenge and created something truly unique.
In addition to the Silencer, he built a bunch of hybrid instruments, a midi-bouz, and his own portable amp enclosed in PVC pipe. His inlay work was also very progressive to the point it aggravated the traditional crowd. Remembering that Dino's work wasn't everyone's cup of tea makes me feel very lucky to have known him. I can do a hell of a lot more with his Silencer than I ever could have with a traditional bouzouki and I owe it all to him.
- Designed and built by luthier Dino Bersis in Astoria, NY
- Solid body tetrachord Greek bouzouki
- Mahogany body
- Pearloid tuners
- Abalone dots
- Stereo output, one for the Fishman piezo pickup in the bridge and one for passive neck position magnetic pickup
- 13th Silencer made, and possibly one of the last. It wasn't popular in the community.
BACKSTORY
My Greek half of the family is very musical. Everyone either sings or plays and instrument. At Greek Easter parties there was plenty of dancing and singing to classic Rembetika music from the 50's and on. The music is very ethnic sounding in timing and instrumentation but the tempo will vary. All the songs are about lost love, drugs, drinking, or all of the above. Growing up in Astoria, these songs were everywhere and easily recognizable to people in the neighborhood.
Greek bouzouki is the lead instrument in Rembetika music. So when I was in high school I was taking bass lessons at school and greek bouzouki lessons after school. I was pretty overloaded with health problems, but this particular instrument got me through it. I played the walnut floor model and I couldn't believe how much better it played compared to a traditional acoustic bouzouki and how vibrant the piezo pickup was. I convinced my dad to commission Dino for my bouzouki and I gave Dino a drawing of the 2-color design.
Dino Bersis was anything but traditional in his builds, but "The Silencer" was born out of necessity rather than pure innovation. Part time bouzouki student, and full time meteorologist, Joe Witte needed a quieter way to practice the instrument in his NYC apartment. Joe suggested a solid body instrument that he could plug into headphones. Dino rose to the challenge and created something truly unique.
In addition to the Silencer, he built a bunch of hybrid instruments, a midi-bouz, and his own portable amp enclosed in PVC pipe. His inlay work was also very progressive to the point it aggravated the traditional crowd. Remembering that Dino's work wasn't everyone's cup of tea makes me feel very lucky to have known him. I can do a hell of a lot more with his Silencer than I ever could have with a traditional bouzouki and I owe it all to him.