Dependending on the instruments quality, in today's market a Japanese made Bozo can be purchased form $1,000 to $2,500 USD. The production of these guitars started in late 1974 and was terminated somewhere in 1984.
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The manufacture proceeded to build "Bozo guitars" including the B60, B80, and B100 models, some with laminated back and sides, some all solid wood construction. who was representing K.Yairi / Alvarez Yairi guitars. It was during this time he "licensed" several of his designs to a Japanese firm, M.G. Podunavac moved from Chicago to San Diego, California, opening his own workshop and teaching guitar construcion in his school of lutherie. On the same website Bozo shows off a unique double-neck instrument he had created.Īs I have mentioned, Mr. The owner says the guitars craftsmanship you don't see much these days except for high-end, boutique guitars. The nut and saddle are both made of scalloped ivory which was added to the instrument by the previous owner. The guitar had maple binding and a German spruce top with "rope" purfling, not "herringbone", as many people call it. Podunavac prefers more than the currently unavailable Brazilian rosewood. This guitar is a 1969 Bell Western model and features Indian rosewood back and sides, which Mr. This one is owned by a gentleman that was fortunate enough to visit Bozo's home and have him inspect the instrument he had purchased on eBay. Some of Bozo's early instruments were not as ornate as the guitars he made later in life. She has played this guitar all over the world in many concerts. But they are not nearly as ornate as this beautiful instrument made by Bozo Podunavac, and previously owned by singer/songwriter Janis Ian. I have always had a fondness for parlor guitars. The bridge is solid ebony, which is also inlaid with abalone. The five piece laminated neck goes right through the headstock, which has gold Grover Imperial tuners. The finger rest is made from a piece of carved ebony, with an inlaid border and design. Podunavac built this beautiful archtop guitar in 2007 it as a back and sides are hand carved from solid maple, and it comes with a carved and solid spruce top, with a Venetian cutaway. It is a work of art, and is totally playable. Here is a one-of-a-kind miniature Bozo guitar that was build in 1996 for guitar collector Scott Chinery. Though most Bozo guitars were heavily decorated, this 1967 Bozo 'Bell' model is relatively plain when compared to most of his instruments. Kottke owned and played these three custom-made Bozo 12 strings. He is also know for his unconventional tunings and unusual style of finger picking. Although Leo plays six string guitars, he is best known for using a 12 string instrument. One popular guitarists that played and owned several Bozo guitars is Leo Kottke. The neck block is signed by Bozo Podunavac. The position markers are of Bozo Podunavac's own design, using three rectangles. The headstock has a Bozo rendering of his name and a traditional ‘Flowerpot’ – of course in Abalone. The ebony bridge is heavily shaped and inlaid, again with Abalone. The decorated rosette shows Bozo’s European influences – flowers, more herringbone, and more Abalone. The body is Indian Rosewood for the back and sides and spruce for the top, with herringbone binding on the back and doubled Abalone and herringbone on the top. It is heavily ornamented, but that’s not to mask or make up for some deficiency in the quality of construction or tone.
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The Bozo Podunavac B-100 12C, like all Bozo guitars, is spectacular. He left the Chicago area in the mid 70's and moved to Southern California and opened his own shop in San Diego along with a school of lutherie.īecause of health problems, he moved to Florida where he continued to offer build guitars, and offer services.
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Podunavac apprenticed in the old world tradition of his homeland, and he relishes building highly ornate instruments. In 1964 he opened he opened his own shop and began building guitars with his name "BOZO" on the peghead. There he began working in the repair shop of a musical dealer and manufacturer. He served his apprenticeship with Serbian master luthier Milutin Mladenovic which concluded in 1950.īozo Podunavac emigrated to US in 1959 and settle in Chicago. This can certainly be applied to Bozo Podunavac, who was a Serbian born master luthier. However, the name Bozo is a South Slavic masculine name meaning 'Divine Gift'. In Spain, people who speak the language poorly are called 'bozos'. If you are younger, the term Bozo might bring to mind a rude, insignificant man. When we hear the name Bozo, the thoughts of people that grew up in the 1950's and '60's turn to the kiddie show that was called Bozo, The World's Most Famous Clown.