Electric Guitars, Basses and Mandolins
by Michael Stevens, Alpine, Texas
Foko Bouklis
Foko is a guitarist and composer currently living and working in Greece. Back in 1981, Foko moved to the US to study at Berklee College of Music. After Berklee, he stayed in America and was active in the Boston music scene until 2000 when he moved back to Greece.
Since 1989 he has been fronting his own instrumental band. He has released 3 instrumental albums: An Expressionist’s View (1995, Sony); Confession (1999, Microtone); and Live (2007, Microtone).
He is currently working on his latest album, “The Sound Of Unemployment“.
“It took a very long time for me to finally own and enjoy this iconic instrument. It’s a Fender era LJ (no. 12). I started looking for one in 2004, after deciding to move away from bolt-on, and instead use a set neck guitar.
After you’ve been chasing something for 14 years, you tend to have such high expectations and build it up in your mind so much that when it’s finally in your hands you feel underwhelmed by the experience. Well… this did not happen with this guitar. It exceeded all my expectations.
It’s the best guitar I’ve ever played: tremendous piano like projection, ‘soundstage’ and balance; superb intonation throughout the fretboard; beautiful beyond words. And then you flick the bridge pick up on and you are instantly reminded that a cowboy built it.
Michael Stevens is head and shoulders above everyone else. It’s a priviledge and an honour to play one of his guitars.”
–Foko, 2018
