Most ridiculous instrument you've ever seen

[Chris Travers]

What is the most ridiculous instrument you've ever seen? Post a pic.

crazylotrfan

[Jim Garber]

As far as mandolins, most of them have been posted on this thread already.

[Chris Travers]

I mean any instrument, but those ARE weird!

[minnedolin]

Don't have any pictures but I'd say the Hurdy-Gurdy, and of course the most annoying instrument in the world--the sitar.

[allenhopkins]

I own it: the Polk-A-Lay-Lee, four-foot-long ukulele with a serpentine neck, red plastic fingerboard and huge "paddle" friction tuning pegs, trapezoidal plywood body, oval sound hole. #The Polk was made in the Midwest by Petersen Co. around 1960 or so, and sold through the Polk Bros. department stores (hence the name). #It was sort of a rip-off of the novelty ukes made by Swagerty Co. on the west coast -- Kook-A-Le-Le, Singing Treholipee, Surf-A-Le-Le -- and the (dubious) rationale behind the long neck extensions was that the point of the neck could be stabbed into the beach sand when the musician took a break to go surfing. #What relevance this had to the Polk-A-Lay-Lee, which was sold around Chicago, isn't clear. #Polks turn up on eBay fairly regularly, from which I infer that quite a few of them were sold. #They are absolutely the silliest things I've seen; I play mine when I'm doing kids' programs, or when I'm in costume around Halloween, or when I feel ridiculous.

Wanta see someone -- not me -- playing a Polk-A-Lay-Lee (pretty well, I might add)?

Here's a link to a YouTube video. My Polk has a "natural" finish plywood body, dark neck, red fingerboard and tuning pegs. And by the way: Polk-A-Lay-Lee and Swagerty tuning pegs are rare and prized; they break easily, aren't made any more, and have to be cannibalized from "dead" instruments. I paid $40 for two plastic pegs, after locating an eBay seller who had some.

[Jim Garber]

Well, Gregg Miner's harp guitar site has some of the best examples, my two favorite being:

Mozzani and Joseph Bohmann both of whom also made some interesting mandoins.

Of course, this site has some really strange Italian instruments. Especially of note is this page of Sicilian guitars.

[JEStanek]

I would have to say the Stroh Violins are the weirdest



Ridiculous... Some examples like

Are on this guys blog. Warning Weird American Idol zombie content there too.

Jamie

[mandogrrl]

Cool thread. That Polk-A-Lay-Le is pretty strange. It looks
like something that Dr. Seuss would have invented.

[Bertram Henze]

I would have to say the Stroh Violins are the weirdest

Yes, it's looking unusual, but you have to admit it takes the resonator principle to a logical conclusion - that's what you get when a violin marries a gramophone.

Bertram

[tango_grass]

and of course the most annoying instrument in the world--the sitar.

*Laughing*

The sitar is extremely mellow!!

Ever heard of a Zurna? How about a Zurna and Tupan......In this video, the Tupan enters at about 2 minutes in...Personally, I think its brilliant. But I caution you. You're head might explode.

[Klaus Wutscher]

Don't have any pictures but I'd say the Hurdy-Gurdy, and of course the most annoying instrument in the world--the sitar.

While both instruments have an unusual design, they can soud wonderful if played well. The sitar especially is capable of nuances that we mandolinists don´t even think about because our instrument cannot reproduce them. It is a great instrument and takes a lifetime to master. Calling it the most annoying instrument in the world is quite a harsh statement (same goes for the hurdy-gurdy, there is a rich tradition in french folk music, and it´s addictive stuff).

[Jim Garber]

Ever heard of a Zurna? How about a Zurna and Tupan......In this video, the Tupan enters at about 2 minutes in...Personally, I think its brilliant. But I caution you. You're head might explode.

Hey Tango! That was an amazing video. I love the audience who are standing 2 feet away and smoking calmly while this loud raucous intense sound is aimed at them ... at one point one of the zurna players even places the bell of his instrument right on a guy's chest. I assume that is in Turkey?

