Gold Tone BZ-1000 Guitar-Bodied Bouzouki Mandolin with Case
$ 1,049.99
The Gold Tone BZ-1000 is a beautifully crafted guitar-bodied Irish bouzouki with a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a built-in Fishman undersaddle pickup — everything you need to play authentic Celtic and folk music right out of the box, hard case included. Set up in GGDDAADD tuning with octave-paired lower courses and unison upper courses, it delivers that deep, resonant, chimey tone that defines the Irish bouzouki tradition. Whether you’re sitting in on a session or recording, this instrument punches well above its price.
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The Irish bouzouki has one of the most fascinating origin stories in folk music. In 1969, Irish musician Dónal Lunny received a Greek bouzouki from a friend and, being left-handed, reversed the strings and restrung them in unison pairs — fundamentally transforming the instrument’s voice. When Lunny brought that modified instrument into Planxty in 1972, it found its home in Celtic music forever. Gold Tone’s BZ-1000 honors that lineage with a guitar-bodied bouzouki built for real playing. The BZ-1000 ships tuned GGDDAADD, with octave-paired strings on the third and fourth courses and unison pairs on the first and second — exactly the configuration that gives the Irish bouzouki its characteristic shimmer and depth. If you’ve been wanting to explore Celtic sessions, singer-songwriter accompaniment, or world folk styles, this instrument is genuinely one of the best entry points at this price.
Construction quality on the BZ-1000 is serious. The top is solid spruce — not laminate — which means this instrument will open up and improve tonally as it ages and gets played. The mahogany back, sides, and neck add warmth and sustain, while the ebony bridge with bone saddle keeps the tone focused and bright on the attack. The 1-3/8″ ZeroGlide nut keeps open strings perfectly in tune and makes the instrument far easier to play in first position. Nineteen frets on a rosewood fingerboard with snowflake inlays give you plenty of range, and the 24-3/4″ scale length keeps tension manageable — important on an eight-string instrument. The sealed guitar-style tuners with metal buttons stay put reliably, and the two-way adjustable truss rod means the neck can be dialed in precisely for any playing style or seasonal change. The Fishman undersaddle pickup with onboard preamp is a genuinely useful inclusion: this is a fully gig-ready instrument right out of the box. Chrome hardware and a high-gloss natural finish round out a package that looks as good as it sounds.
Every BZ-1000 receives a professional factory setup at Gold Tone in Titusville, Florida before shipping. That means the nut slots, action at the saddle and neck, intonation, and truss rod relief are all checked and adjusted, and the Fishman pickup is verified to function properly. This professional setup ensures the BZ-1000 plays as well as it possibly can when it arrives at your door. This is something you simply don’t get when you order from a big-box retailer.
Why Buy From Banjo Warehouse
Banjo Warehouse is an authorized Gold Tone dealer, which means every instrument we sell is covered by Gold Tone’s full manufacturer warranty and backed by our own customer service. I’ve been in the folk and acoustic instrument world for over 45 years — I co-own Watch & Learn in Atlanta, wrote Banjo Primer (the top-rated beginner banjo method on the market). I’ve spent decades evaluating instruments at every price point, and I only carry instruments I believe in. The Gold Tone BZ-1000 is one I recommend without hesitation. We’re based in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and we’re happy to answer questions before or after your purchase. Financing is available through PayPal Pay in 4, Afterpay, and 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plans — no late fees, no hassle. There’s no reason to wait to get the instrument you want.
Gold Tone BZ-1000 Specifications
| Top | Solid Spruce |
| Back & Sides | Mahogany |
| Neck Material | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Frets | 19 |
| Inlay | Snowflake |
| Nut | 1-3/8″ ZeroGlide Nut |
| Bridge | Ebony with Bone Saddle |
| Truss Rod | Two-Way Adjustable |
| Tuners | Sealed Guitar-Style with Metal Buttons |
| Hardware Finish | Chrome Plated |
| Binding | Black ABS |
| Body Finish | Natural / High Gloss |
| Pickup | Fishman Undersaddle with Preamp |
| Scale Length | 24-3/4″ |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs. |
| String Gauge | .018, .045w, .016, .035w, .018, .018, .016, .016 |
| Tuning | GGDDAADD |
| Case | Hard Case Included |
| Setup Location | Titusville, FL, USA (Gold Tone) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the BZ-1000 be tuned to GDAD or GDAE instead of the standard GGDDAADD?
Yes, absolutely. The Irish bouzouki — sometimes called a cittern — is a highly flexible instrument and has historically been played in GDAD, GDAE, ADAD, CFAD, and other tunings depending on the player’s tradition and repertoire. The BZ-1000 ships in GGDDAADD with the string gauges Gold Tone specifies for that tuning, but many players retune it or restring it for alternate setups. If you’re planning to use a different tuning regularly, feel free to reach out and we can talk through string gauge options before your instrument ships.
Does the Fishman pickup on the BZ-1000 require batteries, and how does the preamp work?
Yes, the Fishman undersaddle system with onboard preamp runs on a standard 9-volt battery. The preamp gives you volume control and typically EQ shaping so you can dial in your plugged-in sound for live or studio use. It’s a well-respected pickup system that Gold Tone has used across a number of their instruments — quiet, natural-sounding, and reliable. The pickup function is checked as part of the professional setup process at the Gold Tone factory before your BZ-1000 ships.
Is a left-handed version of the BZ-1000 available?
Gold Tone does offer the BZ-1000 as a left-handed model. If you need the left-handed version, please contact us directly at Banjo Warehouse and we’ll get one ordered for you as an authorized Gold Tone dealer.
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