View Full Version : Cello banzouki
Graham McDonald
Dec-08-2016, 12:12am
A few months ago I was asked to build an instrument with a bouzouki body and a five string banjo neck, but with a mandocello tonality. We decided on a low G string (a fifth lower than a normal banjo) and see how that went. Engelmann soundboard, Tasmanian blackwood body and sides, ebony fretboard with a maple and bone-capped bridge (which seemed to work better than a rosewood one). Waverly tuners and a 5-Star banjo tailpiece. Of course, its not really a mandolin, but it is related and I thought the folks here might be interested in something a little different.
It is just about ready for delivery so I asked by friend and very good banjo player John Taylor have a pick. This is the result. Shot on an Olympus OM-D with the built in mic. I suspect there is a way to embed the video here, but haven't worked that out.
https://www.facebook.com/100009044015110/videos/1703989086579209/
That link is dead for me (and yes I'm a facebook user)?
Graham McDonald
Dec-08-2016, 11:43pm
I have uploaded the video to YouTube which seems to be of slightly better quality. It does seem to go in and out of focus for some reason (probably my fault) and I won't be able to re-shoot it for a few weeks as the banjo player has gone to Spain for a few weeks. The embedding process still eludes me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzRnE7IgSJ4
JH Murray
Dec-09-2016, 7:28am
https://youtu.be/jzRnE7IgSJ4
Bertram Henze
Dec-09-2016, 9:39am
It basically sounds like a banjo with sustain to me, but the noise from the fingerpicks seems to stand out and cover much of it - is that noise normal (maybe inaudible against the bigger volume of a real banjo)?
It basically sounds like a banjo with sustain to me, but the noise from the fingerpicks seems to stand out and cover much of it - is that noise normal (maybe inaudible against the bigger volume of a real banjo)?
The loud pick noise was my first reaction too - may depend a bit on how it was recorded - also on how the owner intends to play it - perhaps metal finger picks on wound strings might not be the best combination?
Graham - the focus issue often gets me as well (Fuji camera), the trick when I remember to do it, is to make sure that all the bells and whistles such as face recognition are turned off. Typically that means using the most basic shooting mode available to you short of full manual. You also get way more battery life when you do that as it doesn't waste power constantly hunting around all over the place.
JH Murray
Dec-09-2016, 2:59pm
I think part of the pick noise is the position of the player's hand. That is the normal position for a banjo player. For an oval hole bouzouki, playing that close to the bridge gives a very harsh tone that would magnify the click. Such an instrument will require a different technique, playing over the oval hole, and perhaps with different finger picks. A new instrument requires a new technique to create a new sound.
Jim Garber
Dec-09-2016, 3:58pm
Might sound a bit better from an old time player who does not use fingerpicks, tho I do agree that the BG player might need to change the angle of the picks to avoid that string/pick noise.
Graham McDonald
Dec-09-2016, 6:03pm
It was a very rough and ready recording done quickly, just to get a sense of the instrument. It does sound a banjo with sustain. That was the idea :), along with the lower tuning. It will be interesting to hear what its new owner does with it.