5 ELVES OF INTEREST
The
Instrument Maker
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GREG GARDNER
James “Dimitri” Perras works for about 10 cents
an hour and he loves it.
The retired cancer researcher makes exotic
custom string instruments by hand in his Port
St. Lucie garage. Perras always has several projects
going on at the same time because of down
time for glue to set and dry.
In various stages of completion are a bouzouki,
oud, flamenco guitar and ukulele. A true labor of
love, it takes
about two
months to complete
one
bouzouki.
“It’s fun and a
challenge,” says
Perras, who has
been woodworking
for 40
years. “It keeps
me occupied,
particularly
since my wife
passed away. I
have a lot of
time on my
hands and I like
to keep busy.”
His living room
is adorned with
some of the 150
painting and
pen and ink
drawings he has
created over the
years. Also
hanging on the
walls are a custom
bouzouki
and an acoustic guitar he handcrafted.
Perras built his first bouzouki after his late wife
brought one home from Greece and the neck
began to sag.. “It was getting warped and I took it
apart and redid everything but the bowl. Then I
tried to make the ribs for the bowl. I was working
only on the weekends, but I finally got the hang
of it.”
The bouzouki and the oud are both from the Middle East,
but are popular in Greece, where Perras’ descendants are
from. Each bouzouki sells for $1,200. “The money is mostly
to buy more materials to make more bouzoukis. If you count
my time, I make about 10 cents an hour.”
In addition to the intricate woodwork and inlaid pearl, he
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