bj - Posted - 12/24/2010:  10:32:58

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Classfied ad here.
mandohangout.com/classified/2418

I have buyer rating on Fiddle Hangout under same username, and more info in my FHO classified. Yell if you have a question.

FHO classified here:
fiddlehangout.com/classified/2368

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Edited by - bj on 12/24/2010 10:51:30

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/04/2011:  23:32:19

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How does it sound? Like a banjo or like mandolin or a blend of both?

bj - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:14:15

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It's got that plinky oldtime clawhammer banjo tone but with a mando scale and number of strings. Doing a fast strum on it is pretty awesome and it will hold its own in a jam setting.

It's actually pretty sweet. Just heard one very much like this one put to great use by the Ether Frolic Mob at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn. John Cohen played it for awhile, though it did make its rounds, those guys are versatile. If I wasn't so fiddle-obsessed I'd keep it. But I just got three more fiddles to fix.

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Edited by - bj on 01/05/2011 07:34:06

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:34:47

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quote:

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Originally posted by bj

It's got that plinky oldtime clawhammer banjo tone but with a mando scale and number of strings. Doing a fast strum on it is pretty awesome and it will hold its own in a jam setting.

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I just can't imagine strumming a mandolin like that and getting the sound of a banjo...
youtube.com/watch?v=SnlcPx6XuVY

I've tried strumming my banjo with normal chords (without strumming the 5th string) and it sounds weird to me, maybe 'cause I'm not used... :S

bj - Posted - 01/05/2011:  07:57:35

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I take it you mostly play Irish music. I've not heard this type of instrument used in that genre, so can't really comment either way, though yeah, that's the fast strum! I play oldtime, and this instrument sounds perfect for that genre.

If tenor banjos with no resonators have been used in Irish Trad, which I suspect they have since they're the older form of banjo, this should fit in fine, but like I said, that's not a genre I know anything much about.

bj - Posted - 01/05/2011:  08:06:49

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Some vids that give a better idea of the possibilities:

youtube.com/watch?v=gHNEReOn784

youtube.com/watch?v=sn64DmhGavs (very close in sound and appearance to the one I have.)

youtube.com/watch?v=fSNb2b0KoXU

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/05/2011:  08:13:34

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Wow, it sounds pretty weird :O

nealwhitton - Posted - 01/05/2011:  10:17:01

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I used to have one of these and it sounds more like a banjo being played funny considering it has a banjo body. It was called a BANDOLIN not a Banjolin but I guess that's just semantics.

bj - Posted - 01/05/2011:  10:21:39

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They've also been called Manjos.

irishbanjos - Posted - 01/05/2011:  12:40:48

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I've always known it as banjolin

Steven Shostal - Posted - 01/07/2011:  20:38:24

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Typically the distinction is that a mandolin banjo has 8 strings like a mandolin, and a banjolin has 4 strings (same scale but no double course strings) and is also called a melody banjo. Here is a video of what was a mandolin banjo converted to a banjolin. But yes, the terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinction. Sounds great: youtube.com/watch?v=0N9MHb-DjU8 and youtube.com/watch?v=zFey3R90kd...=related. I'm using mine with 8 strings for Irish traditional music.

Regards.

bj - Posted - 01/07/2011:  20:51:57

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Wow, Steven, that sounds great! I guess I was right in thinking it would work well for Irish Trad! Thank you for posting that, really gives a different idea of what this can do.

Interesting that I'm not the only one who has used it with ony four strings. I have to admit it was a bit easier for me coming from a fiddle onto this with 4 strings, but it sounds wonderful with 8 as well.

Do you use a piece of foam behind the head? That's the way Jane set me up on this one.

Steven Shostal - Posted - 01/08/2011:  05:26:06

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Sorry, that's not me in the video, but just another example of how the instrument can sound. Personally, I have a wood tone ring and so no, I don't put anything to dampen it.