[Bruce Evans]

Wierdest instrument I've ever seen.



Nah. Just kidding. Howzabout a hurdy gurdy?



The Stroh violin is definitely wierd.

[Timbofood]

I had a "Hawaiian Tremoloa" from the "Marx-O-Chime" company that was pretty strange. #Sorry, no pix.
You know, I saw a guy playing one of those like your first picture Toco, All I can say is, it was loud. What're they called anyway? How's the job going?

[JEStanek]

Wow. Those tupans reminded me of an unnatural union of the plastic horns people used to use at football games and an oboe. Most of the instruments submitted I've heard in ways I like a good deal. Perhaps more obscure than the hurdy gurdy is the nyckelharpe, another keyed violin type instrument. Mando content on the linked page!

For an instrument that on first blush seems ridiculous until you hear it well played, a saw. And lets not forget the theramin!

Jamie

[laddy jota]

Here is a mandolin that I built a few years ago in which I tried to incorporate the buzzy bridge and sympathetic strings of a sitar. You can see that it is a 12-string. 4 strings enter a chamber near the nut and extend through the neck, emerging under the fingerboard extension and pass over a buzzy bridge under the regular bridge. The sitar effect is slight because the strings are too short to vibrate significantly. There are slight overtones which can be adjusted to different pitches. I don't think this design will ever catch on. Maybe I should have added a Virzi.

[farmerjones]

To me those Erus (sp?) and Gourd banjos look too temporary & delicate to play. I do like the nice mellow sound of a gourd banjo.

[oldwave maker]

Those funny florentine copies of kalamazoo kulture look really ridiculous next to seriously sane agricultural acoustics.......

[MikeEdgerton]

Those funny florentine copies of kalamazoo kulture look really ridiculous next to seriously sane agricultural acoustics.......

Of course they do.

[mandocrucian]

4 strings enter a chamber near the nut and extend through the neck, emerging under the fingerboard extension and pass over a buzzy bridge under the regular bridge. The sitar effect is slight because the strings are too short to vibrate significantly. There are slight overtones which can be adjusted to different pitches.

Maybe you need to flip the bridge configuration around. Shouldn't the 8-strings have gotten the buzzy (curved lip) bridge, and the 4 sympathetic strings a normal one? Seems you'd want the buzz on the main strings, and get the most volume from the sympathetic ones.

Or just go with regular bridges and call it a Hardangermando.

Niles H

[tango_grass]

Ever heard of a Zurna? # How about a Zurna and Tupan......In this video, the Tupan enters at about 2 minutes in...Personally, I think its brilliant. #But I caution you. You're head might explode. #

Hey Tango! That was an amazing video. I love the audience who are standing 2 feet away and smoking calmly while this loud raucous intense sound is aimed at them ... at one point one of the zurna players even places the bell of his instrument right on a guy's chest. I assume that is in Turkey?

Isn't that great? You're right....those guys calmy act like nothin's going on, gotta love it. # # #I'm guessing that's in Turkey, just judging by the folks and the scenery....but I'm not totally certain.

Ok, Nyckelharpa!! #The previous picture didnt really have a true Swedish Harpa....how about these? :



This instrument is actually a favorite of mine. And I can see me attempting it in years to come. #Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of listening to a trio of Harpa players play for about 30 minutes....and actually their not as loud as one might think. Anywho....lovely music comes from the Nyckleharpa. #Though it is quite ridiculous to look at... # #

[JeffD]

Of course there is the tremoloa.

[Timbofood]

Things are getting pretty obscure now. We all must have way yonder too much time on our hands! I can't wait for the next "instrument anomaly" Keep diggin' I will go search

[Timbofood]

WOW! HOW COOL, thanks Jeff! I actually owned one of those but mine was a little more "harp" shaped. Great pic!

[Jonathan Peck]

I wouldn't say ridiculas, but the glass armonica is one you don't see very often

"Of all my inventions, the glass armonica has given me the greatest personal satisfaction" - Benjamin Franklin