My grandfather gave me this banjo-lin to hang on the wall. I've been told it's probably from World War 2 because it's made mostly of aluminium.
Inside the bowl is (in pencil) handwritten in big cursive EoW(maybe).
The tuners are a brittle yellow resin or plastic.
The banjo head is real skin, hopefully not human.
I think my grandfather put that bridge on there, it's probably not even from a mandolin.
Any thoughts? I'm not going to sell it.. I'd just like to know something about it.
fix the neck and play it!
Go Long, Mule
maybe the first WW. that was what the army navy flattops were sold for ,
the troops in the trenches.
does look like it needs a neck reset, look inside .. if its not a wooden rimstick
with a loose glued joint, it may be an adjustment you can make.
personally I'm liking my banjo mandolin quite well as a 4 string,
those were known as 'melody banjos'
It's [obviously] half the tension on the neck.
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
It's probably post WWII. It isn't human skin. It wasn't made in the USA.
"bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--Jim Garber
yea head doesnt look too aged, too clean
It has caused me to wonder , theres those Turkish made ones on the Eyecandy Banjolin section.
perhaps a competing maker to those,
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Turkish... yes! Like those called cumbus (pronounced jumbush, i believe).
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
Playing lately:
Brentrup A4C -- 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin -- 1904 Embergher Type 3 -- 1937 Gibson L-Century -- 1939 Gibson L-00 -- ca. 1890s Celebrated Benary Banjo -- 1985 Monteleone Grand Artist Mandola
I'm gonna guess 60's or later, most likely much later.
"bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--Jim Garber
Originally Posted by (mandroid @ Dec. 11 2007, 16:16)
maybe the first WW. that was what the army navy flattops were sold for ,
the troops in the trenches.
does look like it needs a neck reset, look inside .. if its not a wooden rimstick
with a loose glued joint, it may be an adjustment you can make.
personally I'm liking my banjo mandolin quite well as a 4 string,
those were known as 'melody banjos'
It's [obviously] half the tension on the neck.
Looks like it's just aluminium with a screw head holding the neck on.
You are right! The Cumbus page describes the neck being attached with a screw that adjusts the action. THANKS!
Kewl.. now to figure out what year it might be.
All you ever need to know about Cumbus -- esp that is was "invented" by a guy named Cumbus.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
Playing lately:
Brentrup A4C -- 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin -- 1904 Embergher Type 3 -- 1937 Gibson L-Century -- 1939 Gibson L-00 -- ca. 1890s Celebrated Benary Banjo -- 1985 Monteleone Grand Artist Mandola
just for the record, incase someone else is searching the internet for something simlr. I found an Ethnomusicologist who said this is probably a European or Brazilian banjo-mandolin and not a Cumbus.
It's just coincidence that the neck is attached the same way.
Anything is possible... do you have a pic of the back? That may give us some clue.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
Playing lately:
Brentrup A4C -- 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin -- 1904 Embergher Type 3 -- 1937 Gibson L-Century -- 1939 Gibson L-00 -- ca. 1890s Celebrated Benary Banjo -- 1985 Monteleone Grand Artist Mandola
no, but there's really nothing to see back there. No markings, no design, no bolts or screws.. just a smooth back with belt buckle scratches on it.
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